40th Manzanar Pilgrimage
40th Manzanar Pilgrimage
More than 2000 attended this year’s 40th Manzanar Pilgrimage. This pilgrimage is to reflect on the Japanese American internment experience and to remind ourselves of the lessons on racism and tolerance.
For the last few years, JCCSC members have been participating in this event and this cold and windy Sunday on April 25th, 7 members attended this whole day event.
The bus departed Little Tokyo at 7am and arrived at Manzanar at 11:30. Following the brown bag lunch in the wind blowing desert, the program started with the old tune of “Don’t fence me in.” This year’s awardees were Tak Yamamoto, longtime volunteer, Tom Leatherman, former Manzanar superintendent, David Nahai, LA Department of Water and Power and Rev. Paul Nakamura for their work in preserving the camp and its stories.
From Northern California, JCCNC came with 16 members headed by Consul General of Japan in San Francisco, Mr. Yasumasa Nagamine.
After the interfaith service by Christian, Buddhist, Shinto and Muslim ministers, everybody’s favorite community Ondo, Tanko Bushi echoed the wilderness.
The site has been constantly upgraded with the reconstruction of “Mess Hall” as it was before together with the auditorium now serving as the interpretive center, digging out sands to restore Japanese gardens and restoring building footprints to pass on the stories to the visitors. Hope you will join next year!
Click for Picture. 
|
Japanese
