Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/755/

Studying Japanese to understand her grandfather (Spanish)

(Spanish) In my case, because I study Japanese, for example, I believe that [I have tried to learn more about my grandfather] because, I don’t know, it combines many things from my life. I also study Letters and I believe…I am convinced that the language one grows up with, [that is] your first language shapes your way of thinking and of many things. I believe this. Therefore, my grandfather was Japanese, and to understand him exactly I have to learn to speak the language that he spoke; I ought to know his first tongue. This was the intent behind my learning the language.


education families languages

Date: July 12, 2006

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Interviewer: Takeshi Nishimura, Ricardo Hokama

Contributed by: Centro Nikkei Argentino

Interviewee Bio

Paula Hoyos Hattori is a sansei born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is a student of letters and dance. Her father is a descendant of Argentine Indians, while her mother is a Nisei, a daughter of Japanese parents. Paula’s particular profile (half Argentine, half Japanese) provides a distinctive vision because of the fusion of these two cultures. (July 12, 2006)

Enson Inoue
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Inoue,Enson

Tracing my family crest

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

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Toshio Inahara
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Inahara,Toshio

Family background

(b. 1921) Vascular surgeon

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Toshio Inahara
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Inahara,Toshio

Driving 1930 Ford at age 12

(b. 1921) Vascular surgeon

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Alfredo Kato
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Kato,Alfredo

Post-war experiences in Lima (Spanish)

(b. 1937) Professional journalist

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George Katsumi Yuzawa
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Yuzawa,George Katsumi

Death of sister in October 1942

(1915 - 2011) Nisei florist who resettled in New York City after WW II. Active in Japanese American civil rights movement

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Bill Hashizume
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Hashizume,Bill

Father’s will to have Japanese education

(b. 1922) Canadian Nisei who was unable to return to Canada from Japan until 1952

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Byron Glaser
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Glaser,Byron

Supporting art because it's essential

Illustrator and designer

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Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
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Houston,Jeanne Wakatsuki

Impact of Pearl Harbor on her family

(b. 1934) Writer

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Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
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Houston,Jeanne Wakatsuki

Initial impact on life at camp

(b. 1934) Writer

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Roy Hirabayashi
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Hirabayashi,Roy

Celebrating traditional Japanese New Years with family

(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.

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Roy Hirabayashi
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Hirabayashi,Roy

Learning Japanese at school and at home with family

(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.

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Mónica Kogiso
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Kogiso,Mónica

Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

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Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig
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Herzig,Aiko Yoshinaga

Results of being more American than Japanese

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

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Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig
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Herzig,Aiko Yoshinaga

Family separated in the camps

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

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Francis Y. Sogi
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Sogi,Francis Y.

Going to Japanese school

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

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