A Bon Odori Demonstration in Tacoma

A Bon Odori Demonstration in Tacoma

By Pamela A. Okano
NAP Contributor

Under the hot afternoon sun on September 1, 2024, Tacoma saw its second Bon Odori of the year. Just like any other Bon Odori, there was a Buddhist service, street dancing (Tanko Bushi, Ei Ja Nai Ka, Gezan Bayashi, and Kane Ren Ren, an Ainu dance), food, children’s activities, and a large Daruma doll (symbol of perseverance and good luck). Since the organizers wanted the event to be multicultural, attendees also participated in a Lakota/Cherokee dance (Native American); cumbia, a Latin American dance; and breaking a piñata, spilling candies all over the ground for the children in a Mexican tradition. In addition to the Buddhist priests, a Christian minister from Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church and a gentleman from the Sikh religion spoke. As the land is part of the ancestral home of the Puyallup Tribe, tribe members were there as well as members of the Lakota Tribe. More than 200 people participated.

This Obon was not sponsored by a Buddhist temple this time and did not take place outside of one. Instead, it was organized by local members of Tsuru for Solidarity with the help of La Resistencia, two social justice and non-organizations. It took place outside the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. One of the highlights of the day was a telephone call from one of the detainees inside the center. Another highlight was when all the participants walked to Gate 2 where detainees enter and leave the center, if they are lucky. There, strings of origami (paper folding) cranes were hung.

Puyallup Tribe performing at the Tsuru for Solidarity Bon Odori.

Multi-culturalism at the Tsuru for Solidarity Bon Odori. Photo credit: Dick Birnbaum.

The Bon Odori did not honor Japanese American ancestors per se. Instead, it honored the memories of all those immigrants who have died in the custody of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), both in the Tacoma detention center and in other detention centers around the country. 90.8% of immigrants in ICE custody are held in detention centers run by for-profit corporations. Just this year, NBC News reported, “Ten people have died while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody so far this fiscal year, more than twice as many as last year and three times as many as the year before.” More than 70 deaths have occurred since 2017. Most of the deaths happened due to the lack or insufficiency of medical treatment. In other words, most deaths were preventable.

A Japanese American woman in a Japanese kimono hitting a Mexican pinata. Photo credit: Dick Birnbaum.

In Tacoma, Charles Leo Daniel died in solitary confinement on March 7 this year. The cause of death is not known because ICE did not release that information. In 2018, Mergensana Amar committed suicide after showing signs that he intended do so. (KNKX public radio station June 25, 2024) A report by the American Civil Liberties Union, American Oversight, and Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) found that ICE could have prevented this and other suicides had it provided adequate mental health care. ICE maintains that all people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. At no time during detention is a detained noncitizen denied emergent care.” (NBC News, June 1, 2024) Citing systemic failures in medical and mental health care as the cause, the report states that 95% of deaths in ICE detention between 2017 and 2021 could have been prevented. (Prism [an independent and nonprofit news outlet], June 25, 2024) .

Early in his Administration, U.S. President Joe Biden vowed to stop the use of for-profit corporations to run these centers but that has not happened. Thus, Tsuru for Solidarity and La Resistencia are pushing to shut down the detention center.

While the participants were saddened and angered by ICE’s treatment of the detainees, the event brought some joy in the feeling that there was community and unity in their resistance.

Author’s Note: Thanks to Stan Shikuma, one of the organizers of the Bon Odori, for his assistance in preparing this article.