Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1159/

The Power of Language: Japanese Identity Constructed in Santa Cruz, Bolivia (Spanish)

(Spanish) My parents moved to the city. At that point I lost contact with... with the Japanese Community because it was pretty far. It was one hundred kilometers away, and in those times there were no roads, so we lost contact, a bit, with the Japanese Community. But that also made it possible for a Japanese community to form in the city, in Santa Cruz, and my parents saw the need for a Japanese school. So I was one of the first students at that school. Um, as you were saying, the fact that I am able to communicate in my mothers tongue... Because for me it is my mothers tongue, since I only spoke Japanese until I was five or six years old, afterwards I learned Spanish. So, it’s easier for me to communicate my feelings in Japanese. It is also easier for me to understand the feelings of the people with whom I talk, and I believe the person I’m talking to feels this, which makes this type of job much easier. But, for that same reason, there are some disadvantages, because the situation ceases to be protocol. We enter into the realm of feelings, so, things become a bit more complex. But on the positive side, it helps a lot to speak Japanese, and especially, it helps to be Nikkei, because they consider you part of the family.


identity languages

Date: March 24, 2009

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Interviewer: Alberto Matsumoto

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Born January 11th, 1958 in Santa Cruz city, Bolivia. Graduated from Universidad Técnica de Oruro, Facultad Nacional de Ingeniería (Oruro Technical University, Public School of Engineering) in 1987. From 1989 to 1999, he worked at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). At around the same time, he also acted as supervisor of Santa Cruz city’s Servicio Geológico de Bolivia (GeoBol - Geological Service of Bolivia). From 1989 to 2000, he was the administration manager at food company, IMBA. Later, from 1998 to 2000, he was the chairman of Ashimine Motors, and from 2000 to 2006, he was the regional manager of Santa Cruz at Christian Auto Motors (Toyota Representative). In March 2007, he was named Resident Japanese Ambassador Extraordinaire by the Evo Morales administration, and moved to Japan in April. After fulfilling his duties, he returned in March 2009. 

He passed away on June 2014 at age 56. (December 2014)

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Shibayama,Art

Playing baseball along with American Nisei and Kibei

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

Mizuki,Peter

Japanese wife with American citizenship

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

Kogiso,Mónica

Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

Mizuki,Peter

Not wanting to stand out as a foreigner

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

Yamasaki,Frank

Have compassion for all of humanity

(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.

Kogiso,Mónica

Identity crisis (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Never sang Enka outside the family

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Kansuma,Fujima

Both Japanese and American identities though Japanese dance

(1918-2023) Nisei Japanese kabuki dancer

Herzig,Aiko Yoshinaga

Results of being more American than Japanese

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Trying to convey the meaning of the songs

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Endo,Kenny

Internship on a Native American reservation in Arizona

(b.1952) Master drummer, artistic director of the Taiko Center of the Pacific

Ota,Vince

Different tension between East Coast and Los Angeles

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

Tanaka,Seiichi

Differences between American and Japanese taiko

(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.