California Documentary Project
Manju Mamas & the Ahn-Pan Brigade
Visual Communications
Los Angeles
Project Director: Julie Shigekuni,
Creative Writing Program, University of New Mexico
How three Nisei Christian women in the San Fernando Valley stay connected to their Japanese heritage
This 60-minute film will document the lives of three second-generation Japanese American (or Nisei) women who every year make and sell Manju, a traditional Japanese steamed cake, at the annual Obon Festival sponsored by the San Fernando Valley Buddhist Temple.
The three Manju Mamas, all of whom grew up in California and were interned during World II, were raised Buddhist, but attended Christian churches at the urging of their Buddhist parents, who believed Christianity would make their children “legitimate” Americans.
The film also follows the children of the Manju Mamas, the Ahn-Pan Brigade, as they practice bon-odori (dance) and taiko (drumming).
Along with the stories of its principal characters, the documentary offers a cultural and historical perspective on the Obon Festival, held each year to honor the dead.
Project Director Julie Shigekuni, associate professor of English at the University of New Mexico, said, “I think that the film will provide viewers with a perspective on the history of Buddhism and Christianity among Japanese in California and insight into the role of the Obon Festival as a vehicle for the preservation of Japanese culture.”