LIHUE — When the first obon dances start, people can expect a treat Friday night in Waimea. Roy Miyake, a volunteer with the Kauai Museum, and Chris Faye, the Kauai Museum curator, will have a series of four photographs they need
LIHUE — When the first obon dances start, people can expect a treat Friday night in Waimea.
Roy Miyake, a volunteer with the Kauai Museum, and Chris Faye, the Kauai Museum curator, will have a series of four photographs they need help identifying.
Since 2010, the pair have been studying and collecting data on the impacts of World War II on Kauai’s Japanese American population.
Faye said recently Miyake was presented a set of four group photos of Issei, or first generation Japanese, which was taken at Santa Fe, N.M., during the war.
The photographs, presented to Miyake by a Kapaa resident, depicted Kauai residents who were interned.
Through Miyake’s research, some of them were identified and their movements through the years of World War II, 1941 through 1945, were tracked.
More importantly, Miyake’s research put faces to the photographs and information he collected.
Faye said to date, a handful of the people in the photographs have been positively identified with a few more tentatively identified.
When the bon dance at the West Kauai Hongwanji, Waimea Temple heralds the start of the Kauai Buddhist Council bon dance season, Miyake will have a display of the four photographs on hand.
This will be the first public showing of the photographs since he received them. Miyaki is asking the public’s assistance in identifying the Kauai Issei shown in the photographs.
He will also have information he has collected to date for family members to look at on Friday.
Faye said the goal of the project is to identify most, if not all, of the Issei who should not be forgotten for the sacrifices they made toward their adopted country.
She said due to personal commitments, the display will be available only on Friday night at the West Kauai Hongwanji, Waimea Temple.
As the bon season progresses, Faye said the display can be brought to the temples as they get permission from the respective churches.
The bon dance at the West Kauai Hongwanji, Waimea Temple on Friday and Saturday features the bon and hastubon service starting at 6 p.m. followed by the bon columbarium service starting at 7 p.m. The bon dances will follow.
