Interviews
Shock of Her Granddaughter Not Knowing Her Japanese Heritage
And she said something about, “Your people,” and I shuddered inside – “your people?” and I had to kind of calm myself, and I had to tell myself, “There is no ‘your people’ or ‘my people,’ because you come – part of you comes from me.” And so I asked her mother for permission – because they were divorced at the time, my son and his wife, to take her to Japan. And I took her and introduced her to the relatives in Hiroshima. I thought it was important for her to know there is no “Your people, my—” you’re part Japanese. That was – that was a shock when she said that. You know, but I’m not with her all the time, she doesn’t see me all the time, but I – I thought, “Did she not…” I never asked her. Did she not notice I looked different from her?
Date: November 8, 2018
Location: California, US
Interviewer: June Berk
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Conflicted about immigrating to America (Japanese)
(b. 1925) War bride
Defining "Nikkei"
(1941-2018) Japanese Canadian photojournalist and activist
Unique Identity from Having Multiple Backgrounds
(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.
Growing up Japanese in Hawaii
(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii
Parents identification as Peruvian Okinawan
Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.
Okinawan cultural appreciation
Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.
Prejudice against Okinawans from mainland folks
Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.
American values she aligns with
Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.
Working together in Okinawa using three languages
Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.
Expressing herself through poetry
(b. 1923) Japanese American poet, activist
About Escobar (Spanish)
(b. 1962) Nisei Japanese Argentinian, currently residing in Japan
Her definition of Nikkei
(b.1974) Japanese Colombian who currently resides in the United States
