<Begin Segment 11>

[Ed. note: This transcript has been edited by the narrator]

TI: So I want to -- because not too many people have talked about the Isseis in camp, and I wanted to get your thoughts about your mother, you have more leisure time, and what it was like.

SA: Oh, I think (the Isseis) were spectacular. And if you look at the Lordsburg (Japanese internees), too, even (as) prisoners of war, they were considered "enemy aliens" as you know, they also went, a few of 'em, into the towns, and they showed them their handiwork. And I guess they, I don't know if they sold it or how they did it, but it said they brought in wood pieces, too. I was quite amazed that they were allowed access (to towns near the PW camp). Whereas in Minidoka, from the construction, what was left over of that wood, that was in great demand. And the crates that they could get, that food came in, and everybody was after them. But very few had -- well, I wouldn't say very few -- but some of us had no male (person around), so we didn't get anything. But people had to make things. We can hold a crate and put things on it, but others made beautiful tables out of sagebrush wood. I think (Margaret Gojio) has one you should see, it's beautiful. And then they made a watchtower (miniature of what) they saw, I don't know if it's the water tower or if it's a guard tower, but I think (the Kadoshima family) has one. We brought it out for the Wing Luke exhibit --

TI: Oh, so they made a little model of a...

SA: Model. Yeah, and it was really done well. So (if) you look around, (many have camp objects). I had a coat hanger that Larry Matsuda's father made. I don't know (...) where it went, or if it's in the Wing Luke collection. But that was good (too) because all we had was nails to drive into the walls. We didn't have closets, as you know, it was just the beds and the stove, the big belly stove in the unit, so gee, we're living out of our suitcases. And some of us, well, most of us, I think we bought our (wash basins) through the catalog. We had the Montgomery Ward catalog and the Sears catalog in the canteen, so everybody had the same stuff.

TI: But let me go back. So with these scrap pieces of wood and things, these sort of little handiworks were made.

SA: Uh-huh, tables and chairs.

TI: And that's what the, primarily the Isseis did, or the Niseis?

SA: Isseis did, the men who were available, and I think some of the (Nisei) boys that were old enough (helped). I don't know where they got the tools, maybe they got it from the construction people, 'cause we couldn't bring anything sharp in, you know. So I've wondered, too, where they got all that, but eventually they must have loosened up and let them buy it through the catalogs.

TI: And how about the Issei women? What were some of the activities that...

SA: Oh, they were crocheting, (knitting, sewing by hand), and, of course, they could buy that yarn and all that through the catalog again. And anybody that can go out, like we were going out for harvesting, and they would ask us to buy them pencils, buy them pens and things. And I don't remember on the day trip doing that, but I know my brother was out sugar beeting, and he bought me a necklace and things like that, (even) shoes, I think he bought (me). I was amazed they even fit.

TI: That was good. How about your mom? What things did she do?

SA: Well, she was taking classes, actually, like I said, for the first time. So I know there (were) English (classes), and what else did she take? She took another... might have been knitting and crocheting, (calligraphy, etcetera).

TI: And what, how would you describe her, sort of, mood or her reaction of being in camp?

SA: Well, I think seeing all the other women who were worse off than her, though they were certainly enjoying the leisure time, like the Matsudairas with all the children, the Shimizus, I mean, when they have over ten children, of course they're happy, 'cause you don't have to cook. [Laughs] You don't have to do anything, and they're running around all day playing. It was a wonderful time for them. I think it lengthened their lives, (...) 'cause they could rest. For the first time, they could rest. The men that were there, (too, rested, but) as you know, one of 'em wandered out into the sagebrush (to get one to polish), got lost and died out there, got burned by the sun. And I remember the bunch of fellows that went out looking (for him), one of the younger ones, (...) I think was Mas Horiuchi, and he came and he vomited at the sight of the burned person. So I think it must have been tough for the fellows.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.