“Preserving Culture Under Pressure: Japanese Americans Fight for Identity in Internment Camps” will be presented as part of the Japanese Distinguished Speaker Series on Monday, March 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at PA 102, Recital Hall, on the CSU San Bernardino campus.

Join Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto, Bay Area-based director of the acclaimed documentary “Hidden Legacy: Japanese Traditional Performing Arts in the WWII Internment Camps,” as she explores the resilience of Japanese Americans who, despite being unjustly incarcerated in U.S. concentration camps, preserved their cultural traditions.

Through storytelling, Muramoto will reveal how Japanese traditional arts, including music and dance, b em vital expressions of identity and hope in the face of adversity.
Muramoto will introduce the koto, a traditional stringed instrument, and perform selected pieces to demonstrate its cultural significance. She will be joined by a Japanese classical dancer, Dr. Kirk Kanesaka (also known as Gankyo Nakamura), performing a dance that was popular within the camps, offering a glimpse into the enduring spirit of these communities.

The event will conclude with a Q&A session moderated by Dr. Anne McKnight associate professor of Japanese at UC Riverside, providing an opportunity for deeper engagement.

Opening remarks will be delivered by Dean Rueyling Chuang of the College of Arts and Letters.

Sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters, World Languages and Literature and Music Department. Supported by American x Japanese Cross Cultural Club.

For more information, contact Dr. Kanesaka at [email protected] or Dr. Martim Galvao at [email protected].

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