MISSOULA — Buried beneath the homes across the Rattlesnake neighborhood lie the remains of Chinese immigrants from Missoula’s past, often forgotten today.
“Once I found out that there was an unmarked cemetery underneath this neighborhood, it was something I really wanted to commemorate,” said Paul Kim, a historical researcher and filmmaker of The Bodies Beneath Us.
In an effort to bring awareness to those who rest in the neighborhood, the City of Missoula and Missoula County installed an interpretive panel commemorating the Chinese cemetery.
“We recognize the Chinese community that once thrived here. At their peak in 1892, Chinese residents were vital to the city's foundation, operating businesses that served all Missoulians, and maintaining this cemetery where funeral processions brought our entire community together. We acknowledge the profound injustices they faced, discriminatory laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, targeted violence, including the murder of four Chinese men by white laborers, and systematic efforts that forced their departure from our community,” said Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis.
“I think that it is critical that as we try to make this place a better place, that we remember our history, that we learn from our mistakes. History matters, culture matters, and even in those cases where part of our history is maybe not as happy or cheery as other parts of our history, we need to know about that. And I think recognizing the important contributions of Chinese Americans to this community and the fact that the Lower Rattlesnake sits on a cemetery is important for our community to know,” said Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier.
The interpretive panel was in large part thanks to the Missoula City Council members, like Daniel Carlino, who helped make sure funding would be available for the panel.
“I think it's important that you know, we tell the truth of like different parts of Missoula's history so that we can, you know, not repeat past mistakes and reckon with that history and learn from it and then help improve in the future,” said Carlino.
For Kim, who helped begin the whole process of getting the panel into the park, it represents something more in a modern, charged political climate.
“It seems that most of the focus in both art and politics is looking towards the past. You have politicians that is talking about the golden days that happened 100 years ago, 50 years ago. And what I think [is] that even though that this is a historical project, what I think the cool thing about this memorial is, is considering the type of community we'd want to be in the future,” said Kim.
“There’s so much ink spilled and conversation about the way things were in the past and how things aren't quite as good as they used to be. But I'd love to look at the future and think about building a type of country and town where we could all thrive, where everyone could be happy and healthy and live coexist peacefully. This is the type of country I'd like to live in,” continued Kim.
If you are interested in learning more about this history, a screening of Kim's film will be shown at the Roxy Theater this Sunday, June 8.
