By Travis Suzaka
For the North American Post
During my junior year of college at the University of Washington, I enrolled in a Japanese American History and Culture course taught by Dr. Tetsuden Kashima. The familiar stories of incarceration camps and the discussions of nostalgic topics ranging from matsutake mushroom hunting to Nikkei delicacies like spam musubi would later spark a newfound interest in learning about my cultural heritage and both the dark and bright periods in Japanese American history.
While shopping at Uwajimaya one day, I happened to pick up a copy of The North American Post. Honestly, I had not read it much before then, but I came across an advertisement for internship openings. I applied and started a half-year internship, unaware that this moment would trigger the start of an adventure in discovering my cultural identity that would eventually lay the path of my professional career.
My days as an intern consisted of learning under the small staff of only three: the editor, reporter and accountant. I would listen to the vivid stories about Japantown told by John Litz, our walking encyclopedia of everything Japanese American related, as I looked through dusty back issues from the 1950s.
I particularly enjoyed gazing at the advertisements of simple graphics and old-fashioned text, amazed at all the different businesses that lined the storefronts and basements of Japantown.
Looking at the photos, I would often dream of what it was like to walk up to the Maneki Castle for dinner or watch an old shibai play at the Nippon-Kan theatre. These flaky pages are one of the few resources around today that document how rich Japanese culture and community were, back in the era of a vibrant Japantown.
Through these stories, I was able to listen to the messages of the famous leader, Genji Mihara, see for myself the Japan Pavilion at the 1962 World’s Fair and watch the Japanese community floats adorned with elaborate designs in the torchlight parade. Although I would be born decades later, these printed accounts have provided me a link to my precious heritage.
I always wanted to be able to read the old Japanese text that accompanied the photos as well, so I also started learning the Japanese language. Throughout the years, the North American Post was a tool for practicing Japanese as the publication is printed in both Japanese and English.
I would often attempt to read the Japanese section and later refer to the English side to see if I had any clue what I read. Four years later, I am happy to say that I can finally get a working idea of what the old articles are about; but of course with a bit of electronic support.
It is my hope that the fifth and sixth generations of Japanese Americans will also have the resources I had to connect to their cultural roots and learn about the legacies of the past.
Although the print industry continues to struggle all around in competition with the internet and smart phones, the need for small community newspapers to serve as channels of communication for ethnic groups in order to address and discuss issues while promoting cultural activity is pertinent. There are stories, events and community voices to be heard through ethnic publications that simply are not found in mainstream media.
As I resign from my position at the North American Post, I am thankful to all the community members I have met over the years that share a passion to preserve the tight-knit Nikkei community. Although heritage and culture is often passed orally from person to person, historical tools like newspaper photos, articles of grand events and family albums are truly what bring these stories and legacies to life.