Riaan Efuna amathuba amasha, uFred Yoshimura washiya ikhaya lakhe eYamaguchi, eJapane, waya eCalifornia ngo-1917. Wawungekho umkhaya owawungambingelela lapho efika. Wayeneminyaka engu-21.
Ngemva kwesiqalo esingelona iqiniso njengomlimi werayisi eSan Francisco, wathola indlela eya eNingizimu yeCalifornia, lapho aziphilisa khona njengomlimi, ecija amakhono akhe njengomlimi nokunakekela utshani obuthe chithi saka eSigodini saseSan Gabriel.
Lapho esebenza eNingizimu Pasadena, wahlangana noMitoko Naito, incekukazi yaseHiroshima. Abokufika ababili besizukulwane sokuqala – abaziwa e-Japan diaspora ngokuthi issei – ekugcineni washada.
Ngaleso sikhathi u-Yoshimura wayeselondoloze imali eyanele ukuze aqashise indawo ayeyisebenzisa ukuze avule i-Mission Nursery ngo-1923. Yayizoqhakaza ibe yimpumelelo enkulu yezentengiselwano manje eyaziwa ngokuthi i-San Gabriel Nursery & Florist, kulo nyaka egubha iminyaka eyi-100 yasungulwa.
Kodwa akufikanga kalula.
Umndeni wakwaYoshimura wasebenza kanzima ebhizinisini lawo kodwa walahlekelwa isikhashana phakathi neMpi Yezwe II lapho uMongameli uFranklin D. Roosevelt egunyaza ukufuduka ngenkani nokuboshwa kwabantu abangu-120,000 bozalo lwamaJapane – izingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu zabo izakhamuzi – ngoFebhuwari 1942 ngemva kokuhlaselwa kukaPearl. Itheku. Indaba yabo iwubufakazi bokuzimisela kwabo ukunqoba zonke izithiyo, okuhlanganisa ubandlululo oludlangile nokungabi nabulungisa kwezenhlalo, ngethemba lokwenza ukuphila okungcono.
Namuhla, emnyango wesitolo sezimbali, isitshalo se-anthurium esibomvu sihlezi eduze kwethempeli lomndeni, elihlanganisa nesithombe esikhulu sikaFred noMitoko Yoshimura esilenga odongeni.
“Ngisakwazi ukuzwa amazwi abo,” kusho umzukulu wabo uMary Isihara Swanton, 55. “Abakushiyi. Bahlale bekhona.”
Njengoba uSwanton edlula enkulisa yomndeni engamahektare amabili, ubiza ubaba wakhe oneminyaka engu-88, uSaburo Ishihara, osasebenza izinsuku ezinhlanu ngesonto ebhizinisini lomndeni futhi osanda kuhlinzwa ulwelwesi lwama-cataract.
Izihlobo eziningi zikaSwanton ezabuka inkulisa ikhula eminyakeni edlule manje azisekho. Ubabekazi wakhe uMargie Yoshihashi ushone eneminyaka engama-92 ngoJanuwari, ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kuqale unyaka omusha.
“Bekuwumgomo wakhe ukuthi inkampani ifinyelele iminyaka engu-100,” kusho uSwanton. “Lelo bekuyiphupho lakhe.”
Iminyaka eminingi, u-Yoshihashi wayebingelela amakhasimende futhi engamele isitolo sezimbali. Futhi waqhubeka nokufonela u-Ishihara ngemva kokuthatha umhlalaphansi ukuze amkhumbuze ukuthi acime umenzi wekhofi ekupheleni kosuku.
Isithombe sika-Fred no-Mitoko Yoshimura silenga e-San Gabriel Nursery & Florist, egubha iminyaka eyi-100 ebhizinisini kulo nyaka.
(UJay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Ifa lomndeni laqala ngokusikwa, izingcezu ezisikiwe zezitshalo ezaqoqwa uFred Yoshimura ngenkathi esebenza njengomdwebi wendawo.
Ugogo kaSwanton wayengazi lutho olutheni mayelana nokwenza izingadi, kodwa wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukutshala iziqeshana enkulisa entsha yomndeni. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ibhizinisi labo lakhula i-azaleas, i-camellias, ibhonsai nezinye izitshalo okunzima ukuzithola umndeni wakwaYoshimura owazethula endaweni ye-horticulture yaseCalifornia.
Ngawo-1930s, umndeni wawusuqinise isithunzi sawo njengezinsika zomphakathi, kusho uSwanton, njengoba umkhulu wakhe esebenzela ukugqugquzela ukuqonda kangcono amasiko aseJapan nawaseMelika.
AbakwaYoshimura babenezingane ezine: uHayao, uRaymond, uFlorence noMargie, ababengesizukulwane sesibili samaJapane aseMelika noma nisei.
Ibhizinisi labo ladlondlobala futhi bathola ukwesekwa ngumphakathi naphezu kokucwaswa kwabantu base-Asia okwakudlangile ezweni lonke.
Ngo-1913, iCalifornia yaphasisa uMthetho Womhlaba Oyi-Alien, owawuvimbela abokufika base-Asia ukuba babe nomhlaba wokulima. Lo mthetho ugqugquzelwe wukwesabela ukuthi osomabhizinisi bokufika bangathatha izintambo zokulima, kusho umfundisi wezomlando e-USC uSusan Kamei.
“Ngawo-1940, abalimi baseJapane baseMelika base bekhiqiza i-40% yezitshalo zemifino ethengiswayo yaseCalifornia,” kusho uKamei.
Ukushuba kwesimo kwaqhubeka ngemva komhla ziyisi-7 kuZibandlela 1941, lapho uMbuso WaseJapane uhlasela iPearl Harbor, ungenisa i-US eMpini Yezwe II. Ngosuku olulandelayo ngemuva kokuhlaselwa, uFred Yoshimura wathathwa ngabasebenza kuhulumeni, waphenywa ngemibuzo futhi wavalelwa izinyanga ezimbalwa, kusho uSwanton.
Ikhasimende lime kancane phambi kwesibhengezo esibungaza iminyaka eyi-100 yebhizinisi le-San Gabriel Nursery & Florist.
(UJay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Ebunzimeni bempi yempi, akumangazi-ke ukuthi abantu baseMelika baseJapan bahloswe nguhulumeni, kusho uKamei.
“Uma kwenzeka impi elindelwe neJapan, [the U.S. government] ngazi kahle ukuthi laba bantu bakuphi futhi ngokushesha ngathola yonke imizi yabantu baseJapan baseMelika, okuhlanganisa nomndeni kababa, base bebopha labo ababebathatha njengabaholi bomphakathi,” kusho uKamei.
Ngenkathi uFred Yoshimura elahlekile, uMituko Yoshimura uqhubekile nokuqhuba inkulisa, kodwa uhulumeni waseMelika wamazisa ukuthi umndeni uzothuthelwa ekamu leziboshwa ngesikhathi sempi, kusho uSwanton.
“Kwakuyisikhathi esinzima kakhulu ekuphileni kwakhe, futhi ugogo wami wayezenzela yedwa,” kusho uSwanton. “U-anti noma ugogo abazange bakhulume ngempela ngesikhathi sabo ezinkambeni. Ngacabanga ngiseyingane ukuthi ikamu lalifana nekamu lasehlobo. Kwaze kwaba yilapho sengimdala lapho ngabona khona ukuthi yini ababhekana nayo.”
U-Mitoko Yoshimura wazama ukukhokhela imali ebolekiwe yomndeni futhi wathola ukuthi enzeni ngebhizinisi. Amadoda amaningana aqhamuke enkulisa futhi athembisa ngokuzithoba ukuthenga leli bhizinisi, kusho uSwanton, kodwa ugogo wakhe wenqaba.
Uthole esinye isicelo esivela ku-E. Manchester Boddy, umshicileli we-Daily News yase-Los Angeles, owavuma ukuthenga ibhizinisi, isitoko esisele kanye nokuqashiswa kwendawo, kusho uSwanton. Wavuma ukukhokhela umndeni kancane kancane. Kamuva u-Boddy wayezothuthela isitoko senkulisa endaweni yakhe e-La Cañada Flintridge, okwaba yi-Descanso Gardens yanamuhla.
Umkhaya wakwaYoshimura wagcina uthuthelwe ekamu leziboshwa endaweni yamaNdiya eGila River, e-Ariz.
USwanton uyazi ukuthi ibhizinisi lomndeni laphela ngo-Ephreli 8, 1942, ngoba ileja yebhizinisi yama kungazelelwe ngalolo suku. Ngenkathi umndeni uboshiwe, umalume kaSwanton u-Hayao wabuthelwa eButhweni Lezempi laseMelika.
Kamuva ngalelo hlobo, umkhaya waphinde wahlanganiswa noFred Yoshimura.
Ngesikhathi eboshiwe, uMitoko Yoshimura wakhokhelwa uhulumeni wobumbano ukuze aphathe isitolo sezimbali sasekamu, futhi wahlela isixha sezimbali esanikezwa u-Eleanor Roosevelt phakathi nokuvakashela kwakhe ekamu. Umndeni kaSwanton waqhubeka nokuya esikoleni ngenkathi usekamu futhi wacela izithombe zesikole ezincwadini zonyaka.
Ukuhlukumezeka kwamakamu kwakungavamile ukuxoxwa emndenini. U-Todd Swanton, umyeni kaMary Ishihara Swanton, ukhumbula ukuthi kamuva ekuphileni u-Ichiro Yoshihashi, umalume wakhe ngomshado, wayengaphelelwa isineke kubantu ababekhononda ngalokhu.
Lowo mqondo ujwayelekile esikweni laseJapan, kusho uKamei.
UFred noMitoko Yoshimura bame nezingane zabo, uFlorence, uHayao, uRaymond noMargie, esithombeni esingenalo usuku.
(Mary Isihara Swanton)
“Kodomo no tame ni, noma ngenxa yabantwana bethu. Imayelana nokungafuni ukuthwalisa kanzima izingane zethu noma inzalo yethu ngezilingo nezinselelo zethu,” kusho uKamei.
Ngemva kokuphela kwempi ngo-1945, amakamu ahlakazwa futhi abakwaYoshimura bavunyelwa ukuba babuyele ekhaya. Kodwa ibhizinisi labo lalingasekho futhi baphoqeleka ukuba baqale phansi. Umngane womndeni, uGene Perez, wabheka izimpahla zomndeni ngesikhathi zingasekho. Abanye abantu abaningi emphakathini ababemelene nomndeni ekuqaleni kwempi bavele bafudumala kwabakwaYoshimura, kusho uSwanton.
Kwathatha iminyaka ukuthi inkulisa yakhe kabusha isitokwe sayo sezimbali, izihlahla nezitshalo. UFred Yoshimura namadodana akhe baphinde baqala ukwakha iziqeshana zabo zokwenziwa kwezindawo. Uphinde watshala i-flooes, kusho uSwanton, eyakhula ngokushesha futhi yasiza ngokushesha ekungeniseni imali.
Umndeni bekumele uqambe kabusha ibhizinisi elithi San Gabriel Nursery & Florist. I-nursery entsha yakhiwe ngaphesheya komgwaqo ukusuka ebhizinisini elidala.
Ezinye izakhamizi zaseJapan ezaziboshiwe ngesikhathi sempi zanikezwa indawo yokuhlala futhi kwamiswa amatende okwesikhashana endaweni yokunakekela izingane, kusho uSwanton.
Isisebenzi sihlola izimbali eSan Gabriel Nursery & Florist.
(UJay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Ngesikhathi umndeni usemakamu, uRaymond Yoshimura waba umngane u-Ichiro Yoshihashi, futhi bobabili bazoqhubeka nokuthola iziqu zabo ze-horticulture e-Ohio State. Ekugcineni babezosebenza ndawonye enkulisa yomndeni futhi banwebe ibhizinisi, bafake izindawo zokugcina izithombo kanye nokunakekela isitolo esikhulu.
URaymond Yoshimura uzoqhubeka nokuhlanganisa izitshalo eziningi, okuhlanganisa ne-Mission Bell azalea eyaba umdwebo odumile kule nkulisa, kusho uSwanton.
Ngo-1957, i-nursery yayisiqalile ukwamukela abafundi abashintshanisa amazwe angaphandle abavela eJapane. Kungaleso sikhathi lapho uSaburo Isihara, uyise kaSwanton, efika okokuqala eCalifornia.
Wayefunde isikole se-horticulture eTokyo, ekhuluma isiNgisi futhi ehlatshwe umxhwele isiko laseMelika, zonke izici ezahlaba umxhwele uFred Yoshimura. Ngokushesha wafaka u-Ishihara emsebenzini esitolo sezimbali.
“Ngosuku lokuqala, wangikhetha futhi wangitshela ukuthi ngihlale lapha,” kusho u-Ishihara, ekhomba phansi ngaphakathi esitolo.
U-Ishihara wahlala unyaka owodwa waphindela eJapane, kodwa wabuyela eSan Gabriel ukuze ashade noFlorence Yoshimura. U-Ichiro Yoshihashi washada noMargie Yoshimura, u-anti kaSwanton.
Ikhasimende lithanda ama-orchid ku-greenhouse e-San Gabriel Nursery & Florist.
(UJay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Ngemva nje kokuzalwa kukaSwanton, isitolo sokudayisa sashiswa ngumuntu oshise ngomlilo. Amarekhodi amaningi omndeni, abesevele esabalele ngenxa yesikhathi emakamu, acekelwa phansi, kusho uSwanton.
Nakuba umlilo ucekele phansi indawo engaphambili yesitolo, umndeni ukwazile ukuqala ibhizinisi lawo phakathi nezinsuku ezimbalwa, futhi phakathi nonyaka kwakhiwe isitolo esisha.
UFlorence Yoshimura washona lapho uSwanton eseyingane. Ubabekazi noyise bamkhulisile.
Emngcwabeni ka-anti wakhe kulo nyaka, abantu bakhumbula u-Yoshihashi njengomuntu owayekwazi ukubhekana nanoma iyiphi inselele. Ngaphandle kokuboshwa kwamalungu omndeni, umlilo nazo zonke ezinye izingqinamba ababhekane nazo, kusho uSwanton, inkulisa isindile.
“Noma ngabe yini ugogo okwakumele abhekane nayo yimbi kakhulu kunalokho okumele ngibhekane nakho,” kusho uSwanton.
Eminyakeni engu-25 edlule, uSwanton uye waqhuba ibhizinisi kanye noyise, umyeni wakhe nezinye izisebenzi. Kukhona yonke indawo izikhumbuzo zesikhathi esedlule nalabo abeza ngaphambi kwazo.
Eduze kwenkulisa kunendawo yokupaka, ukhomba, lapho indlu encane ephuzi kagogo nomkhulu yakhe yake yaba khona, umlando womndeni uxhumene nebhizinisi lomndeni unomphela.
