Interviews

1. General reasons why people left Japan for Peru

2. Great grandfather Asato was a sumo wrestler

3. Grandfather loved to tell her stories of her great-grandfather Arakaki

4. Prosecution of Japanese Peruvians during the war

5. Where parents went to school in Peru

6. Parents leaving Peru to move to California

7. Reflections on childhood

8. Okinawan cultural appreciation

9. Prejudice against Okinawans from mainland folks

10. Okinawan Americans

11. Parents identification as Peruvian Okinawan

12. On Nikkei identity

13. Japanese values that she aligns with

14. American values she aligns with

15. Working together in Okinawa using three languages

Michelle Yamashiro

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

Prejudice against Okinawans from mainland folks

I even heard it when I went to Okinawa, that it was still kind of there. There’s still this…just difference because you’re from Okinawa or… There’s a lot of stereotypes too that Okinawan folks are…they don’t come on time, always come later. That’s a funny one. Or that they’re kind of like just running on their own time and a little bit more chill and relaxed. Like island folks, small island folks. One thing that did stick out was in Peru, a lot of immigrants from Japan in general, and so some people would hide the fact that they’re Okinawan to try to marry someone or to try to fit in with this…Japan mainland folks. And I thought that was so funny, one thing that I remember was, even folks with the last name Kanashiro or Arakaki – which are very Okinawan – would try to be like “no, no, no I’m mainland,” “I’m a mainland person.” So that’s one thing that my parents did share with me. It’s like trying to deny that as much as possible.

identity Okinawans Peru prejudices stereotypes

Date: Aug 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)

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