‘Manzanar Fishing Club,’ Chiura Obata Programs at National Historic Site

The following events will take place at the Manzanar National Historic Site, 5001 Highway 395 in Independence, on the weekend of Oct. 6 and 7.

• “The Manzanar Fishing Club” film preview and guided tour on Saturday. See a 29-minute preview of the documentary at 11 a.m. in the West Theater, followed by Q&A with filmmakers Cory Shiozaki and Richard Imamura.

At 1 p.m., join Shiozaki, Imamura and special guest Michael Nakamura (second unit director of photography) for a guided driving and walking tour to key sites in Manzanar’s fishing history. Meet at the Visitor Center parking lot. Wear a hat, sunscreen and sturdy shoes, and drink lots of water.

The film tells the story of Japanese American incarcerees who defied camp authorities and tasted freedom by slipping out of Manzanar at night to fish for trout in the Eastern Sierra.

• “Chiura Obata: An American Modern,” presented by author/historian Kimi Kodani Hill, on Sunday at 1 p.m. Chiura Obata (1885-1975) was an Issei artist and art professor at UC Berkeley. During World War II, the U.S. government incarcerated him and his family at Tanforan Race Track in San Bruno and later at Topaz, Utah. He established art schools in both camps.

Obata had a special bond with Yosemite and the Eastern Sierra. His works, showcased in the books “Topaz Moon” and “Obata’s Yosemite,” illustrate human hardship as well as natural beauty. Obata’s granddaughter will highlight his story as presented in the new book “Chiura Obata: An American Modern,” edited by ShiPu Wang (University of California Press).

Programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call (760) 878-2194, ext. 3310 or visit www.nps.gov/manz or www.facebook.com/manzanarnationalhistoricsite.