<Begin Segment 6>

TI: So you're growing up in Walnut Grove. Can you tell me, like when you're a young boy, what are some of the activities you do in Walnut Grove? What are some fun things that you do?

WM: I think we played baseball, swimming, and we used to work when we were a kid.

TI: So let's start with baseball. So who would you play baseball with?

WM: With a group, and they divide together and play.

TI: Okay, so just kind of like sandlot baseball. You had a bunch of friends, would get together, and you would just pick sides and play.

WM: Most of the time we'd go swimming, 'cause everybody knew how to swim.

TI: So how did people learn how to swim?

WM: Everybody just went out and learned how to, that's all. Across the river, they used to go there and touch and come back.

TI: Okay, so I've been... we're talking about the Sacramento River, and so it's a big river.

WM: Yeah, long way. But we go there and come back.

TI: With a pretty strong current.

WM: No, not too much.

TI: Not too much?

WM: Only water was dirty, though. Not like now, clean.

TI: And so, and you guys just learned yourself in terms of how to swim across and back?

WM: Yes.

TI: Were there ever any accidents like people drowning or anything like that?

WM: No. Japanese know how to swim, so if somebody drowning, you go help.

TI: Oh, okay. Do you ever remember people helping others, like maybe --

WM: No, nobody didn't get drowned, that's why it was good. Nighttime, when the white people went there, they got drowned. So we don't go at nighttime.

TI: So no Japanese ever drowned, but you said the white people, sometimes they would swim at night and one person drowned. Okay. So, at the river, you mentioned it was dirty sometimes. How about fishing? Did you ever go fishing?

WM: Fishing was good.

TI: So tell me about fishing.

WM: Catfish and flat bass.

TI: And how would, how would you make your fishing poles? What would the fishing poles be...

WM: They get pole and put the hook, they put the bait and catch catfish. But we catch it, we got to clean it and cook with it.

TI: And so after you caught it, you cleaned it, who would cook it? Would your mother cook it?

WM: We had to cook.

TI: Oh, so the kids would. So describe that? Would you cook it at home?

WM: Home. Barbecue-style.

TI: And did you like catfish?

WM: Yeah, it was good. But now, I like sashimi, striped bass like that. But now, you can't eat fish.

TI: So back then, when you caught the striped bass, you would do sashimi?

WM: Yeah. No, no sashimi. Not that much.

TI: Not that much. 'Cause I would think the water was pretty dirty, I'm not sure if that would, if that was healthy.

WM: Right.

<End Segment 6> - Copyright (c) 2009 Densho and Preserving California's Japantowns. All Rights Reserved.