"This mural is a visual history depicting the hopes and dreams of the Harbor District Japanese American Pioneers their little known agriculture and commercial fishing contributions, the unjust treatment they suffered during WWII, and their re-assimulation back into society. The mural also illustrates cultural and martial art classes offered at the Center and it is topped-off with an "Obon Odori", a dance celebrating "Life and Harmony.""
reference: http://www.grconnect.com/murals/html/p6051014.html
"Dedicated on April 30, 2004, the Asian & Pacific Islander mural tells the story of hard-working and determined people who fought for the rights of their community; and those who continue the plight today.
Ten local, national and international heroes are featured on the mural, as well as cultural symbols and representations of important events and groups, all culminating into a dedication of the Asian and Pacific Islander heritage.
Among the people included on the mural are: Yuri Kochiyama, Angel Santos, Mohandas Gandhi, Tupua Tamasese, Queen Liliuokalani, Queen Salote, Lakshmi Bai, Larry Dulay Itliong, Ahn Chang Ho and Haunani-Kay Trask.
The Japanese American Redress and Reparations, Third World Strike at SFSU, Chinatown Red Guard Party and the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan also appear on the mural, as well as a kava bowl, a central tree with Elephants of Laos, rice stalks and a dove.
Gandhi, the peaceful spiritual and political leader, is honored for his resistance against injustice, which led to India’s independence and inspired freedom and civil rights movements across the world.
Kochiyama, who is a Bay Area native, is a strong voice for ethnic studies and workers’ rights and works towards reparations for the Japanese-Americans incarcerated during World War II. She is shown on the mural with her fist held tightly in the air.
Surrounding Kochiyama on the mural are Gandhi, Santos - who served as democratic senator in the Guam legislatures; former Samoan Head of State Tamasese - who was one of the framers of the Constitution of Samoa; and the depiction of rice stalks and a dove - which are symbolic of peace.
The last monarch of the Hawai’ian islands, Queen Liliuokalani, sits near a central tree with three Elephants of Laos, which represent the different regions and cultures of Laos, and a large kava bowl, which signifies unity and hospitality.
Also shown on the mural is Queen Salote, who was the Queen of Tonga from 1918-1965, and was the last monarch in Polynesia. Positioned near Salote is Bai, who was the queen of a principality called Jhansi in northern India in the 17th century. Only in her 20s, she was a great heroine of India’s War of Independence in 1857 against the British. Embodying nationalism and heroism, she died in the revolt.
The far right of the mural features Itliong who was the founder of the Filipino Farm Labor Union in California in 1956, cofounder of the United Farm Workers of America, and a key organizer and vice president of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee. Near him is Ho, who established the Young Korean Association, and was a leader and organizer in the early Korean American community and Korean Independence Movement. Lastly, Trask is shown with her fist clenched in the air. She is a professor of Hawai’ian Studies at the University of Hawai’i and a Native Hawaiian nationalist.
The lead artist on the mural was David Cho, with assistance from Albert Yip. The mural is located in the South Plaza of the Cesar Chavez Student Center."
*thanks for the pictures Ray San Diego
"With assistance from over 200 students, faculty and community members, the Filipino Community Mural was dedicated on April 4, 2003 after four years of work.
The mural is divided into four sections: solidarity, community, struggle in the Philippines and struggle in the United States. It represents both ancient times and the ongoing importance placed on community and heritage. “We Stand on their Shoulders” is written in ancient Philippine script at the bottom of the mural to recognize that today’s Filipino community stands tall because of the achievements of their ancestors
In representation of solidarity, a sun rises in the background of the mural, symbolizing the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonization. The rays of the sun represent the numerous regions that resisted the Spanish domination for almost 400 years. People stand linked arm and arm, in front of the sun, to represent solidarity with all people of color. A Filipino family, the center of the culture’s existence, is also shown.
Community, an important part of the Filipino culture, is represented in the mural through important figures Purmassuri, Lorena Barros, Al Robles, Violeta A. Marasigan, and Philip Vera Cruz. These icons of the culture paved the way for future generations through their bravery, dedication and persistent hard work.
The struggle in the Philippines is a component of the mural so that the Filipino-American community will not overlook it today. A carabao, a water buffalo, represents the Filipino people who are tillers of the land. Peasants are shown to represent those who continue to struggle for the rights of their lands. An image of a woman playing Kulingtang emphasizes importance of music in the Filipino indigenous culture, and students and workers are shown fighting for a dignified way of life.
The right side of the mural shows the struggle in the United States through pictures of struggle from the Filipino-American community. The top image is of the International Hotel and those displaced through eviction. Veterans and nurses are shown to represent the struggle for equality and fair pay. The DJ, balancing out the women playing Kulintang, and the SF State students represent the life and trial of the young Filipino-American culture. Lastly, the farm workers are shown planting the seeds from which the roots of the community are grown.
James Garcia was the lead artist on the mural with assistance from André Sibayan and others. It is located at North Plaza of the Cesar Chavez Student Center."
*thanks for the pictures Ray San Diego!
"Older Women are often afamilys storytellers", says artist Elizabeth Garrison. "They are the ones who pass down a family's history to younger members " Created as a triptych, this mural pays tribute to the women elders of three cultures —African-American, Cambodian and Latino.
Shown here is one panel of the mural, located in the city's MacArthur Park neighborhood. The son of this Cambodian woman had journeyed back to Cambodia during a time of political turmoil to find his mother who had been imprisoned in refugee camps. Based on his photographs of her, she became the subject for the mural. Traditional images of Cambodian culture are woven in the tapestry that forms a backdrop while flowers indigenous to this country grow along the border. The American flag, which flies behind each of the women, becomes a unifying element for the three mural panels. Storytellers suggests that the personal journeys and cultural legacies of people arriving on these shores have greatly deepened this country's heritage.
SPECIAL THANKS TO LISA CHORN FOR SENDING THESE PICS!
