Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Taneyuki Dan Harada Interview
Narrator: Taneyuki Dan Harada
Interviewer: Martha Nakagawa
Location: San Jose, California
Date: November 30, 2010
Densho ID: denshovh-htaneyuki-01-0018

<Begin Segment 18>

MN: So you got to Leupp. What was your first impression of Leupp?

TH: It was... the building, I think it was, everything was kind of red, purpleish, the ground, and the building was built (with) thick red sandstone. We, there was a big room where there was a sleeping quarter. Leupp was, it used to be on the Navajo Indian reservation, it used to be the boarding school for the Navajo children. And this kind of large room, which, I don't know whether it was used as a sleeping quarter or for the classroom, but anyway, the army cot was all lined up on both sides. That's where we found ourselves.

MN: Now, how many army people were guarding you?

TH: Well, I read later that it was about 150 army, military police were guarding us, and there were four guard towers, and, of course, the fence.

MN: Do you remember that, or you said you read that?

TH: I read later.

MN: So you yourself did not remember that.

TH: No. Basically we stayed within the building except to go out... there was a playground in front of the building, and the other side was a dining hall. There was a large hall, building, which was used as a dining room. So used to go there for our meals, that's about it.

MN: What do remember of the food at Leupp?

TH: Oh, I don't remember anything.

MN: Were there incarcerated Buddhist priests there that gave sermons?

TH: I heard that there was one Buddhist priest, but I never even, I don't even recognize. I never met him face to face.

MN: So you didn't go to any Christian or Buddhist services at Leupp?

TH: No.

MN: Was it pretty regimented at Leupp? Did you have roll call?

TH: No. It was, well, basically we didn't have anything to do, so I used to roam around within the building. And some were playing cards, some were just talking, some were playing musical instruments, some were doing exercises.

MN: What did you do at Leupp?

TH: When I felt like painting, I used to paint. There was a lot of little small rooms on the second floor. I would go up there and open the window and paint a desert scene. I also painted the building itself, but then I don't have it. I guess I wasn't satisfied with the result. And I also painted outside beyond the fence, I have one painting in my possession. And I also painted the church, the Presbyterian church, but I don't have the original with me anymore. I made a couple of copies and somebody should have it, still have it.

MN: How did you get your painting supplies?

TH: Oh, I guess I had my parents send it to me.

MN: When you were at Leupp, did you receive any letters from the Military Intelligence Service to try to recruit you?

TH: No, I don't remember that.

<End Segment 18> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.