Entrevistas
Feeling free and accepted in Hawaii
When I was living on the mainland, particularly up to this point, to about 1945. I had a good life, I felt. But when I went to Honolulu, I felt for the first time, free. What do you mean by free? Well, what I meant by free is that living on the mainland, I never knew when somebody is going to shoot an arrow at me, an insult, a barb, a comment, something, calling me Jap, “you’re not welcome here,” “what are you doing here?”
In Hawaii, I felt fully accepted. And so I thought, “Wow! This is a wonderful culture here.” Then I said there is a soul spirit, an aloha spirit, of being friendly, everybody is being welcome. It’s a good feeling of openness. They’re not afraid to talk about, what we used to call, “sacred cows,” and they are very open. They may be prejudice, but they are open about it, they are honest about it, and I like that honesty. Therefore, I felt this is a wonderful culture, that I am enjoying, and I felt I could grow in this kind of culture, and I liked it.
Fecha: March 4, 2005
Zona: California, US
Entrevista: Florence Ochi, Art Hansen, Yoko Nishimura
País: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Integrating As First-Generation Japanese-Peruvian (Japanese)
(n. 1962) Chef de comida japonesa en Perú
The Nikkei community that didn't support Former President Fujimori's election (Japanese)
(n. 1948) Gerente general del Museo Amano
The differences in attitude of pre-war and post war in terms of the President Fujimori presidency (Japanese)
(n. 1948) Gerente general del Museo Amano
President Fujimori as elected by Peru's general public (Japanese)
(n. 1948) Gerente general del Museo Amano
The Nikkei community's view toward Former President Fujimori (Japanese)
(n. 1948) Gerente general del Museo Amano
The Grand Duty left to the Issei (Japanese)
(n. 1943) Embajador de Paraguay en Japón
How I became a volunteer at the International Association of Yamato (Spanish)
Peruano japonés en Japón
Several ways to participate and integrate into Japanese society (Spanish)
Peruano japonés en Japón
Opening Up Shop in Little Tokyo
(n. 1942) La primera juez asiático americana
JABA: On Engaging Students and Community
(n. 1942) La primera juez asiático americana
On Justice Todd’s Involvement with the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center
(n. 1942) La primera juez asiático americana