UCLA Kyodo Taiko kicks off 2024 Manzanar Pilgrimage event. (Cultural News Photo)
INDEPENDENCE, CA — Manzanar National Historic Site will host the 57th annual Manzanar Pilgrimage April 24-26.
Organized by the Manzanar Committee, the event brings together formerly incarcerated Japanese Americans, their families and descendants, and the public to honor the memories of those incarcerated during World War II.
The Manzanar National Historic Site Visitor Center will open Friday, April 24 through Monday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed from Tuesday to Thursday.
The free events begin on Friday, April 24 with a public reception from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Eastern California Museum, 155 Grant St. Light. The pilgrimage ceremony begins at noon Saturday, April 25 at the Manzanar Cemetery. A free shuttle will run from the visitor center parking lot to the cemetery from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Kyodo Taiko, a student-run taiko drumming ensemble from UCLA will perform at 11:30 a.m., followed by a procession of camp banners at noon.
The Manzanar Committee will host speakers at noon near the cemetery, followed by an interfaith service at the Manzanar Cemetery Monument.
The program will conclude with a closing ceremony and ondo dancing, a traditional Japanese dance honoring ancestors.
Visitors should bring water, snacks and a chair as seating and food are not available on-site. Wear sunscreen, a hat, comfortable shoes, and dress for the weather.
For more information, please call 760-878-2194 or visit www.nps.gov/manz. Additional program details are available at https://manzanarcommittee.org.
About the National Park Service. Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov.
