Social and recreational activities
Japanese Americans found ways to fill the long days created by the enforced idleness of camp life. They made jewelry from shells found in the desert, built furniture for their rooms using scrap lumber and renovated the exteriors of their barracks. People also played cards, chess, checkers, mahjongg, and the Japanese games 'go' and 'shogi.' Camp inmates held dances, concerts, plays, and arts and crafts exhibitions. In Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, they even held a beauty contest to select the "Sweetheart of Minidoka."
World War II
(231)
Concentration camps
(1454)
Social and recreational activities
(1166)
Related articles from the
Densho Encyclopedia :
Arts and crafts in camp,
Music in camp
1166 items
1166 items
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Japanese Americans swimming in the irrigation canal (ddr-densho-39-31)
Japanese Americans swim in the irrigation canal that ran along the perimeter of the Minidoka concentration camp.
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Norakuro Harmonica Band (ddr-densho-39-45)
The Norakuro Harmonica Band played instruments in addition to the harmonica. At camp dances the group performed both American and Japanese music as well as American music with Japanese lyrics. Many of its members were Kibei, Nisei who were born in the United States but educated in Japan.
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Camp arts and crafts exhibit (ddr-densho-39-14)
Original museum description: Photograph, black and white glossy of an arts and crafts exhibit in an auditorium at the Minidoka internment camp. Rows of tables are seen with arts and crafts displays. Hanging upright are scrolls, embroidery, paintings and drawings. In the foreground are a model of a water tower on the left and a desk …
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Children playing flutes (ddr-densho-39-30)
Original museum description: Photograph taken at Minidoka internment camp, black and white glossy, shows a group of Japanese American girls playing the flute, girls are wearing coats, some have on scarves, barrack is in the background. (Info from original museum description)
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Japanese Americans preparing for a performance (ddr-densho-39-53)
Japanese Americans from the Minidoka concentration camp prepare for a Japanese dance or theater performance.
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Baton girls at Jerome concentration camp (ddr-densho-321-9)
Captioned: "Baton Girls / Denson 1944."
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Camp high school brass band (ddr-densho-37-533)
Original WRA caption: Rohwer Relocation Center, McGehee, Arkansas. A part of the brass section of the High School Band, at the Rohwer Center. The students learning to play instruments for the band are former Californians, who, with their parents, were evacuated from stratiegic west coast areas.
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Camp Boy Scouts (ddr-densho-37-427)
Original WRA caption: Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Boy Scouts conducting a morning flag raising ceremony at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center. Where persons of Japanese ancestry, evacuated from West Coast defennse areas, now reside.
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Camp fashion show (ddr-densho-37-320)
Original WRA caption: A fashion show was one of the many exhibits held at this relocation center on Labor Day. Great skill was shown in dressmaking and tailoring, and was thoroughly appreciated by the large audience which witnessed this display.
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High school dance orchestra (ddr-densho-37-505)
Original WRA caption: Granada Relocation Center, Amache, Colorado. The High School dance orchestra at the Granada Relocation Center at Amache, Colorado.
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Japanese American building a model ship (ddr-densho-37-597)
Original WRA caption: Gila River Relocation Center, Rivers, Arizona. Wataru Ichinotsubo, former produce market employee form Los Angeles, California, is shown sandpapering the hull of a model into final shape in the model ship factory here. These ships are carefully constructed for the Navy by the Japanese-American craftsmen.
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Lifeguards (ddr-densho-37-6)
Original WRA caption: Volunteer lifeguards at outdoor swimming hol[e] constructed close to north side irrigation canal. At left is Willard Jeager, Hunt High School teacher and volunteer Red Cross life-saving instructor. At right is Walter Kipp, community activities supervisor.
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Japanese American making jewelry (ddr-densho-37-547)
Original WRA caption: Rohwer Relocation Center, McGehee, Arkansas. Among the unusual hobbies to be found in the relocation center, whose residents are former west coast persons of Japanese ancestry, is this former Californian's semi-precious stone cutting. He has prepared much interesting jewelry from bits of unusual stone picked up on the center grounds.
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Art class (ddr-densho-37-509)
Original WRA caption: Granada Relocation Center, Amache, Colorado. An adult art class under the direction of Tokio Ueyama, working in pencil sketch charcoals and oils. Adult art classes are extremely popular at the Amache Center.
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Camp band performance (ddr-densho-37-681)
Original WRA caption: Norakuro band. This is called a harmonica band although harmonicas are augmented by an equal number of other instruments. The organization including the name is patterned after Borrah Minnevitch's Harmonica Rascals. The band plays for center dances and is very popular. They play both American and Japanese music, often putting Japanese lyrics to …
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Boy Scout Headquarters (ddr-densho-37-773)
Original WRA caption: Granada Relocation Center, Amache, Colorado. "Amache District Headquarters, Boy Scouts of America, Granada Relocation Center."
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Japanese Americans climbing Castle Rock (ddr-densho-37-177)
Original WRA caption: A pleasant Sunday afternoon's recreation is spent by evacuee winter sports enthusiasts, on the slopes of Castle Mountain. Home made sleds and various other home made pieces of equipment were used by these young people.
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Sweetheart of Minidoka and attendants (ddr-densho-37-674)
Original WRA caption: Sweetheart of Minidoka and her attendants chosen by popular vote in St. Valentine's Day contest sponsored by the Minidoka Irrigator, center newspaper. Standing left to right: Kiyoka Kumagai, Amy Hidaka, Mona Saito, Chickie Ishihara. Seated left to right: Misao Hayashida, Ise Inozuka, Mary Jane Kinoshita.
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Japanese American carpenter building furniture (ddr-densho-37-358)
Original WRA caption: Tule Lake Relocation Center, Newell, California. Shinkichi Kiyono, 56, carpenter-evacuee from Longview, Washington, is shown using a carpenter's plane which he won as first prize in a furniture contest conducted among the evacuees of Japanese descent at this War Relocation Authority center.
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Japanese American ice skating (ddr-densho-37-677)
Original WRA caption: Girl skating on a frozen pond in the center.
