Day of Remembrance Reflection
By Midori Tanada, Intern, Minidoka National Historic Site
On November 25, 1978, the first Day of Remembrance was held in Seattle, Washington. This first event of many to come was centered around redress and Japanese American political power. Since then, Day of Remembrance events have taken on different forms, ranging from lectures and film screenings to performances. The date was also moved to February to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. This year, over thirty Day of Remembrance events were held across the country, each commemoration echoing sentiments of “nidoto nai yoni” – let it not happen again.
Mayor Charles Royer of Seattle, Washington, signs the proclamation for the Day of Remembrance, Nov. 1978, Seattle, Washington.. (2020, November 18). Densho Encyclopedia. Retrieved 12:33, March 25, 2024 from https://encyclopedia.densho.org/sources/en-denshopd-p10-00015-1/.
The first Day of Remembrance I attended was this year, held all around Idaho. In Boise, at an event organized by the Boise Valley Japanese American Citizens League, Governor Brad Little addressed the lasting impact of Executive Order 9066 and the stripping of U.S. citizens’ civil liberties. Among those invited to the event were survivors from both Minidoka and Tule Lake concentration camps. As a Yonsei (or fourth-generation Japanese American) and descendant of a Minidoka incarceree, experiencing the Governor’s address with survivors, other descendants, and allies was moving. Speaking with survivors reminded me of the strength and resilience it took to endure the removal, incarceration, and rebuilding of the community. The stories shared during Day of Remembrance allow for the incarceration to transcend its moment in time and allows us to carry on the legacy, share this history, and learn from the past.
Friends of Minidoka hosted three Day of Remembrance events, in Ketchum, Twin Falls, and Boise, each featuring a screening of Omoiyari: A Song Film by Kishi Bashi. Each audience was filled with a wide variety of people, some of whom were introduced to Japanese American incarceration history for the first time through Kishi Bashi’s film and music. Sitting in the Egyptian Theater in Boise, watching this film that showed us the importance of omoiyari – having compassion – his music and lyrics filled me with feelings of sadness, anger, and pride. Kishi Bashi, a Japanese American without direct ancestors directly affected by the WWII incarceration, showed us that you do not need to be a Japanese American descendant of the camps to care about this history.
Kishi Bashi Omoiyari: A Song Film event at College of Southern Idaho on February 15, 2024. From left to right, Emily Teraoka, Survivor Karen Hirai Olen, Wade Vagias, Kishi Bashi, Karina Rapp, April Felker, Metney Jensen, Midori Tanada.
During the program in Twin Falls, Kishi Bashi acknowledged those with direct connections to the camps and asked us to stand. Standing with Minidoka survivor Karen Hirai Olen, and former lead interpretation ranger and descendant Emily Teraoka, I felt extremely proud of my ancestors and the work we are doing at the Minidoka National Historic Site.