Manzanar, My Personal Experience
Manzanar
Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps at which Japanese-American citizens were imprisoned during World War II. Construction of the camp began in March 1942. At full operation, Manzanar had a population of approximately 10,000 people.
The entire facility encompassed some 6000 acres. The main facility of 550 acres was circled by barbed wire fences and guard towers.
Insight
I had always viewed Japanese-American writings, plays, and movies, with a dislike of the intense introspective nature of the creative output. However, after viewing the remains of the facility, I have come to a new understanding of this whole sorry episode in American history, and perhaps a new understanding of my own character.
This simple photo of where the barracks once stood belies the fact that the barracks stretched for blocks in all directions. The sign might as well represent all people of the world who resign themselves to their fate as well as the 10,000 internees of Japanese ancestry that lived here for a great part of their lives.
What transpired in the administration office of this prison camp, euphemistically called the Manzanar War Relocation Center? One can only imagine, not the orderly business of feeding and clothing the internees, and the greater horror of secret police, internal spies, and the paranoia that is part and parcel of running a prison camp housing "the enemy."
There are thing that people do to maintain their identity in the face of the greatest ignominy that can befall a proud people. The tragedy is that, despite the intense scrutiny, not one traitor was ever discovered in the entire populace. Rather than be defeated or cowed, the Japanese-Americans instead reached back into their heritage and grew a beautiful garden. Although little remains of the original garden, one can suspect that in the icy water of this deep pond centering the garden, beautiful koi swam to and fro in the middle of a barren wasteland.
Life goes onward, despite man's inhumanity to man. Although inhospitable and desolate, there was still life going on as it inevitably will at this internment site. A closer look at the photo shows that someone placed a simple white placard on the sign identifying the hospital "Birthplace of George Wakatsuki 9-4-42." Someone returned to celebrate his birth.
One can only wonder how life proceeded here. Children, although aware of a distant cloud of suspicion and distrust, probably went on their lives in innocent joy. Although there were hardships for sure, and the weather was intemperate at all times, I am sure they learned as much as they could and played hard during the times they were not studying.
The cemetery is toward the end of the Manzanar tour. It is, however, the place where the most love has been bestowed as the large monument is bedecked with chains of paper cranes. Also there are odd offerings left at the monument, that range from trash to genuine bits of people's lives. It is the strange mixture of bits of people's lives that is fascinating to see. It is as if the odd collection of pieces are akin to memories. Separately they have no meaning but together they form a collective consciousness of remembrance for the past and recognition of the silent suffering that these humble people had to undergo.
Personal feelings
The American part of me always believed in free will and self-determinism. I had always ignored and was perhaps ashamed of the capacity for quiet suffering. But now I see things diffently and think that there is some universality to the Japanese part of me. The world is filled with the downtrodden who silently bear their burdens. While the Bible has said that "the meek shall inherit the earth", let it be said that those who shall let others trod on them, know this to be a strength in their character.