Densho Digital Archive - Sachiye Okamoto - Miho Shiroishi Interview (denshovh-osachiye

<Begin Segment 26>

KL: And it was you who had a grandchild who did a school project, or was that your grand... you had a granddaughter who did a school project?

MS: Oh, grandson.

KL: Yeah, what was his project?

MS: Well, it was about, they were learning... what do you call this about us going to camp? And I think he said, "Oh, my grandma and grandpa went to (camps)," and the teacher wanted us to, for him to ask us to write a short story, which I have brought with me.

SO: Yeah, you should read her story, it's kind of interesting.

KL: Yeah, it would be great to have a copy of it.

SO: Yes, it is. It really is.

KL: How old was he? What grade was he in?

MS: He was in high school.

SO: I would say sixteen.

KL: Was he surprised by things you told him? What was his reaction?

MS: Yeah, I think he was surprised. And he wrote a nice -- I didn't bring it -- but a report on Manzanar and our experiences. So I like that, the fact that the schools are doing that.

KL: Well, we were talking about how different generations are and how people's and generations thinking is a little bit different. Was he, what do you think he thought? I'd love to have a copy of his report, too, if he's willing.

MS: Yeah. I don't know. He really didn't comment too much. I have this book, Executive Order 9066, I don't know if you saw it, it's like a picture book. And I have that laying around the house, and I think they all saw that. And so they kind of realized that they have an idea of what we went through, but I don't think he asked me about camp life or anything. My other grandson graduated from San Diego State, and before he graduated, the last year, the class went to Manzanar, you know, the whole class. And at that time, he said, "Well, I don't want to go with my class." He said, "Would you go with me?" and I said, "Oh, yeah." So the class stayed overnight near Manzanar, and then so Ryan and I went a couple of years ago, and he really enjoyed it.

KL: What did you do while you were at Manzanar?

MS: Oh, of course, went to the interpretive center, and then we visited the other museum also.

KL: In Independence?

MS: Yes. And saw a picture of my brother on a little tricycle, and that was kind of neat.

KL: In the Independence museum?

MS: Yeah, with this two friends.

KL: Did you know it was there?

MS: No, oh, no. And so that was special. And, gosh, my grandson really enjoyed it, going through the interpretive center, that's great. But the first time I went in 2004 for the dedication, and that was only because my son said, "Why don't you go, Mom?" I said, "I don't want to go back there." And for the first time in fifty-four years -- and like I said, I always lived in California -- went to Manzanar in 2004 for the first time. And standing in the bookstore, I think we were waiting to go in. And I got a glimpse of the Block 8 picture that's there, and saw us, like she's sitting next to me. Oh my gosh, I just started crying, I couldn't believe. I cried through the whole interpretive center, and it was very emotional to see the family's name on the back wall. Oh, my gosh. I mean, that really made it seem like it was, we were really there, to see your name up there, and that of your family, and in the book. I mean, you know, sometimes you get to feeling like it's a bad dream or something that happened in another life. But you see something like that, your name's on the wall, and that was really something, and I just enjoyed the whole tour of the interpretive center. They did a great job there. So, I mean, to see your picture, too.

SO: Well, that was a surprise. I mean, that was a shock. She goes, "Can you believe that you walk in there and there's our picture?"

KL: Because you weren't there.

SO: Not with her, no. I just went in June for my first time. I just never cared to... and my friend had been asking all that time, "Come on, I'll take you there when you come to California." I said, "Okay, okay." And this time, I think because my granddaughter did this project for...

KL: History Day?

SO: Yes. And then I had talked to Ms. Lynch, and then after I went there and says, "You know what? I want to do something about it. I want to do an interview, I want to." But I had to have her because I know I don't remember as much as she does.

KL: Well, it's great to have somebody else who was there and who was in your family. Because you'll say things that I don't know.

SO: And I think it's my granddaughter's report that got me kind of interested. I mean, if she's taking such an interest in Manzanar, and I think it's her teachers that... oh, it was, the theme was "the revolution," and her world geography teacher said, "Do you know anything about World War II?" She goes, "Well, my grandma was in Manzanar," so the teacher told her to do the report, then she got really into it. And the teacher even bought her this big old poster, like a six-foot poster, and told her to do it. And then I got to thinking, "You know, it was just meant to be." She did that and then I happened to go there, and...

KL: How old is your granddaughter?

SO: Sixteen when she did it.

KL: I'm just so curious about this generational thing. Was she angry?

SO: No. I just... well, you know, the Isseis and the Niseis did not talk about it. And it's the Sanseis, the third generation up that brought this out, because we just didn't talk about it. They're the ones that wanted to bring it out and why and all this. And my granddaughter is taking Japanese at the Las Vegas Academy and she has two periods of it. One to learn Japanese history... well, she's, I think she called it an international studies student, so that's why she's taking Japanese. And she got into it, and then she started asking me more and more about Manzanar, I'd just say, "Oh, yeah, that's somewhere we were," and really started her project and started looking into it.