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)

Matsumoto,Roy H.
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Matsumoto,Roy H.

Nickname

(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.

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Matsumoto,Roy H.
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Matsumoto,Roy H.

Mixed emotions after declaration of war on Japan

(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.

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Hirabayashi,Roy
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Hirabayashi,Roy

Celebrating traditional Japanese New Years with family

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

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Kosaki,Richard
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Kosaki,Richard

Growing up in Waikiki

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

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Kosaki,Richard
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Kosaki,Richard

Under suspicion after Pearl Harbor

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

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Hirabayashi,Roy
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Hirabayashi,Roy

The philosophy of playing Taiko

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

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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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Kogiso,Mónica
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Kogiso,Mónica

Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)

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

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Mizuki,Peter
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Mizuki,Peter

Not wanting to stand out as a foreigner

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

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Yamasaki,Frank
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Yamasaki,Frank

Have compassion for all of humanity

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

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Kogiso,Mónica
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Kogiso,Mónica

Identity crisis (Spanish)

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

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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Never sang Enka outside the family

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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Kansuma,Fujima
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Kansuma,Fujima

Both Japanese and American identities though Japanese dance

(1918-2023) Nisei Japanese kabuki dancer

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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Coming to Japan

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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Herzig,Aiko Yoshinaga
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Herzig,Aiko Yoshinaga

Results of being more American than Japanese

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

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