Shirakawa

1. Shirakawa • Shirakawa • (“White River”) STORIES FROM A PACIFIC NORTHWEST JAPANESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY

2. Shirakawa • Shirakawa • - Part 1 - STORIES FROM A PACIFIC NORTHWEST JAPANESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY

3. Shirakawa • 1. Immigrants

4. Shirakawa • America has been called a • “nation of nations.” • We all have ancestors • who immigrated here from • other places, other countries.

5. Shirakawa • Japanese immigrants • first arrived in • the United States • in the 1880s. . . .

6. Shirakawa • Japanese immigrants • first arrived in • the United States • in the 1880s. . . . They left families and friends behind, dreaming of better jobs and opportunities in America.

7. Shirakawa • In 1880, • there was just 1 person of Japanese ancestry in Washington State. Courtesy of Mae Iseri Yamada

8. Shirakawa • In 1880, • there was just 1 person of Japanese ancestry in Washington State. • In 1900, • there were over 5000. Courtesy of Mae Iseri Yamada Courtesy WRVM JACL Album Collection

9. Shirakawa • If you know about Japanese sports, • you know that “one, two, three” • in Japanese is “ichi, ni, san” • (pronounced “ee-chee, nee, sahn”).

10. Shirakawa • If you know about Japanese sports, • you know that “one, two, three” • in Japanese is “ichi, ni, san” • (pronounced “ee-chee, nee, sahn”). • That is written with script • borrowed from the Chinese. . . . • like this

11. Shirakawa • If you know about Japanese sports, • you know that “one, two, three” • in Japanese is “ichi, ni, san” • (pronounced “ee-chee, nee, sahn”). • That is written with script • borrowed from the Chinese. • But it’s usually written from top to bottom . . . • like this

12. Shirakawa • If you know about Japanese sports, • you know that “one, two, three” • in Japanese is “ichi, ni, san” • (pronounced “ee-chee, nee, sahn”). • That is written with script • borrowed from the Chinese. • But it’s usually written from top to bottom . . . • like this • (Easy as 一二三, isn’t it!)

13. Shirakawa • Japanese immigrants called themselves “Issei”, meaning • “1st life” or “1st generation.” It’s pronounced ee-say.

14. Shirakawa • Japanese immigrants called themselves “Issei”, meaning • “1st life” or “1st generation.” It’s pronounced ee-say. • They called their 2nd • generation children “Nisei” • . . .pronounced nee-say.

15. Shirakawa • Japanese immigrants called themselves “Issei”, meaning • “1st life” or “1st generation.” It’s pronounced ee-say. • They called their 2nd • generation children “Nisei” • . . .pronounced nee-say. • OK, your turn. • They call their 3rd • generation grandchildren . . . . . ?

16. Shirakawa • Japanese immigrants called themselves “Issei”, meaning • “1st life” or “1st generation.” It’s pronounced ee-say. • They called their 2nd • generation children “Nisei” • . . .pronounced nee-say. • OK, your turn. • They call their 3rd • generation grandchildren “Sansei” • Right! And it’s pronounced . . . . ?

17. Shirakawa • Japanese immigrants called themselves “Issei”, meaning • “1st life” or “1st generation.” It’s pronounced ee-say. • They called their 2nd • generation children “Nisei” • . . .pronounced nee-say. • OK, your turn. • They call their 3rd • generation grandchildren “Sansei” • . . . pronounced sahn-say. • Great! • (Now you’re speaking Japanese!)

18. Shirakawa • Japanese immigrants called themselves “Issei”, meaning • “1st life” or “1st generation.” It’s pronounced ee-say. • They called their 2nd • generation children “Nisei” • . . .pronounced nee-say. • OK, your turn. • They call their 3rd • generation grandchildren “Sansei” • . . . pronounced sahn-say. • Everyone of Japanese origin is called “Nikkei”(nee-kay).

19. Shirakawa • The Issei came East from Japan to America on ships.

20. Shirakawa • The Issei came East from Japan to America on ships. • The trip across the Pacific Ocean could be long and hard. • (Definitely not a Carnival Cruise!)

21. Shirakawa • The Issei came East from Japan to America on ships. • The trip across the Pacific Ocean could be long and hard. • In 1900, Matahichi Iseri • traveled to America on his own, • joining his half-brother. • “Mat” was 16 years old. Courtesy of Mae Iseri Yamada

22. Shirakawa • The Issei came East from Japan to America on ships. • The trip across the Pacific Ocean could be long and hard. • In 1914 at age 16, Yohei Hikida crossed • the Pacific on his own to join his dad • in Washington. He kept house, cooked, • cleaned, helped on the farm, and enrolled • at the local grade school to learn English. Courtesy of Tom Hikida

23. Shirakawa • Many Issei looked for work in cities like • Seattle and Tacoma.

24. Shirakawa • But many more found jobs in the countryside • away from big cities. • The United States was growing fast. • New technology was starting up everywhere.

25. Shirakawa • 2. White River

26. Shirakawa • Japanese labor teams worked for busy railroads, sawmills, and fish canneries all around the Pacific Northwest.

27. Shirakawa • Japanese labor teams worked for busy railroads, sawmills, and fish canneries all around the Northwest. • Big work teams were also needed on farms.

28. Shirakawa • Many Issei came from farming villages in Japan.

29. Shirakawa • The White River Valley was • the biggest, most fertile • farm belt between Seattle and Tacoma.

30. Shirakawa • Where does this • “WHITE RIVER” • come from?

31. Shirakawa • Where does this • “WHITE RIVER” • come from? Well, it starts on the biggest volcanic mountain in the contiguous (“connected”) 48 States.

32. Shirakawa • MT. RAINIER, • the most famous landmark in all of Washington State, • 14,410 feet tall! • NW Coastal Indians • called her "Ta-ko-ma" • which is said to mean . . . “she who gives us the waters." Courtesy Wikipedia Commons, WSiegmund

33. Shirakawa • On Mt. Rainier is the huge • Emmons Glacier • the biggest ice mass in the contiguous 48 States.

34. Shirakawa • On Mt. Rainier is the massive • Emmons Glacier • the biggest ice mass in the contiguous 48 States. • This sea of slow-moving, • slow-melting ice is the main • source of the • White River. 

35. Shirakawa • For ages, the river has run from Mt. Rainier through deep gorges and wide valleys to big salt-water bays in what we call Puget Sound. Courtesy LOC #g4284t.pm009790

36. Shirakawa • For ages, the river has run from Mt. Rainier through deep gorges and wide valleys to big salt-water bays in what we call Puget Sound. • The deltas at the end of the rivers are where the cities of • Seattle and . . . • Tacoma grew up. Courtesy LOC #g4284t.pm009790

37. Shirakawa • Names for the White River varied with different cultures • and languages . . .

38. Shirakawa • Names for the White River varied with different cultures • and languages . . . • Native Americans called it “Stokh” (where it ran near today's Kent and Auburn). They called themselves • “St-kah-mish”— “people of the Stokh River.”

39. Shirakawa • Names for the White River varied with different cultures • and languages . . . • Native Americans called it “Stokh” (where it ran near today's Kent and Auburn). They called themselves • “St-kah-mish”— “people of the Stokh River.” • In the 19th century, pioneer immigrants saw the milky silt in its water and called it "White River.”

40. Shirakawa • Names for the White River varied with different cultures • and languages . . . • Native Americans called it “Stokh” (where it ran near today's Kent and Auburn). They called themselves • “St-kah-mish”— “people of the Stokh River.” • In the 19th century, pioneer immigrants saw the milky silt in its water and called it "White River.” • And Japanese immigrants called it “Shirakawa” – a direct translation of the English . . .

41. Shirakawa • Shiroimeans “White” . . . . . . • Kawameans “River” . . . . . . • Together they read . . . . . . “Shirakawa”

42. Shirakawa • The tallest, most loved mountain in Japan is • Mt. Fuji, • another volcano.

43. Shirakawa • The tallest, most loved mountain in Japan is • Mt. Fuji, • another volcano. Over the ages, it has been portrayed in countless works of Japanese art.

44. Shirakawa • Mt. Rainier reminded the Japanese of Mt. Fuji when • they came to Washington State. They even called it Takoma-no-Fuji. . . “Tacoma’s Mt. Fuji.”

45. Shirakawa • The character of the valley — river channels, living spaces, work places — has changed a lot in the last 160 years.

46. Shirakawa • The character of the valley — river channels, living spaces, work places — has changed a lot in the last 160 years. • In 1906, the route of the White River was even changed. • It no longer flows through the White River Valley! • The Green River took its place from Auburn to Tukwila!

47. Shirakawa • The character of the valley — river channels, living spaces, work places — has changed a lot in the last 160 years. • In 1906, the route of the White River was even changed. • It no longer flows through the White River Valley! • The Green River took its place from Auburn to Tukwila! • But the historical name, “White River Valley,” • has not been forgotten.

48. Shirakawa • 3. Roots

49. Shirakawa • Asian immigrants often faced cruel discrimination in America. But some of their non-Asian neighbors grew to respect them and their work.

50. Shirakawa • Asian immigrants often faced cruel discrimination in America. But some of their non-Asian neighbors grew to respect them and their work. • In 1882, the US Congress passed laws to stop the immigration of workers from China. Violent riots made it even harder for the Chinese to work in America.