Katari Students’ Trip To Manzanar National Historic Site, November 3-4, 2018 – In Photos

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During the weekend of November 3-4, 2018, the Manzanar Committee, in partnership with the National Park Service staff at Manzanar National Historic Site, hosted eight students from the Nikkei Student Unions at California State University, Fullerton, California State University, Long Beach, the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, San Diego in an intensive, interactive, place-based learning experience on the unjust incarceration of Japanese/Japanese Americans during World War II.

You can read a detailed description of our project (and we really urge you to do so), Katari, which means to tell stories in Japanese, at:

Katari: Keeping Japanese American Stories Alive

We’ll have a lot more about this trip with our students in the coming weeks and hopefully, our students will let us know what they think and feel about their trip—we hope to get reflection pieces from each of them soon.

To be sure, this was an incredible weekend, much like the trip with our first group of students last March, and like that first trip, this one just might have been transformational, not only for our students, but also for those who were on the content delivery side of things. That includes the wonderful National Park Service staff at Manzanar National Historic Site, most notably, Ranger Rose Masters, and the three former incarcerees who joined us on the trip to share their personal stories of life behind the barbed wire with our students—Nancy Oda, Pat Sakamoto, and Min Tonai. We thank each of them for making the long trek from the Los Angeles area and for spending the entire weekend with our students—their dedication to educating young people is both appreciated and needed, especially given our current political climate.

Again, we’ll have more from our trip in the coming weeks. For now, here is a photo essay from our tremendous weekend with our students that we hope you’ll enjoy and ask questions about!

LEAD PHOTO: Group photo at the Manzanar cemetery monument from the November 3-4, 2018 Katari trip for college students hosted by the Manzanar Committee and the National Park Service. Photo: Bernadette Johnson for Gann Matsuda/Manzanar Committee.

Katari Trip to Manzanar National Historic Site, November 3-4, 2018

Former Amache incarceree, Min Tonai (standing), during opening introductory remarks.

Group listening to former Amache incarceree, Min Tonai (not pictured) during opening introductory remarks.

Nikkei Student Union at UCLA member Emma Boyles (white cap) introduces herself to the group.

Nikkei Student Union at UCLA member Megan Yabumoto (center right) introduces herself to the group.

UCSD Nikkei Student Union member Kevin Amemiya (center right) introduces himself to the group.

UCSD Nikkei Student Union Co-President Lauren Matsumoto (right) introduces himself to the group. That”s Manzanar Committee member and former Manzanar incarceree Pat Sakamoto, at left.

CSULB Nikkei Student Union member Miku Fujioka (left) introduces herself to the group.

CSULB Nikkei Student Union member Kylie Castaneda (center) introduces herself to the group.

CSUF Nikkei Student Union member Justin Fujii (center) introduces himself to the group.

Manzanar Committee Co-Chair Bruce Embrey introduces himself.

The Button family from Lone Pine, California, whose roots date way back to the Paiute and Shoshone settlement of the Owens Valley.

Manzanar National Historic Site Ranger Rose Masters (right) with Manzanar Committee Co-Chair Bruce Embrey.

Manzanar National Historic Site’s Chief of Interpretation Alisa Lynch (center).

Listening to the Button family from Lone Pine, California, whose roots date way back to the Paiute and Shoshone settlement of the Owens Valley.

The Button family from Lone Pine, California, whose roots date way back to the Paiute and Shoshone settlement of the Owens Valley.

The Button family from Lone Pine, California, whose roots date way back to the Paiute and Shoshone settlement of the Owens Valley. That’s Irene Button (center).

Students were engaged early on in an exercise dealing with anti-Asian sentiment/laws in the late 1800’s and early-to-mid 1900’s that led to the unjust incarceration of Japanese/Japanese Americans during World War II.

Students got a feel for the size of what was the Manzanar concentration camp by looking at the model of the camp in the Visitors Center.

We’re about to visit Block 14, where the demonstration barracks, women’s latrine and mess hall are located.

In one of the barracks in Block 14, CSULB Nikkei Student Union member Kylie Castaneda (left) reads an excerpt from an oral history interview with a former Manzanar incarceree.

Former Amache incarceree Min Tonai tells our students about the living conditions in camp.

In the Block 14 women’s latrine.

The Button family joined us for lunch in the Block 14 mess hall.

Eating lunch in the Block 14 mess hall.

Ranger Rose Masters begins a discussion on the social impacts of mess hall dining at Manzanar while we eat lunch in the Block 14 mess hall.

Students listening to a presentation by Ranger Patricia Biggs while seated in the new classroom exhibit at Manzanar.

Students and Manzanar Committee Co-Chair Bruce Embrey listening to a presentation by Ranger Patricia Biggs while seated in the new classroom exhibit at Manzanar.

Students listening to a presentation by Ranger Patricia Biggs in the Block Manager’s office in the Block 14 barracks.

Students and Nancy Oda (foreground right) listening to a presentation by Ranger Patricia Biggs in the Block Manager’s office in the Block 14 barracks.

Manzanar NHS Superintendent Bernadette Johnson (left) and Ranger Rose Masters (right) are shown here with a map/chart of what may have occurred during the Manzanar “Riot,” December 5-6, 1942.

At the historic basketball court in the Block 14 demonstration barracks.

In the circa 1944 barracks in Block 14, talking about the infamous loyalty questionnaire.

In the circa 1944 barracks in Block 14, talking about the infamous loyalty questionnaire. That’s Manzanar Committee member and former Manzanar incarceree Pat Sakamoto on the right.

Manzanar Committee member and former Manzanar incarceree Pat Sakamoto told our students about how the infamous loyalty questionnaire tore her family apart.

Students listening to Manzanar Committee member and former Manzanar incarceree Pat Sakamoto told our students about how the infamous loyalty questionnaire tore her family apart.

Manzanar Committee member and former Manzanar incarceree Pat Sakamoto told our students about how the infamous loyalty questionnaire tore her family apart.

Nancy Oda (background right) told our students about her family’s (especially her father’s) experiences at the Tule Lake Segregation Center.

Nancy Oda told our students about her family’s (especially her father’s) experiences at the Tule Lake Segregation Center.

Nancy Oda (second from left) told our students about her family’s (especially her father’s) experiences at the Tule Lake Segregation Center.

Manzanar NHS archeologist Jeff Burton (left) told our students about the incarceree-built gardens at Manzanar, and how they have been able to excavate and rehabilitate so many of them after decades of being buried under desert soil.

Manzanar NHS archeologist Jeff Burton (right) told our students about the incarceree-built gardens at Manzanar, and how they have been able to excavate and rehabilitate so many of them after decades of being buried under desert soil.

Manzanar NHS archeologist Jeff Burton (second from right) told our students about the incarceree-built gardens at Manzanar, and how they have been able to excavate and rehabilitate so many of them after decades of being buried under desert soil.

Former Amache incarceree Min Tonai (center) was often the center of attention for our students, as he was at the famous Merritt Park, considered to be the most elaborate and beautiful of the incarceree-built gardens at Manzanar.

Manzanar NHS archeologist Jeff Burton (background center) told our students about the incarceree-built gardens at Manzanar, and how they have been able to excavate and rehabilitate so many of them after decades of being buried under desert soil.

Manzanar NHS archeologist Jeff Burton (background right) told our students about the incarceree-built gardens at Manzanar, and how they have been able to excavate and rehabilitate so many of them after decades of being buried under desert soil.

Ranger Rose Masters told our students about how the orchards from the Town of Manzanar era are being restored.

Jeff Burton (left) told our students about how the orchards from the Town of Manzanar era are being restored.

Our students also heard about Children’s Village, where 101 orphans were incarcerated at Manzanar during World War II.

Chief of Interpretation Alisa Lynch at Children’s Village, where 101 orphans were incarcerated at Manzanar during World War II.

Superintendent Bernadette Johnson at Children’s Village, where 101 orphans were incarcerated at Manzanar during World War II.

Day 2 of the weekend: heading to the site of Block 20, where former Manzanar Committee Chair Sue Kunitomi Embrey was incarcerated.

Heading to the site of Block 20, where former Manzanar Committee Chair Sue Kunitomi Embrey was incarcerated.

At the site of Block 20, where former Manzanar Committee Chair Sue Kunitomi Embrey was incarcerated.

At the site of Block 20, where former Manzanar Committee Chair Sue Kunitomi Embrey was incarcerated. Her son, Manzanar Committee Co-Chair Bruce Embrey, spoke of his mother’s experiences at Manzanar.

At the site of Block 20, where former Manzanar Committee Chair Sue Kunitomi Embrey was incarcerated. Her son, Manzanar Committee Co-Chair Bruce Embrey (not pictured), spoke of his mother’s experiences at Manzanar.

At the site of Block 20, where former Manzanar Committee Chair Sue Kunitomi Embrey was incarcerated.

Discussion on what happened to the incarcerees once Manzanar closed after the end of World War II. What were the impacts of their incarceration?

UCSD Nikkei Student Union member Kevin Amemiya reads from an oral history excerpt during discussion on what happened to the incarcerees once Manzanar closed after the end of World War II.

CSULB Nikkei Student Union member Kylie Castaneda reads from an oral history excerpt during discussion on what happened to the incarcerees once Manzanar closed after the end of World War II.

Discussion on what happened to the incarcerees once Manzanar closed after the end of World War II.

Nikkei Student Union at UCLA member Megan Yabumoto (center) reads from an oral history excerpt during discussion on what happened to the incarcerees once Manzanar closed after the end of World War II.

Lunch at Merritt Park. Manzanar Committee Co-Chair Bruce Embrey talked about his mother, Sue Kunitomi Embrey—how and why she became an activist.

At the Manzanar cemetery. Students reading the two wayside exhibits there.

Manzanar Committee Co-Chair Bruce Embrey talked about the first organized Manzanar Pilgrimage in 1969, and more about his mother’s activism, which led her to become the driving force behind the Manzanar Committee, the annual Manzanar Pilgrimage and the creation of the Manzanar National Historic Site.

A discussion about community activism at the cemetery monument.

CSULB Nikkei Student Union member Justin Fujii (right) reads from an oral history excerpt during a discussion about community activism at the cemetery monument.

Manzanar Committee Co-Chair Bruce Embrey (right) during a discussion about community activism at the cemetery monument.

Manzanar Committee Co-Chair Jenny Chomori during a discussion about community activism at the cemetery monument.

Nancy Oda (center) during a discussion about community activism at the cemetery monument.

That’s quite the group we had, isn’t it?

At the Manzanar Reservoir.

The view looking east towards the Inyo Mountains from the Manzanar Reservoir.

Students looking at a map of what remains at the site of the Manzanar Reservoir.

Manzanar NHS Ranger Sarah Bone at the Manzanar Reservoir.

Former Amache incarceree Min Tonai, shown here reading the wayside exhibit at the Manzanar Reservoir.

At the “sand trap” portion of the Manzanar Reservoir.

Former incarcerees Nancy Oda and Min Tonai headed back to Los Angeles after we visited the Manzanar Reservoir on Sunday. But our students didn’t know that they were leaving directly from there. When they heard, a few of them said, “Oh no,” and they all quickly rushed out of our van to thank them for being there and spending so much time sharing their knowledge and experiences with them. It was a touching moment.

Looking at the California State Historic Monument plaque near the Visitors Center where Bruce Embrey (not pictured) spoke of the controversy over the wording of the plaque and its implications for the future

Superintendent Bernadette Johnson (background) shown here while students look at archived comment books that visitors to the Manzanar Visitors Center have written in over the years.

Superintendent Bernadette Johnson (left) shown here while students look at archived comment books that visitors to the Manzanar Visitors Center have written in over the years.

Students look at and discuss archived comment books that visitors to the Manzanar Visitors Center have written in over the years.

Wrap-up for the weekend. Students discuss how the weekend impacted them and what lessons they might be able to draw from for planning the annual Manzanar At Dusk in April.

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