PARTNER

OBJECT ID

ddr-densho-585-1

PARENT COLLECTION

Vanessa Kanamoto Collection

DESCRIPTION

Shikata ga nai is a personal testimony of a Japanese American woman reflecting on her experience living in internment camps following the attack on Pearl Harbor. This solo dance interweaves audio recording and movement to present an embodied archive of the past, demonstrating societal discrimination, restraint, and perseverance of the Japanese American community. Shikata ga nai is a Japanese phrase that roughly translates to "it cannot be helped" and describes the Japanese American ability to maintain dignity during a time of great injustice.

This is a recording of the premiere performance in 2017 at University of California, Irvine. Shikata ga nai was also performed at Jacob's Pillow and John F. Kennedy Center.

00:04:56

CONTRIBUTOR

Densho

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of Vanessa Kanamoto Collection, Densho

RIGHTS