4月半ば、デルタという小さな町に宝石探しに出かけました。 We went to a Gem Tour in mid April near a small town called Delta.

ここに来るまでは聞いたこともなかった町ですが、二つの歴史的出来事で知られているのかもしれません。 I never heard of the town until I went there but it seems it’s known to people for two historical events.

ひとつ目は、1770年にエスカランテ神父が遠征の途中にキャンプした場所であることです。「エスカランテ」の名前は彼の書き残した遠征日記により有名になり、いくもの場所にその名が残されています。例えば、エスカランテ ステアケース 国定公園があります。 The first event was that Father Escalante camped here in 1770 during his expedition. The name, “Escalante” became famous because he wrote a journal during his explorations. So people named places after him. For example, we have Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

もう一つは、デルタの町の近くにあるトパーズという何もない砂漠地帯にかつてあった、トパーズ戦争移住センターです。「移住センター」とは言え、基本は有刺鉄線が張られ、監視タワーがある強制収容所でした。 Another event was the Topaz War Relocation Center in a desert area near Delta. Although it is called “Relocation Center”, it was actually a “Concentration Camp.” It was surrounded by barbed wires, and watch towers with armed guards.

第二次世界大戦中、120,000以上もの日本人が3年間もの間、異議申し立ても出来ずに、家財を全て放棄して強制移動させられたことは信じられないことです。トパーズ移住センターは10カ所に造られた収容所の中の一つで、約10,000人が収容されていたそうです。 During World War II, more than 120,000 Japanese people (including 2/3 of American born people of Japanese decent) were forcefully relocated and lived in concentration camps for three years. It’s unbelievable that they were allowed to carry one suitcase only, and had to give up their houses and everything they couldn’t carry in the one suitcase. The Topaz relocation center was one of 10 camps built during the war, and about 10,000 people lived there.

私たちの訪れた4月はすでに心地よい季節になっていましたが、砂漠地帯に吹き荒れる風には閉口しました。79年前のこの地の簡素なバラック小屋での生活を思うと、今ある平和に感謝せざるを得ません。 It was a nice season, though cold at night, when we visited there, but I didn’t like the sttong wind constantly blowing in this desert area. I imagined life here 79 years ago in simple barracks. I am simply thankful for the peace that we have now.

2度と起こらないことを祈ります。 I pray that nothing like this ever happens again! Never Again!

さて、そんな場所の近くに、鉱山がありました。わずかながらですが発掘して持ち帰ってきたお宝を、明日からご紹介します。Let me get back to the topic, the mines were there, not so far from places like Delta and Topaz. Tomorrow, I will introduce you to my gems that I brought back home from there.