Interviews

1. Nikkei means fusion (Spanish)

2. History of her family's immigration (Spanish)

3. Jobs for Japanese Argentines (Spanish)

4. Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)

5. Identity crisis (Spanish)

6. Easier to be a foreigner in Japan (Spanish)

Kogiso,Mónica

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

Nikkei means fusion (Spanish)

(Spanish) I think being Nikkei means having two cultures. In my case, in Argentina, it’s the culture of my parents, which is Japanese, and the culture where I was born, which is Argentina. I think this fusion of, in this case of two cultures, I think that’s being Nikkei. Carrying this Japanese sensibility that we inherited from our parents and grandparents. And that mixed with the culture or with the country in which one is born.

Argentina Hawaii identity Japanese Americans Nikkei United States

Date: October 7, 2005

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Ann Kaneko

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

Interviewee Bio

Monica Kogiso is a Nikkei Nisei Argentinian, born in Buenos Aires in the city of Escobar where the Japanese community thrives on floristry. She is licensed in tourism, currently working as a resource, tourism and event coordinator for Japan, serving as bridge between both Argentina and Japan. She is the former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino, a Nikkei organization located in Buenos Aires and is a representative for the Panamerican Nikkei Association. (January 23, 2007)