The Arts in the CampsBeing in a Japanese internment camp was very difficult and demeaning, so the people imprisoned in the camps came up with ways to cope, and one of those ways was through art. The different forms they practiced were painting, singing, and Kabuki Theater. By doing all these forms of art with only the things given to them in the camps they created something that they could all connect with and show future generations. Kabuki theater performances are traditional plays accompanied by music where the actors don't speak, but instead act everything out. So through this, the Japanese Americans were able to pass on their heritage and escape their reality in the camps.
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Topaz Museum
Photos we took at the Topaz Internment Camp Museum located in Delta, Utah.
SportsAnother way that people coped was through sports. They often played American sports like baseball, basketball, and football. Many people liked the fact that the interned Japanese Americans were being "Americanized" in the camps, which made it a little easier to escape reality through sports rather than doing traditional Japanese activities. Sometimes they even played local sports teams, which some say opened up opportunities for Japanese Americans to join major league teams in the future.
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Things People Did to Leave or EscapeAlthough many people used sports and art to escape their harsh reality, many still had a hard time coping with the camps, so people tried to leave. One legal way they could leave was to join the 442nd infantry regimental combat team, an all Japanese team of soldiers. Many people joined the 442nd in an effort to show their loyalty to America, and in the end 650 previously interned people fought and died for their country. An illegal way to leave was to literally try and escape, but if someone was caught they would normally be shot on the spot.
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