Resources for a WWII Japanese-American Girl?

[angelnise]

My Japanese Grandmother married my Grandfather, who was an American GI, right after the war. My Mom, who was born in Japan, left their when she was 3. My 2 aunts were then born in Germany. They came to the United States when my Mom was about 7. My uncle was then born here in the US. Mom tells me about a lot of the prejudice she had to go through (especially here in Alabama). The Japanese dressed like Americans while here, and even when they go back to Japan. However, I own my own kimono that has been passed down to me. It's a children's day kimono and I wore it when I was 5 for Halloween with the hat and the special shoes with bells on them. I wore a kimono around the hotel too...it was like going down to breakfast in your pajamas and perfectly acceptable! I loved it! Japanese people otherwise wore suits and things that normal Americans would wear (even in their hometown in Japan). They just have many different holidays where they dress up. If you have any specific questions, I can answer them! PM me if you want!

[horsemom]

Thanks so much for all the info! You gals are great!

I do think Jess will become my WWII girl, probably full Japanese. I do want to buy Molly but I want her to be a pioneer girl (Lisbeth) with my Kirsten.

I am thinking a mix of Asian and American furniture and whatnot- I'm wondering if I could do the low, long lacquer type table with floor cushions and get away with it. I'm also wondering what kind of bed and bedding would be best. My husband makes furniture so I'm mostly concerned about doing the research- he'll make whatever I tell him! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

I want to buy one kimono, but I'm guessing she would have mostly worn American clothes to school and such.

I was thinking along the lines of the AG books and thinking I might write them so that part of the time her family is not in the camp and part of the time her family is. I read a story of a rose-grower in California whose nice "white" neighbors took over the family business and kept up the house while they were in the camp. I was thinking of something along those lines. If I write a series (I love to write and these would be a nice break from the dissertation and serious ethnographic stuff I do) in the AG style I was thinking I'd want it to follow the same lines as their others- educational and honest, but tempered somewhat with goodwill and love for kids. (i.e., they talk about how bad the turn of the century factories were but Nellie and sisters are rescued by Sam and Cornelia, a rare event in history.)

I will keep everyone updated! [img]smile.gif[/img] I think one of the things I'd want to explore in this topic is the tension a Japanese American would have felt, especially a family who had dad in the military, between proud patriotic feelings for America and dad, and the disappointment, frustration, etc. at the injustice of being stuck in a camp.

I think for food I'm going to try to get hold of Cherry- she does amazing Japanese food in FIMO and I know I couldn't possibly compete with her expertise! Anybody know if they had the tiny, comparmentalized school lunches back then? I know it's a big deal in the last few decades for mothers to pack perfect, nutritious lunches- they are in a bunch of little containers and I always liked how artistic they looked.

[moderator]

A book I enjoyed reading about the topic is about a boy who is approximately AG age (12). It's called The Journal of Ben Uchida: Citizen 13559 Mirror Lake Internment Camp: California, 1942, by Barry Denenberg. It's fiction, in the Dear America/My Name is America series.

What a neat project! [img]smile.gif[/img] This is the type of doll I think AG should make!

[FelinaDoon]

This is really great and Now I know what I would love to do with my own JEss when she comes - DD has hars and I want one of my own - VERY VERY Cool

[horsemom]

Hi, all-

I've been trying to think of what to do with Jess when I get her since I don't collect AGs but find her irresistable.

I've long wanted an historical Asian AG, but I'm too swamped with work to do too much sewing and designing. So I began to think maybe I'd make Jess my Japanese-American girl during WWII. I thought it'd be kind of neat to maybe write a short book one day for her dealing with the prejudice, relocation camps, etc. My research area includes Manzanar in California, and I just feel it's a very interesting, sad, and often overlooked period of time in US history.

Anywho, I thought I could probably use most of Molly's stuff for Jess- I'm thinking of her being either full Japanese or her mother being European-American, with dad off serving in the Japanese regiment in the military. But I think the furniture would be Asian, not like Molly's, and I would find her a kimono.

Any one have any suggested resources for more info. on the culture of Japanese Americans during this time period? I can find more stuff on the relocation camps and whatnot, but I'm interested in what the furniture, clothes, etc. would be like. Also, I'm wondering in an interethnic marriage (Japanese man to European-American woman) at that time if relocation would have occurred.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[cami713]

I assume you've already read[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553272586/sr=8-1/qid=1142919741/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-2081777-6793425?%5Fencoding=UTF8"]Farewell to Manzanar[/ame]. If not, you definitely should, it's a great book, and will obviously teach you much you'd want to know about the Japanese Internment camps of the time.

Here, here, here, and here at Wiki are some sites that should prove helpful. I found those by doing a google search for "WW2 Japanese Internment," so if any of those sites aren't to your liking, you should be able to find loads more by doing a similar search [img]smile.gif[/img] .

I love this idea, and have wanted this exact doll for the past 15 years. If Molly didn't already have the decade blocked, I'd hope more than anything that this would be the next doll from AG.

Please post pictures/information on your doll once you have it all settled out!

[angelnise]

The beds that I had at the resort were tatami mats with mattresses that were about 3 inches thick. They rolled the beds up in the morning and rolled them back out again at night with fresh sheets on them. They also have pillows filled with dried rice, which is much like a bean pillow here. I have to tell you though, that since I was not used to it, it kinda hurt my back for the first few days! I don't know what my great uncle had in his house, as sleeping quarters are not *socially viewable* in a typical Japanese house. I did go on a tour of my second cousin's mansion....(it was a huge house for Japan) and he had western style beds and a soaker tub in the bathroom (of course, they had a special water heater JUST for the tub) and it was free-standing and claw foot style.
Glad I could help you!

[QNPoohBear]

Taffy would be a good person to talk to. His wife is Japanese-American and I believe she spent time in an internment camp.
There's a Smithsonian exhibit at the National Museum of American History called We the People which deals with the subject of Japanese Americans during WWII. I can't find it online [img]frown.gif[/img]

Cherry is really busy with work. Her contract ends in a 2 1/2 months and maybe she'll be able to make you some Japanese food then.

For kimonos, I love the ones from a local seller Anything Fabric

they are the most authentic ones I have ever seen. I hope she is still making them for the Black Ships festival. I want to try to get there this year with Traveling Ruthie. I can check for you if you want.

[13Pumpkins]

Oh my gosh! I wsa planning on doing this with my Jess as well! I am so glad that someone brought it up!
Great minds think alike!
Although she was going to be Molly's cousin with a Japenese mother and Molly's uncle as her father. When I have time and am going to look through the sites and see what info they have.

I just find the idea of what happened with the Japanese has an ironic (and disgusting) contrast to the Patriotism going on at the time, and thought that her and Molly would have made interesting contrats as for cousins.

I actually thought about it righ before I went to sleep and dreamed the whole thing.....

[angelnise]

I bought a kimono from Dori's Doll Boutique. It's really cute and wasn't too expensive.

BTW, I am going to make my new Addy aka Carstan into a Nigerian princess.