Hidden Legacy

Hidden Legacy: Japanese Traditional Performing Arts in the World War II Internment CampsA film by Murasaki Produtions LLC.The first major presentation of the existence of traditional music dance and drama in the camps and the remarkable roles played by the teachers of classical Japanese art forms.  Through historical footage and interviews with artists who were incarcerated comes the story of how traditional Japanese cultural arts were maintained at a time when the War Relocation Authority emphasized the importance of assimilation and Americanization.  It includes stories of 19 artists in the fields of music (koto nagauta shamisen shakuhachi shigin biwa) dance (buyo obon) and drama (kabuki) who were interned at Tule Lake Manzanar Amache/Granada Rohwer Gila River and Topaz.