Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1047/

Is non-integration due to the distrust because of what happened in the Second World War? (Spanish)

(Spanish) There is distrust, and there is convenience to stay in the ghetto, because it is a ghetto. But it is not the distrust, it’s not because of the historic experience we’ve had. It’s, as I tell you, because of the immigrant’s mentality. Why….Erich Fromm, the studious man, talked about a type of love or a key detail in how people chooses a partner. Many times….No, not many times. What prevails in this relationship is the projection, the prolongation/extension of itself, of this person. So they find people of the same race or of the same social class, of the same academic level… and why? They want to share the same future. The partners get together to give continuity and descendants to life, whether it is either biologically or culturally. So, first it is for that reason. The Japanese and their descendants feel more comfortable with someone of their same group; they are rebuked less for things, they don’t question themselves too much, it’s more comfortable for them. And I think, an important detail is that the idea of punishment is similar, so they behave well. The idea of infidelity, of monogamy, of descendants, of education to their children is similar. This way, they get along better. I think that is the reason they choose to stay in the group, more than the historic experiences. I think it’s more because of this fact…Jewish people marry Jewish, the people from Huancayo marry people from Huancayo, and it’s like this. People from the Andes with Andean people, people from the coast with people from the coast…


identity Peru

Date: February 26, 2008

Location: Lima, Peru

Interviewer: Harumi Nako

Contributed by: Asociación Peruano Japonesa (APJ)

Interviewee Bio

Doris Moromisato Miasato (1962) was born in Chambala, an agricultural zone of Lima, Peru. She graduated with a degree in Law and Political Science at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos.

She has published the collection of poems Morada donde la luna perdió su palidez [Home were the moon lost its paleness] (1988), Chambala era un camino [Chambala was the path] (1999), Diario de la mujer es ponja [Diary of a Jap woman] (2004), Paisaje Terrestre [Terrestrial Path] (2007), as well as the story book Okinawa, un siglo en el Perú [Okinawa. A century in Peru] (2006). Her poems, stories, essays, and features have also been included in several anthologies and have been translated into several languages.

She is an ecologist, feminist and Buddhist. In 2006, the Okinawa Municipality nominated her as an Ambassador of Good Will. Nowadays, she is columnist for the Discover Nikkei Website, and since 2005 she has managed the organization of book fairs as Cultural Director of Cámara Peruana del Libro. (February 26, 2008)

Kosaki,Richard

Growing up in Waikiki

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

Hirabayashi,Roy

The philosophy of playing Taiko

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

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Shibayama,Art

Activities growing up in Peru

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

Shibayama,Art

Family's deportation from Peru to U.S. after the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

Shibayama,Art

Denied redress as a Japanese Peruvian

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

Kogiso,Mónica

Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)

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

Mizuki,Peter

Not wanting to stand out as a foreigner

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

Yamasaki,Frank

Have compassion for all of humanity

(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.

Kogiso,Mónica

Identity crisis (Spanish)

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

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Never sang Enka outside the family

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Kansuma,Fujima

Both Japanese and American identities though Japanese dance

(1918-2023) Nisei Japanese kabuki dancer

Herzig,Aiko Yoshinaga

Results of being more American than Japanese

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Trying to convey the meaning of the songs

(b. 1981) Enka Singer