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Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)

(Spanish) It’s very difficult to preserve Japanese culture within what is Argentina because on the one hand it’s true that the number of Nikkei in Argentina is not…it’s not a lot. There are approximately 35,000 of us. I think that, until recently, until about 10 years ago, it was easier to preserve a bit more of what was in a certain way Japanese culture. I think through the nihongo gakko (Japanese school)…In every city where there are groups of Japanese families, there’s always a nihongo gakko and a Japanese social club, a nihonjin-kai (Japanese people’s association). There they teach Japanese and then, you know, they hold different events throughout the year.

But it seems like just recently all of that started disappearing, the events that they would do during the year. Maybe because young people aren’t so interested in following those events, or because those same young people have other interests that are more…that motivate them more than being within a community of Nikkei.

So, currently in Argentina, in a way it’s like we’re losing that identity or all those things that make up Japanese culture. But on the other hand it’s like there’s a return, there’s a sense of…a sense of and an interest in…not among everyone, but among certain people…But generally they’re Sansei, they’re…not Nisei, but rather from subsequent generations, they might be Sansei or Yonsei, that are more interested in everything about Japan. Maybe because of their grandparents.

And there are also a lot of Argentine people that are interested in Japanese culture as well. Perhaps the Nisei are more…they have a lot of reluctance and it’s harder for them to preserve the culture. For them it’s easier, or maybe it seems more worthwhile, to teach their children English instead of Japanese. I think that maybe they’re more interested in further integrating into Argentine society rather than preserving one’s own.


Argentina culture education identity Japanese language schools language schools

Date: October 7, 2005

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Ann Kaneko

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

Interviewee Bio

Monica Kogiso is a Nikkei Nisei Argentinian, born in Buenos Aires in the city of Escobar where the Japanese community thrives on floristry. She is licensed in tourism, currently working as a resource, tourism and event coordinator for Japan, serving as bridge between both Argentina and Japan. She is the former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino, a Nikkei organization located in Buenos Aires and is a representative for the Panamerican Nikkei Association. (January 23, 2007)

Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi Okasaki
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Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi Okasaki

Grandmother's influence on decision to go to Japan

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

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Masakatsu Jaime Ashimine Oshiro
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Masakatsu Jaime Ashimine Oshiro

A Possible Path towards Happiness… (Spanish)

(1958-2014) Former Bolivian Ambassador to Japan

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Masako Iino
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Masako Iino

Interest in Japanese migration studies (Japanese)

Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history

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Masako Iino
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Masako Iino

What is Nikkei? (Japanese)

Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history

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Masako Iino
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Masako Iino

Learning from Nikkei (Japanese)

Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history

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James Hirabayashi
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James Hirabayashi

Nickname

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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James Hirabayashi
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James Hirabayashi

Little interaction with parents

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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James Hirabayashi
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James Hirabayashi

Center for Japanese American Studies in community

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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James Hirabayashi
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James Hirabayashi

Involvement with ethnic studies

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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James Hirabayashi
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James Hirabayashi

Context affects meaning

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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James Hirabayashi
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James Hirabayashi

Testing assumptions of Japanese scholars

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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Steve Kaji
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Steve Kaji

FOB's

Hawaii born Nikkei living in Japan. English Teacher at YMCA.

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Venancio Shinki
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Venancio Shinki

Prejudice in Japanese school (Spanish)

(b. 1932-2016) Peruvian painter

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Mike Shinoda
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Mike Shinoda

Connecting to Japan

(b. 1977) Musician, Producer, Artist

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Barbara Kawakami
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Barbara Kawakami

Kids working hard

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

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