Drumming by Ryujin Taiko.
Original Terminal Islanders in attendance included Chizuko Minami, 97, pictured with her daughter Tiffany Hect.
Terminal Islanders President Terry Hara
Special guests included author Naomi Hirahara.
The band High Five performed oldies.
RAFU STAFF REPORT
The Terminal Islanders recently held their annual picnic at George Bellis Park in Buena Park.
After welcoming remarks from President Terry Hara, the band High Five played hits from different eras, Ryujin Taiko performed, and the two groups teamed up on some songs.
The Ryono family sang the “Terminal Island Yogore song,” which was written by Minoru Hinoki in Manzanar. Before World War II, “yogore,” literally “dirty,” was used affectionately or subversively to describe the rough-around-the-edges working-class youth and fishermen of Terminal Island.
The picnic also included races, games and a craft table for children, mochi-maki (tossing of mochi to the crowd), and ondo dancing.
Ten original Terminal Islanders — those who were born or lived there ― were recognized: Yachiyo Suzuki Kroman, Masako Matsuoka, Asako Miki, Chizuko Minami, Ken Morimoto, Alice Nagano, Hiroko Nogawa, Takahisa Nishi, Minoru Jim Shibata, and Yoshio Tani.
Special guests included John, Teresa and Susan Tonai, children of the late Minoru Tonai, whose book for young readers, “Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp,” co-authored by Jolene Gutiérrez and illustrated by Chris Sasaki, was recently published; and mystery author Naomi Hirahara, whose nonfiction works include “Terminal Island: Lost Communities of Los Angeles Harbor,” co-authored by Geraldine Knatz.
Dating back to the turn of the century, Terminal Island was a thriving fishing village established by Japanese immigrants. During World War II, some 3,000 residents were evicted and incarcerated, and the village was razed.
In 1971, the Terminal Islanders Club was formed as a way for former residents to preserve the essence of their community. They still meet for regular gatherings such as the picnic and New Year’s parties.
In 2002, the club dedicated the Terminal Island Japanese Memorial at Fish Harbor, which was the site of a Day of Remembrance ceremony earlier this year.
Currently, the club is involved in efforts to preserve the two last remaining Terminal Island buildings on Tuna Street in San Pedro.