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Shono, Mas (audio interview #1 of 1)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This single interview with Mas Shono was recorded as part of the Asian American Studies class project, under the direction of Franklin Odo.
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- 2020-03-25
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- *** File: timshono1.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-5:02)... Tape introduction Shono had one older and one younger sister, and five younger brothers. His father was the skipper of a chartered fishing boat and had a crew of twelve. He fished tuna during the summer, sardines and mackerel during the winter. When his father first came to America he first worked as a fisherman for his father-in-law, and then became a skipper at the age of 21. His father was 14 when he graduated from grammar school. He then went on to be an apprentice seaman. After his training, he traveled all over southeast Asia. He was excused from military service because there was no war at the time. He didn't have any papers when he immigrated to the United States. He jumped off the boat before they reached land. He had a brother living in Terminal Island. (5:02-10:00)... His parents were married in the United States. His older sister was born 1927, he was born 1929. They went to both American and Japanese schools. There was a grammar school on Terminal Island, but he went to junior and senior high schools in San Pedro. He recalls being scared his first day of grammar school. He couldn't communicate because he didn't speak English yet. He remembers wetting his pants because he didn't know how to ask how to go to the bathroom restroom in English. If students said something wrong, the teachers would wash their mouths out with soup. All his friends spoke Japanese and the teachers knew Japanese as well. He failed the first grade due to the language barrier. (10:00-13:52)... He went to Japanese school everyday for two hours. There were both Christian and Buddhist Japanese schools on the island. He also went to judo in the evenings twice a week. Most people took judo or kendo. Sunday school sermons were given in Japanese. He remembers playing baseball and football during the summer time. He and his friends also played samurai - they made swords out of wooden sticks and had samurai names. Their play was often influenced by Japanese movies. They dug caves on the beach and had club houses. Because Shono grew up during the Depression he never spent money for entertainment and he never asked his parents for money. (13:52-15:33)... The price of sardines was $4 for 2000 pounds. The amount of fish they could bring in was limited because the canneries could only process so much. The plants would exploit the fisherman by taking more than the determined weight and paying them for less. (15:33-18:18)... He and his playmates also played capture the flag. Boys and girls played this game. He describes the rules and strategies of the game. He loved playing games. He recalls making sling shots out of rubber bands and bullets out of paper wads. end of tape *** File: timshono2.mp3 (0:00-3:33)... Describing his upbringing he emphasizes that traditional values were taught to the children. They had no freedom, and were highly restricted and regimented. The young did not question elders or authority; it was considered a dishonor. School was strict. Terminal Islanders were clannish. People who were different were ostracized and were forced to do what everyone else did. The community hierarchy was based on age. His parents wanted him to learn judo because they felt it was part of character training. Respect and honor were important - the Yamato (refers to Japan, homeland) spirit . (3:33-7:22)... The community baths were fired up every evening. After dinner they always took baths. He remembers taking baths with his grandparents. In the hierarchy within the family, the first son was most important. The oldest son was expected to control his younger brothers. He thinks this tradition was broken when they went into the camps. (7:22-12:00)... In the summertime, he would wash and prepare rice. They cooked it outdoors over a fire. He helped cook. His dad taught him to net on the boats. They did not have winches and had to pull the nets in manually. His siblings were too young to go on the boats. They would fish, find abalone and lobster for dinner. He looked forward to going on the boat with his dad. (12:00-15:14)... Seafood was the predominant food. He hated fish as a child. His grandmother used to raise chickens and they would eat them once in a while. They seldom ate meat, only about once a month. Fish was always available - people would give it away for free. He hated fish growing up but now he loves it. (15:14-16:53)... He remembers looking at girls. He had a clubhouse at an abandoned building with friends. They would talk about sex - they didn't know much about it, but only had an idea of what it was about. He and his friends would talk about it and think about it but never actually had sex. (16:53-18:29)... Terminal Island was closed when they got out of the camps. All of the homes on the island were cleared after the war; only the canneries remained. His family settled in Long Beach when they got out of the camp. Issei were not allowed to fish after the war, though permits were later issued. Fishermen were not allowed to pursue their livelihood. (18:29-21:03)... A lot of fishermen had rough lives. They tended to have a lot of free time and would often gamble and drink. He remembers that his dad was always drunk on the full moon. His dad was a rough man. If he was slow on the boat he would get in trouble with his father. (21:03-25:25)... Word spread fast on Terminal Island. It was a tight knit community, where everyone tried to attend picnics, funerals. etc. People had a sense of duty and responsibility. His parents talked about respect and emphasized duty. The older Nisei still follow Japanese traditions, but he believes that the younger Nisei assimilated more into white Anglo culture. He believes that his involvement in the community is important - teaching, returning services, the idea of giri-ninjo (obligation, duty to humanity) . He has a strong sense of Japanese values. (25:25-27:11)... He understands Japanese and is able to communicate in basic Japanese. Most people that lived on Terminal Island spoke Japanese and there was almost no use for English. (27:11-30:03)... When the war started his family moved to Oxnard. He was the only Japanese student at his school and experienced a lot of anti-Japanese sentiment. He didn't know anyone and had no friends. He was ostracized by others because he was different, a Terminal Islander. There was a lot of fighting. He was taught through team competition to never lose. end of tape *** File: timshono3.mp3 (0:00-3:51)... He continues talking about fighting. Terminal Island was controlled and there weren't many fights. When he left the island he was picked on because he was Japanese. After camp, he went to Poly High School in Long Beach. There were few Black students at Poly and about 50 Japanese. (3:51-7:05)... Closing remarks. Terminal Island was the most unique place he lived. It was a society of its own. They were fishermen - exploited because they didn't own the factories. There were no police; they policed themselves. There were no robberies and doors were left unlocked. The only crime on the island was done by outsiders. He has gone back to Terminal Island since and realizes that it is no longer the same. (7:05-10:23)... He tries to talks to his children about Terminal Island, but finds it is difficult. The experiences of Terminal Island and camps are too far removed for them to understand and they don't seem interested. He continues to discuss his children. His son is now taking Japanese in college - finally becoming more aware of his roots. end of tape
- SUBJECT BIO - Mas Shono, one of eight children, grew up on Terminal Island in a traditional Japanese family. His father was the skipper of a chartered fishing boat. Like the other children, he attended Japanese language school, and he couldn't speak English when he started grammar school. After Pearl Harbor the family moved to Oxnard, where he was one of the only Japanese children in school. After the war, he family returned to Long Beach, where he attended Polytechnic High School. INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This single interview with Mas Shono was recorded as part of the Asian American Studies class project, under the direction of Franklin Odo. TOPICS - family background; experiences in school; language difficulties; childhood activities;traditional values and practices; chores; diet; war time anti-Japanese sentiment;conflicts with other youth during war; postwar schooling; assessment of unique nature of Terminal Island community;
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