Interviews
Feminist, ecologist, Buddhist… activist (Spanish)
(Spanish) I am a militant person. I like activism. That is the reason why I am cultural manager; that’s why I organize book fairs, poetry readings; that is why I organize young people. I think this is a very okinawenes mentality, the solidarity. The characteristics of Okinawan people are: hospitality, solidarity, and joy. I have all those characteristics (laughs). That doesn’t mean that I’m not a sad person. My books are very sad. I cannot read the book Chambala era un camino [Chambala was a path]. I can’t read that book. I threw it away. I said, “good grief! How can someone write that?” I even surprise myself, with my poems, because they’re very sad. They’re of my father, mother. I consider myself, at this moment, a Buddhist. I have a Buddhist conception that is hereditary. I’m an ecologist. I have always been ecologist. I am a feminist. With the book El diario de la mujer es ponja [The diary of the jap woman] my feminist aspect was shown, to say in a way. And I’m a very organized person. I don’t choose the poetry books by chronology, but by atmosphere, by theme. And I select the chapters by atmosphere, rhythm, by amounts, because poetry above all, is accuracy. And actually I published this book because I wanted to emphasize this fact in my ecologist battle. I think Peru is a country that needs to be thoroughly ecological. We don’t have an ecological movement. It’s disgusting really. It’s terrible… being such a rich country: richness in the nature, so rich in dances…
Date: February 26, 2008
Location: Lima, Peru
Interviewer: Harumi Nako
Contributed by: Asociación Peruano Japonesa (APJ)
Explore More Videos
Advantages of being Nikkei (Spanish)
(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman
Childhood shame for being Nikkei in Enumclaw, Washington
Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.
On the Impact of the Camp Experience
(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge
Thoughts on the term, "Nikkei"
(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.
Post-redress future of Japanese Americans
Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.
Need generational change in Japanese community (Spanish)
(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist
Defining the term "Nikkei" (Portuguese)
Former Director, Museu Histórico da Imigração Japonesa no Brasil