URASAKI Kame
浦﨑亀
Born: 8 February 1888 – Died: 3 December 1943
Particulars:
Kame was born in Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. He was a single man working as a farmer in Nouméa, Kanaky / New Caledonia. When the Pacific War broke out, Kame and his cousin’s husband, also working as a farmer in Kanaky / New Caledonia, were arrested as ‘enemy aliens’ and taken to Australia. Kame was first taken to Gaythorne Internment Camp in Meanjin / Brisbane, Queensland, then to Hay Internment Camp in New South Wales. He was admitted to hospital twice between August and October 1942. He was then transferred to Loveday Internment Camp in South Australia when re-classification of internees took place. He was admitted to the camp hospital there where he died at age 55. The cause of his death is not recorded in documents held at the National Archives of Australia. His grave is in the Japanese Cemetery in Cowra, New South Wales, Australia.
–Mayu Kanamori
More info:
Sachi Schofield
Artist/s Statement:
I created this artwork imagining that his decision to leave Okinawa must have been based on hope for the future, and a feeling of being okay.
I took the turtle from his name (turtle=kame) and his feeling that he went out to sea with hope. I also put a flower of Deigo (Okinawa Prefectural flower) on top of the turtle, with the feeling that Okinawa is with the Urasaki Kame.
Rest in peace.
Artist Bio:
Sachi Schofield is from Okinawa, Japan and now lives in Sydney. She is a housewife.