Much Mahalos
In this series, acclaimed author "Da Pidgin Guerrilla" Lee A. Tonouchi uses the language of Hawai‘i Creole, a.k.a. Pidgin, to talk story with accomplished and up-and coming Japanese/Okinawan Americans from Hawai‘i. Interviewees discuss their passions, their triumphs, as well as their struggles as they reflect and express their gratitude to those who have helped them on their journeys to success.
Stories from this series
No Longer One Need for Speed: Sanshin Master Kenton Odo on mastering da moment
July 9, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
It’s kinda funny how growing up Kenton Odo always wanted for be da fastest. Like da fastest for ride his bike around Pacific Palisades on O‘ahu. Da fastest for hike down Heart Attack Hill. Even when he started learning songs on top da sanshin [Okinawan three-stringed instrument], he mostly only wanted for play da fastest of da songs. Nowdays dis 54 year old, ’88 Maryknoll grad finds himself no longer in such one rush. His journey to mastering da moment …
Storytelling Sensation Kathy Collins—How one “short Japanese girl” could still do acting
June 6, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
Growing up in rural upcountry Maui, Kathy Collins [maiden name Yogi], 67, always had one fascination with stories and da power dey had in transporting da reader into totally different worlds. In da books of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Kathy would imagine “how wonderful it would be to live in the Midwest at the turn of the last century, making snow angels, churning butter. running through the meadow and picking wildflowers.” During da course of her life, Kathy’s been one radio …
Life of One Pidgin Linguist: How Kent Sakoda became da Pidgin Yoda
May 13, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
Small kid time Kent Sakoda, 72 wuzn’t known as Kent “Yoda” Sakoda yet. He wuz just one Local Japanese sansei growing up in da small town of Hanapēpē on Kaua‘i. After he wen go graduate from Waimea High School in 1970, he already knew he wanted for leave Kaua‘i for try see what college life on top da continent might be like. Back den he had no clue he wuz eventually going become one highly respected Pidgin linguist known for …
Wea You Stay! Laurel Nakanishi on da importance of da poetry of place
March 29, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
Waimea Valley IV We enter the valley silently, without shaking the branches. We enter without startling. Alae ‘ula watches us from the estuary remembering the pitch nights when the fire lived only in her. We followed the pig trails listening for the rustle grunt of Kamapua‘a. In the quiet, our thoughts are small gods. They fly above the earth. —Poem from Laurel Nakanishi's collection Ashore As I stay da outgoing Tony Quagliano poetry award champion, da Hawai‘i Council for the …
Big in Hawai‘i—Artist Kris Goto shares how she levels up
Feb. 29, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
She nevah really thought about ‘em, but artist Kris Goto, 36, she been living in Hawai‘i half her life now. She wuz born in Kagoshima, Japan, den she wen live in New Zealand and Hong Kong before she wen finally settle down in Hawai‘i in 2006. She been featured in art exhibits in Japan, in California, and at various galleries all ova Hawai‘i. In recent years mo and mo of her murals have been popping up and mo and mo …
Why You Should Talk to Strangers—Crafting celebrity Joy Shimabukuro says chance ‘em
Feb. 6, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
Local people in Hawai‘i might not know her last name, but mostly everybody recognizes her face and her first name that has become synonymous with crafting. When dey see her in public dey go up to her and tell, “Eh, you Joy...Of Crafting, yeah?” First name—Joy. Last name—Of Crafting. Lol. About for film her 483rd episode, Joy Shimabukuro’s television show Joy of Crafting has been running continuously in Hawai‘i since 2002. Painfully shy as one kid, Joy nevah imagined she …
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