Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1649/

Working together in Okinawa using three languages

When we were in Okinawa, one thing that I think perfectly describes how confusing it can be to have so many cultures and languages, so we did a canoeing activity where we all had to canoe traditional Okinawan boats. And so we had an instructor at the front and they would be shouting out commands in Japanese. And you needed to follow it so that everyone would go the same direction otherwise your boat would tip over. So you’d shout it out in Japanese and the Japanese kids were sitting in the front with the Peruvian kids. So the Japanese kids would hear it and so with the Japanese Peruvian kids. The Japanese Peruvian kids could actually speak Japanese fluently, a lot of Japanese Peruvians can actually do that too, which is interesting. So the Japanese Peruvian kids would tell me that in Spanish, and then I would translate that Spanish to the American kids behind me who could only speak English. So I think that in itself just kind of tells you how confusing it could be, but also how fun that was just to see…we all have different languages, but we work together just as well. And we made it work. And I think that was one of the funniest moments, just trying to pass these down, these instructions down.


culture identity Japan Japanese Americans Japanese Peruvians languages Okinawans Okinawa Prefecture Peru United States

Date: August 30, 2018

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Sharon Yamato

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

Interviewee Bio

Grew up in Gardena, California. Her parents moved to the United States from Lima, Peru where they grew up in the Japanese and Okinawan Peruvian community. Because of this diverse background, she was exposed to a mixing of different cultural traditions. She is involved with the Okinawa Association of America and has visited Okinawa and Peru.

She received her teaching credentials but with an opportunity at the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute (GVJCI), she turned to non-profit work and is a volunteer at GVJCI and the Okinawa Association of America. (August 2018)

Vince Ota
en
ja
es
pt
Ota,Vince

The reason to stay in Japan after his third year

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

en
ja
es
pt
Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig
en
ja
es
pt
Herzig,Aiko Yoshinaga

Results of being more American than Japanese

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

en
ja
es
pt
Jero  (Jerome Charles White Jr.)
en
ja
es
pt
(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Trying to convey the meaning of the songs

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

en
ja
es
pt
Kenny Endo
en
ja
es
pt
Endo,Kenny

Internship on a Native American reservation in Arizona

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

en
ja
es
pt
Vince Ota
en
ja
es
pt
Ota,Vince

Different tension between East Coast and Los Angeles

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

en
ja
es
pt
Vince Ota
en
ja
es
pt
Ota,Vince

Never being Japanese

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

en
ja
es
pt
Seiichi Tanaka
en
ja
es
pt
Tanaka,Seiichi

Differences between American and Japanese taiko

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

en
ja
es
pt
Francis Y. Sogi
en
ja
es
pt
Sogi,Francis Y.

Volunteering to serve for the U.S. military in Japan

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

en
ja
es
pt
Francis Y. Sogi
en
ja
es
pt
Sogi,Francis Y.

Meeting Japanese Americans from the mainland in MIS

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

en
ja
es
pt
Jero  (Jerome Charles White Jr.)
en
ja
es
pt
(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Nikkei Sansei

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

en
ja
es
pt
Francis Y. Sogi
en
ja
es
pt
Sogi,Francis Y.

Visiting family in Japan

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

en
ja
es
pt
Enson Inoue
en
ja
es
pt
Inoue,Enson

Sudden acceptance in Japanese society

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

en
ja
es
pt
Francis Y. Sogi
en
ja
es
pt
Sogi,Francis Y.

Being stationed in Japan during the American occupation

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

en
ja
es
pt
Enson Inoue
en
ja
es
pt
Inoue,Enson

Ring name: "Yamato Damashi"

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

en
ja
es
pt
Jero  (Jerome Charles White Jr.)
en
ja
es
pt
(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Getting on Kohaku (Japanese)

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

en
ja
es
pt