Densho Digital Archive - Nellie Mitani Interview (denshovh-mnellie-01-0016)

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RP: You were, when you went to Poston you were one of the first --

NM: Yes, yeah.

RP: -- groups to go. You mentioned to me the first group was from El Centro.

NM: Yes, they were there. They arrived apparently the night before we did. We arrived there in the morning. Yeah.

RP: And then you came next and you were basically kind of accompanying a group of young people who wanted to volunteer to help set up --

NM: Yeah.

RP: -- services at Poston?

NM: Yes. I forgot how many there were. Fifteen, maybe twenty, something like that.

RP: Uh-huh. And these would be mostly Niseis?

NM: Oh yes. Uh-huh.

RP: Professional people?

NM: No, I think they were in their early twenties, maybe in their teens, late teens, around that age. And so they were all young. I mean, the population as a whole weren't, they weren't very old yet.

RP: And so you, you acted kind of as chaperones for them?

NM: Yes, I think that was the purpose, yes. And being bilingual, I guess, was something that later on my husband needed to know what's going on in the camp so probably had that in mind, too.

RP: Did your husband share your, your feelings as far as what was happening? The government rounding up people, Japanese Americans and resident Japanese and sending them to camps? I just wanted to get a sense from you, was he, did he have a strong political bent or social bent to his, to his awareness?

NM: No, I don't think that he expressed anything verbally. But I know it was very upsetting, not only to him but to all the others too. And, he of course became active in camp.

RP: Do you recall any, do you have any memories about the trip to Poston? Did you leave Bakersfield on the train?

NM: Yes. Yes. I remember we were milling around in the station there for the train to come pick us up in the morning. And, we, after we were all herded into the train the blinds were put down. I don't know why. Maybe I mentioned it to you before, the only things that I could, or people could see us, or things that could see us would be cows or horses. And I don't know whether they wanted to keep us from seeing what was outside but it was only desert so... of course we could kind of peek out, too. But, it was a rather uneventful trip. We were all quiet. Nobody started any problems. And Miyo enjoyed eating her apple that somebody gave her. She was walking up and down the aisle.

Off Camera: That was later. I wasn't born yet.

NM: Oh, you weren't born yet. Yeah, that, that's the next trip we took.

Off Camera: That was going to Crystal City.

NM: Going to Crystal City is right.

RP: You don't want to rush that.

NM: I'm getting mixed up here. [Laughs]

RP: So what was the mood like on the platform there while you were waiting for the train?

NM: I think we were all pretty silent. I don't remember anybody sort of talking, upset conversation or anything like that. We just, being Japanese, shigata ga nai.

RP: Were there any folks like Lottie or Emma that saw you off at the train station?

NM: I don't recall. I don't know if they did or not. I don't remember, so maybe they didn't. I think maybe they thought it was wiser not to be sending us off.