Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/256/

Sings traditional plantation labor song (ho-le ho-le bushi) in Japanese and Hawaiian

[The ho-le ho-le bushi is about dragging the cane cuttings through the fields. Mrs. Kasahara learned the song by hearing it on a record.] (Japanese and Hawaiian)

nihon derukya yo-
hitori de detaga
imajya komoaru magomoaru
sonowakya chaccha (secret) de
nuinui (very, a lot) maitai (great)

hanayome goryo deyo
yobiyose rarete
yubiori kazoete Gojyu-nen
sonowakya chaccha de
nuinui akamaina…kamaaina (nice native peoples)

Kane (man, husband) wa kachiken niyo
Wahine (woman, wife) wa happaiko
huuhu sorotte tomokasebi
sonowakya chaccha de
nuinui hanahana (works)

asu wa Sunday jyayo~
Wahine (wife) mo turete
Aikane (friend) houmon to dekakeyoka
sonowakya chaccha de
nuinuihorohoro(amuseuments)

English translation

When I left Japan,
I was alone.
Now I have children and even grandchildren, too.
Its reason is secret but it’s very great.

As a bride,
I came to this country.
I am eagerly waiting for 50 years.
Its reason is secret, but great natives.

Man (husband) is Kachiken (cuts sugar cane)
Women (wife) is Happaiko (carrying sugar cane)
We worked together.
Its reason is secret and a lot of works.

Tomorrow is Sunday.
Take wife (with me)
Let’s visit a friend.
Its reason is secret and great pleasure.


It includes language of Hanaka(?)


agriculture Hawaii Hole Hole Bushi (song) plantations songs sugarcane United States

Date: June and July, 1991

Location: Hawai`i, US

Interviewer: Robert Nakamura, Karen Ishizuka

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

Interviewee Bio

Haruo Kasahara was born in 1900 in Japan and left Fukushima-ken for Hawaii in 1919 to join her parents. She recalled being so homesick for Japan, she cried every day. She worked on a plantation in the fields cutting grass and watering the sugar cane for a wage of 55 cents a day.

Mrs. Kasahara was married in 1922. She met her husband by Omiai. He also worked at the plantation. For him, it was his second marriage. His first wife had died and left him with two children. When Mrs. Kasahara married him, his children were in Japan. Mrs. Kasahara gave birth to six children, however two died at very young ages. (July 1991)

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