<Begin Segment 10>

RP: Another question about the, the farm. Did your father hire migrant labor during the season?

BF: No. He didn't hire anyone. I mean, we had enough kids --

RP: You had enough kids. [Laughs]

BF: Yeah. I mean, if anything had to be done it was, you know, family. There were... about the only time we had others helping was near New Year's. They would come to, to pound mochi.

RP: That was quite an event.

BF: The rice cakes. Yeah. I mean, that was, that was the big thing with, with Japanese families. New Years, you always have mochi and someone had to pound it and we happened to have the equipment and, and the mallet's. So people would come.

RP: How would that, how would that work? Would everybody take a turn pounding the mochi?

BF: Oh yeah. Pounding mochi is a, is a fun activity.

RP: Tell us a little bit about it.

BF: Well, they'd... mochi, mochi, there's a special kind of rice that, that is used to make mochi. You, they steam it. And then you put it into a, a pounding bowl. It's a, it can be made out of metal or it could be made out of wood. And, then they have these mallet's and there's a, you take this, this steamed rice and you throw it in the bowl and then they take turns pounding, you know, rhythmically. And there's one person who's sort of flips the pounded rice and so you want to make sure that your, your rhythm is steady so you don't accidentally hit that guy who's got his hand in there flipping the rice. It's still done occasionally, more for demonstration, I guess, than, than actual large amounts of mochi. Because they have mochi machines. Someone invented the mochi-making machine that does all the work.

RP: So were you a flipper or a pounder?

BF: Oh, at that time I was nothing. I mean, they wouldn't trust me with a mallet. I mean, you had to be old enough to, to handle that mallet. But they, they pounded mochi in, in the camps. And then they had... if you go to some communities, I mean, in Sebastopol I know they still do it. Because it's just tradition. I mean, I guess in the villages in Japan that's what they used to do and they do the same thing. But one in Sebastopol is interesting because they, the, they bowl that they use is, is one that they used in Amache. Yeah, they, they did it in Amache and somehow or another they were able to transport when the camp closed. This one family brought it back to Sebastopol. And now they, they do it. I mean, they still do it.

RP: Isn't that amazing though, amazing.

BF: Yeah.

RP: Continuation of a tradition.

BF: When I came here they, they, I hear they still do it on a demonstration basis in Colorado Springs.

RP: What else do you remember about New Year's?

BF: New Year's? Oh, that was a big thing. I mean, it was Christmas and everything else combined, Easter, you know. It... Japan, I guess that's the thing in both Japan and also here. Although we, we all celebrate all of the other holidays. But, somehow or another we were all supposed to get a year older on New Year's. Although, you know, we all don't pay attention to that anymore 'cause, you know, we all celebrate our own birthdays. But I guess in Japan... and the idea was on New Year's you get your year older. So it becomes like a, a four-day event. And people will prepare all kinds of special foods. And so there, several days before, you know, my dad and mom would spend hours and hours preparing all these special foods, like sushi. It's amazing, now you can get sushi every day, but in those days, sushi only appeared on, on New Year's along with a lot of other special foods, like sashimi. So we always looked forward to New Year's. And you'd begin by the little cup of sake, that's to toast the new year. And then--

RP: Did your father make his own sake?

BF: I don't know. I don't think he did. I guess we had enough money to buy our own. There's, there's, there always seemed to be sake makers. We weren't one. And, then there was... they had some kind of, I don't know how they did that, but they, we'd eat at home and then get in the car and go visit bunch of other folks. And then they in turn would come and visit our house. And it went on for at least four days. And there were certain homes that you, you looked forward to because they had some specialty foods that other homes didn't. And, some were better at making teriyaki chicken than others. So it was, it was a big event, and people really looked forward to New Year's. And 'course, you had to wear new clothes. That's the day you got new clothes. And you had to pay off all your debts before the new year. I mean, any debts you, you had, you paid 'em. You made sure your house was clean. And so preparation for New Year's was something.

RP: Probably weeks in advance.

BF: Yeah. But it was, it was a grand occasion.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 2008 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.