<Begin Segment 16>

MN: Now you became a member of this group called the Octogonians?

AI: Octogonians.

MN: What is that?

AI: It's Block 8, octagon and made a club with all the teenage group, dance club or social club.

MN: So you were in Block 8 so that's why you called yourself the Octogonians.

AI: Octogonian.

MN: And what kind of dances did you have?

AI: We used to have jitterbugs, whatever the music we could get. People buy some records those days and record players then each block would invite each other and that way we meet different girls. Otherwise Octogonian we'll be dancing with the same girl.

MN: So how did you learn how to dance the jitterbug?

AI: By trying it. [Laughs] I didn't know how to dance then but all the people don't know get together then we teach each other and some people know how so they'll teach us how, so the club member we get together every weekend, that's how I learned.

MN: Now you know when you were in Jerome you also created your own darkroom in your barrack? How did you get started in photography?

AI: I'm always interested in photography because when I was in Artesia I had camera, nothing, little tiny box camera. I was taking a picture so I sort of continued and went into camp I bought one again in a camp. Went to Jerome and then it was available so I bought one and later on I learned how to develop the film, develop the picture then I start kind of getting to a little bit more by that way.

MN: Now did you learn how to develop pictures? Self-taught?

AI: Self-taught.

MN: Through book?

AI: I think so.

MN: You even experimented with colorizing photos. How do you colorize black and white photos?

AI: Those days using the dye and trying to colorize but that again self-taught, so trial and error, try this way, try that way.

MN: Didn't the chemicals stink up your barrack?

AI: Sort of, yeah.

MN: Nobody complained though?

AI: Well, just my room so far nobody did.

MN: Did you play any sports in camp?

AI: No.

MN: What did you do on your free time?

AI: Just roam around, play guitar, mandolin and just friends get together, yak and sometime we go outside of barbed wire, sort of a picnic into the woods, a whole bunch of us girls and boys, we all go out there. Time like when the dogwoods blooming we go out and have sort of picnic, nothing to eat but we spread the blanket and we sit around and just yakking.

MN: Did you have to get a permit to go outside for that?

AI: No.

MN: How far did you go out?

AI: Far as you can.

MN: And you had no problems?

AI: No problem except you don't want to go too far in that swamp because if you go too far you may not be able to come back.

MN: But then you can run away?

AI: Where? In a swamp you don't know where to go. There's hardly anything around there other than that little town I think it was called McGehee. There's nothing around and besides, you don't want to take a chance and go out and get caught and you may get slaughtered so you want to stay near the camp.

MN: Who were most of your friends? Were they Kibei or Niseis?

AI: Mixed.

MN: Now you said that you received a telegram from your mother in Jerome. What did that say?

AI: She said we are fine -- it's a very short telegram. It's we're doing fine, how are you? Are you doing okay? That was it but it's nice to hear, especially in a war, you didn't expect anything to come and that was really a surprise for me.

MN: Did you send a reply?

AI: Yes, I did. I sent it through the Red Cross. That was the... the Red Cross did that. And when I got it, mine, I was the only one that enjoyed, all my neighbor they all came and they looked at it like they got their own letter. They're all surprised because nobody expect anything from Japan.

<End Segment 16> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.