Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/995/

The multicultural perspective

I think it’s more of a personal perspective because depending on where you are—maybe generationally. Here I am a fourth generation Japanese American on my father’s side. But, my mother having come from Japan, I’m sort of first generation from her side. So, I think whenever I compare myself to my peers and my friends, I’m very into Japanese culture, I think, because of my closer tie to Japan. And we still have relatives in Japan through my mother’s side. So, for me, community can be my Japanese American community. But I think in most contexts, it’s the multicultural community. Here, it’s so multicultural. I don’t think we’re as segregated in thinking because it’s multicultural. There’s a lot of marriages between the different nationalities and ethnic groups. So, we’re all blending.


communities families Hawaii identity United States

Date: July 9, 2004

Location: Hawaii, US

Interviewer: Art Hansen, Sojin Kim

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

Interviewee Bio

Kay Fukumoto, of Maui Taiko, continues a multi-generational family tradition of playing taiko at local, annual Obon festivals that began with her grandfather and great-grandfather and now includes her husband and son. Though the Maui Taiko group was formed officially in 1996, it has been operating informally on Maui, Hawaii for over 100 years.

In 1970, at the age of ten, Kay was the first girl to be allowed to play the taiko at an Obon festival on the island of Maui. She now leads Maui Taiko, which plays at 16 different temples during the Obon festival season. In 2001, she coordinated a trip for the group to perform taiko in Fukushima and Hiroshima, Japan. (July 9, 2004)

Yamamoto,Mia

Cofounding the Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association

(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney

Yamamoto,Mia

Understanding anti black racism in high school

(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney

Yamamoto,Mia

Standing up for social justice

(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney

Ninomiya,Masato

How he met his wife

Professor of Law, University of Sao Paulo, Lawyer, Translator (b. 1948)

McKenna,Sabrina Shizue

Impact of Coming Out on Her Family

(b. 1957) Jusice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.

Sakata,Reiko T.

Parent’s Marriage

(b. 1939) a businesswoman whose family volunterily moved to Salt Lake City in Utah during the war.