IFU Tota
Born: 14 September 1885 – Died: 15 July 1945
Particulars:
Tota was born in Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. He was a single man working as a farmer in Kanaky / New Caledonia when the Pacific War broke out. He was taken to Australia and interned at Loveday Internment Camp in South Australia. He was in and out of the camp hospital several times with dyspepsia. He was placed on the ‘seriously ill’ list one month before the war ended and died five days later in July 1945 at the age of 60. His grave is in the Japanese Cemetery in Cowra, New South Wales, Australia.
–Mayu Kanamori
More info:
Timothy Steains
Artist/s Statement:
I chose to remember Ifu Tota in my artwork. His next of kin, his brother, was based in Yaneko Mura, Nakagami Gun in Okinawa. Yaneko sounds like my family name Ganeko (perhaps a misspelling?). Some of my family lived in Ganeko, and are originally from nearby Ginowan. Ifu Tota was a farmer as my family was. Some of my family now live in Nakagami district too.
I wanted to connect my life to Tota’s by highlighting the thread of Okinawan culture as well as the other cultural influences in my life. In the background you can see bingata material, as well as a Mexican print, symbolising my wife’s heritage. I included shiisaa to represent protection in my home in Australia. I also included two gifts from Aboriginal colleagues to represent the gift of solidarity in the struggle for Indigenous rights. The stone marked ‘peace’ resonates with the powerful peace movement in Okinawa. I have tried to show how my connection to Okinawan migration history in Australia is richly connected to the spirit of champuru.
Artist Bio:
Timothy Kazuo Steains is a mixed-race Okinawan Australian. He has conducted research in Asian Australian and mixed-race studies, as well as studies of masculinities. He works in Aboriginal policy.