Primary Source: Week 8
"The Topaz Times," a weekly Japanese-American internee produced newspaper in Topaz internment camp in Utah often had articles and short column pieces about camp life and the daily ongoings. This short, although quite profound blurb is from a section called "Tips of the Week." From this short blurb we learn that George Yano has spelled "Victory" out in pebbles in the garden in the front of his house. The "garden" could be "read" or seen in two different ways during WWII - as either purely "American" and able to promote victory by American authorities in the camps or as a subversive strategy to promote Japanese culture (or possible Japanese victory?) by Japanese Americans. This primary source is a perfect example of where a Japanese American may have been subversively resisting authority in Topaz, by not saying a word.
http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/topaz/id/489/show/522/rec/1
The “Topaz Times,” available from Utah Digital Newspapers
a.
May 30th, 1942
i. “Pebbles
of Patriotism,” George Yano of 129-3 has “Victory” spelled out in pebbles in
the garden in front of his house. Very Commendable, we say.
Wow! It is amazing that you found this source. I like how you point out that he was not necessarily "victory" to the Americans but might possibly have been a revolt against the American authority - it is a fascinating questions. I would love to see other examples of such gardens!
ReplyDelete