- Home
- California State University, Sacramento
- Oral History Interview with Kotono Kato
Oral History Interview with Kotono Kato
- Metadata
Notes to User
To view additional or related parts of this recording, see "Related materials"
Title
Oral History Interview with Kotono Kato
Created Date
May 3rd, 1989
May 10th, 1989
May 10th, 1989
Description
Issei female, born on March 3, 1896 to a farm family. She developed a love for craft art from her mother who was educated in Japanese cultural arts. In 1914, at age eighteen, Kotono came to America as a picture bride for Mr. Kato. Her life was to change forever: from 1914 to 1942 she lived under harsh conditions, performing hard field labor, housework, and child care on a variety of primitive farms. Two of her children died by 1926. In 1942, at age forty-six, Kotono and family were interned in Merced, California, then Amache, Colorado. From 1942 to 1945, Kotono had a respite from twenty-eight years of hard labor teaching artificial flower making and flower arranging full time. Using tools she brought from Japan, she and students made flowers for wreaths for Nisei soldiers killed in action whose families held funerals. She grieved for each of the soldiers as she thought of her own two soldier sons in the U.S. Army. In her senior years she found new approaches to old arts and crafts skills and created beautiful artifacts. The appendix in the bound copy includes photos of Kotono's flower-making tools and her flower arrangements.
Creators and Contributors
Creator:
Florin Japanese American Citizens League
Interviewer: Kanemoto, Marion Tsutakawa
Speaker: Kato, Kotono Yoneda
Interviewer: Kanemoto, Marion Tsutakawa
Speaker: Kato, Kotono Yoneda
Language
Media Type
Format
Audio cassette
Extent
1
Tape
Generation
Master
Copyright Statement
Copyrighted. Rights are owned by Japanese American Citizens League, Florin Chapter and California State University, Sacramento. Copyright Holder has given Organization permission to provide access to the digitized work online. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Country of Creation
United States
Contributing Organization
Call Number
TC309
Contributing Organization Contact Information
Email: lib-scua@saclink.csus.edu
Phone: (916) 278-5240
Phone: (916) 278-5240
Organization Websites
Link to Internet Archive
Related Objects within California Revealed
Is Related To
Oral history interview with Kotono Kato