A Community of Memory

Cranes for Peace

2011-09-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

One of my strongest memories of childhood was reading, "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes." Her story moved me, especially what her friends did after her death. They told her story and then they put a statue of Sadako in the Hiroshima Peace Park and encouraged people to fold cranes with a fervent wish for peace. Inscribed on the statue is: This is our Cry. This is our Prayer. Peace in the World.

These 3,000 cranes were all folded with a fervent wish for peace and will go to the Peace Museum and Himeyuri Memorial in Okinawa. "This is our Cry. This is our Prayer. Peace in the World."

Telling Stories with Sand

2009-09-26T01:19:00.000-07:00

You know I spend a lot of time surfing the interweb and I have seen some amazing things on the web. I have never seen anything like this before. I've watched this several times already and still am amazed each time.

Kseniya Simonova, the winner of Ukraine's Got Talent, has become a YouTube phenomenon by telling stories through sand animation. In this video:

"She recounts Germany conquering Ukraine in the second world war. She brings calm, then conflict. A couple on a bench become a woman's face; a peaceful walkway becomes a conflagration; a weeping widow morphs into an obelisk for an unknown soldier. Simonova looks like some vengeful Old Testament deity as she destroys then recreates her scenes - with deft strokes, sprinkles and sweeps she keeps the narrative going. She moves the judges to tears as she subtitles the final scene "you are always near".

it's clear that Simonova has achieved her goal as an artist. If we take it that art's purpose is to illuminate the world in a new way, provoke a reaction, somehow alter the consciousness of the viewer then her work is a huge success. And that high art can come from a format [ukraine's got talent] that produced Stavros Flatley and that it can be popularised and sent around the world is surely some kind of modern miracle."

Watch this video. Really. Watch this video. It is so worth the time.

"What she depicts is love and war, set amidst the turmoil of WWII. Ukraine was probably the area most devastated in the war, even more than Germany. It was a conflict that saw nearly one in four Ukrainians killed. A population of almost 42 million lost between 8 and 11 million people, depending on which estimate one references. Ukraine represented almost 20 percent of all the causalities suffered during WWII. And that was after Stalin had killed millions during the manufactured famines before the war. It to this day touches every Ukrainian. That's the context of war memory that Kseniya reaches out to.

The sand art of Kseniya is set to music that reflects the tone of what she is trying to project, and the combined effect works very well. Sand animators use simple grains of sand to tell a story, in a way many people haven't seen before. What Kseniya Seminova does in a few short minutes is all the more memorable because it is so fleeting. Once she is finished, the grains of sand go back into containers and the art is swept away."

Remembering Herbert Isonaga, 442nd RCT

2009-04-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

I just heard that Herbert Isonaga passed away. "Herbie" was a member of the VVV and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Headquarters Company and a friend. After I heard the news, I wanted to honor and remember his life. . .

Herbert Isonaga was born in 1921 in Koloa, Kauai. His family operated Isonaga Store, which supplied Filipino bachelors employed by Koloa Sugar Company with iriko (parched small sardine), shrimp, bagoong (fermented fish sauce), codfish and various canned goods. Trousers, shirts, lunch pail bags and tabi (Japanese socks), all sewn by Herbert’s mother, were also available

Of the 50 or 60 in his class at Koloa School, only 20, including Herbert, continued their studies at Kauai High School. Winning by one vote, “Landslide” Isonaga was elected senior class president. He went on to attend college at the University of Oregon and the University of Hawaii.

Herbert participated in the discussions and planning of the Varsity Victory Volunteers (VVV). He left college to join the VVV to be a part of the war effort. He then volunteered for the 442nd RCT. Herbert was assigned to the antitank platoon of Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion and served admirably with the 442nd RCT in Italy and France.

After the war, Herbert graduated with a degree in business from UH. He operated a bookstore near the university. Later, he ran Herbie’s Drive-In. After selling his business to KC Drive-In, Herbert went into real estate with Hung Wai Ching.

Herbert married Sue Kobatake on March 26, 1949. They had three children.

I thought Herbert was both charming and sweet. My last memory of him is at a reception honoring Moriso Teraoka. Herbie came up and gave me a big hug.

Herbert Isonaga is one of my heroes. . .I am so grateful I got to meet him and tell his story.

Farewell Herbert!

“The greatest thing that happened to the AJA community was World War II. The 442nd and the 100th did a great service to the AJA community and ourselves for having served. I take great pride in that.

I sincerely feel that the recognition we deserve has been offered to us in many, many ways. Primarily in the opportunities that it has offered us.”- Herbert Isonaga

Please read the rest of his story: http://nisei.hawaii.edu/page/herbert

Remembering Hideko Masaki

2008-10-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

On my trip to South America, I got to know Hideko Masaki. The first time I really talked to her was during lunch at a Chinese restaurant on our first day in Sao Paulo. We all opted to introduce ourselves. I started off and Hideko was next.

She talked for quite a while about her life (which was varied and very interesting). As she wrapped up, I remember her grinning and saying, "I know I've talked for a long time but I'm old and I have a lot to say."

I remember thinking, "How cool is this lady?!?!"

Hideko was in a car accident ten days ago and died from injuries sustained in the crash. She was 76 years old. I went to pay my respects at her service today and to support her daughter Mavis.

It's a shock that she is gone. In my memory. . .I see the spunky and sassy Hideko. And always,I think back to our first meeting and remember how very cool she was. Ciao Hideko.

My South America Trip Comes to a Close

2008-09-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of malbec. I was determined to bring as many as I could home. :) I went on a hunt for malbec. Augustin Kanashiro wrote down a location (Winery) and where to go.

I hopped into a cab and managed to find the Winery. The clerks spoke no English (and I stink at Spanish). Through many gestures and drawing things, I selected 9 fabulous wines.

I was concerned about how I would get it home and have it survive check-in. They put the wines in styrofoam, stacked them up and strapped it together. They covered that with brown paper and assured me that it would hold. !! I was skeptical until they put a bottle in the styrofoam pack and started slamming it against the counter with gusto. :) no problem!

I get my precious cargo loaded into a cab and head back to the hotel. The driver can't find the street to the hotel, so I get out and haul the box for a couple of streets. whew!
When we get to the airport, I get the box shrink wrapped for extra protection. Just in time, John Tasato kept eyeing the box and asking when we were going to start drinking. :)

The Luigi Bosca, Rutini and Tahuan were lovely. Cheers!

Note: I breezed through customs with my treasures. Yay!

Closing Reception

2008-08-31T20:50:00.000-07:00

I get to the closing reception and track down Natalia and Augustin so I can say Ciao! Luckily, I run into Paulo on the stairs and get to make my farewells with him as well.

By the time I get there, the "foreigners" have all been moved to the 2nd floor. I opt to go to the 3rd floor where all the locals are gathered and have so much fun trying to communicate with them.

They are all concerned that I'm on the 3rd floor and keep telling me they think the food and drinks are better on the 2nd floor. I tell them I'd rather hang out with them and talk story.

Wow. They're so NICE! They notice that I like the sandwiches and I find myself inundated with plates of sandwiches. I didn't realize that they were going around the room piling up all the sandwiches for me. :)

It was great hearing their stories and getting introduced to entire clans, with names being rattled off in a dizzying array.

Side Note: The sandwiches in BA are amazing. The bread is really thin and has no crust on it.

There was a shop across from our hotel. I noticed that there was always long lines of locals waiting in front of the shop. Of course I join the line to see what they're getting!

It's amazing how they make the ham and cheese sandwiches! Picture a huge piece of thin white or wheat bread with the crust cut off. Bread : Ham and Mayo : Bread : Cheese : Bread : Ham and Mayo : Bread.

The ham and cheese are so thin, the taste is light. I loved it!!!

San Telmo

2008-08-31T08:49:00.000-07:00

We head out to San Telmo, the oldest barrio of Buenos Aires. It's quaint with old churches, cafes and shops. The cobblestone streets are gorgeous (tho littered with dog poop).

It was rather cold and the antique market seemed rather schmaltzy, so I ditched the shopping to go drink mate with the bus drivers. :) When I walked in, they quickly hid their girly magazines from sight. They were gracious enough to share their hot drink with me and to explain all the different drinking options.

Chris and I opted to stay behind to explore the area a bit more.

It's so cold, we warm up with some milke tea and coffee at a really charming cafe.

As we browse the stalls, a hawker selling empanadas goes from stall to stall. We try some of his wares. Delicious! I also try some fresh roasted nuts.

We try go to the ice cream parlor (Lonely Planet says ice cream in BA is fabulous and a must eat). I love how they scoop and serve the ice cream. Soooo good. The cones are really tiny. Heh. The toilets have no toilet paper, so we start building a hoard from the napkins at the ice cream parlor. Is that TMI?

We find an amazing mate shop with a very cool lady. I buy 1 Kilo of Yerba Mate and a bunch of gourds and straws!!! I'm so a mate fan now.

The streets are full of street performers and musicians. We spend a lot of time enjoying the atmosphere and soaking up the vibe.

We see a looooong line outside of a parilla and decide to join the queue. :) The guy cooking the meat insisted we take photos with him and his butcher knife. He kept saying, "Mine is beautiful."
Not sure what he was referring to.

Chris is leaving a day early and heads back to the hotel. Awww. . . Ciao Chris!!

I catch a cab to get to the Okinawan center for the closing reception.

Found in a Mall on Florida Street

2008-08-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

Okay. This struck me as an extremely odd mural to have in a shopping mall. . .

A Good Tango Show!!!

2008-08-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

WUB Argentina organized a tango dinner show for the group. WOW!!! This was a good dinner tango show!!! We took up the entire place. We had front row seats. The food was good. Steak, of course! Chikako challenged me to an arm wrestling match to see who was the strongest. She kicked my butt.

The tango was amazing and mesmerizing!!

There was also a rendition of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" that was quite soulful.

But my favorite was the conductor who just jammed on his accordion!!

OMG. OMG. OMG. The gaucho performer was HOT! HOT! HOT!

I must have been drooling because he stopped to wink at me. . .two times!!!

Whew!!

Clarence got us some WUB Peru silk scarves and one of the ladies taught us how to tie it to look like a tie! Okay, I didn't learn (we were drinking a lot of malbec) but it was pretty!

They ended with a kachashi that was hilarious. The tape kept freezing. We'd be dancing, then the music cut off abruptly and everyone froze in place. The music would start up later and dancing resumed. Then we'd have to stop. go. stop. go. It was funny.

The end of the evening found Leon sitting on stage singing opera. At least, I think that's what he was doing.

Amazing Parade

2008-08-30T16:47:00.000-07:00

We met up with the group in time for the parade which went through one of the major streets!! :)

We ended up with the WUB group and for some reason I was given the Maui banner to hold.

l-r: Kozue dancing; Daniel on the ukulele, which rarely left his hands the entire trip; and Ed decked out in flags.

I loved seeing the families. There were so many cute children!!

During the parade, Bobbi Kuba led the way, dancing hula while the rest of us sang "Pearly Shells." There was an amazing crowd lined up on the streets cheering and waving. Many yelled "Aloha!" to use and flashed the shaka as we walked by. RMD Argentina provided an amazing beat for us to march to.

La Boca

2008-08-30T11:46:00.000-07:00

We visit La Boca, a barrio or neighborhood of BA, to do some shopping. It's also home of Boca Juniors!

Marianna gives us an hour there. :( We're having so much fun, Chris, Hiro, Chikako and I opt to stay behind and have lunch on our own. This is a very fun and funky neighborhood!

The restaurants and cafes are extremely aggressive. They have tables and chairs setup on the street and if you slow down they swarm around you to get you to sit down. We find a place that has a band and tango dancers. Chikako insists that Hiro try his hand at the tango. :) The waiter didn't want to dance with Hiro, tho.

We catch a cab in time to get to the parade.

Another Day

2008-08-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

I have breakfast with Kozue at a little cafe several streets away from the hotel. We have some medialunas (sweet "half moons" croissants) with milk tea and fresh squeezed orange juice. Things are so cheap in Argentina. The peso to dollar is 3:1!

We tour the city and visit a wonderful cathedral. I hang out at the park watching an old man feed the birds.

We visit Cafe Tortoni for some amazing dark hot chocolate. Chris and Robert argue over who would pick up the tab. They arm wrestle but just settle for just throwing money at the waiter, who giggles at their antics.

Having lost the battle to pay the bill, Robert tries to run away with a cart of produce. We have to tackle him down and forcibly drag him away.

Dinner: Italian

2008-08-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

We head to an Italian restaurant recommended by Augustin and enjoy a lovely meal with amazing malbec. I get squid ink pasta. Jimmy flirts with the ladies.

Chris is fascinated with a toothbrush vending machine. Each color comes with a different message. She ends up with "Unlimited Energy."

We walk back to the hotel from the restaurant.
This is such a beautiful city!!!

Chris and I continue our walk down Florida Street where we encounter a man with an amazing voice singing opera arias. We stay to listen to several songs. It was surreal and utterly beautiful. What a magical night.

Welcome Reception

2008-08-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

We attend a welcome reception. It's funny, Brazil had very little in way of centennial celebration souvenirs. We found a t-shirt and some people got pins. Argentina, on the other hand, had a slew of merchandise at the reception!

The hall had long tables set up. Each table had the name of a village/city. I finally figured out that we were supposed to find our table and stay there. :) At the Naha table, one of ladies from our tour was reunited with her classmate/neighbor who she had not seen since his family emigrated to Argentina and hers to Hawaii. That was really amazing to see how touched and excited they were.

I started talking to his son Paulo, an engineer. He and his father had traveled by bus from Mendoza Valley (home of Malbec!!!) to attend. We drink Malbec wine and share stories. He convinces me I should at least find the Itoman table.

I get a wonderful surprise when I do eventually find the table. Natalia Yamashiro, a colleague I met years ago in California at an oral history conference, is there! Natalia was born in Argentina but now lives and works in Southern California.

We had no idea we were both from Itoman! Natalia introduces me to Augustin Kanashiro, president of Itoman Argentina. :) I asked Augustin how Itoman Hawaii can connect to Itoman Argentina. We're not sure but we're going to keep in touch and figure out an answer!

Random thought: The bathrooms at this hall had a bizarre soap option. I found it disturbing. You rub your hands on the soap and then wash them. Isn't it kinda unsanitary as you put your dirty hands on the soap?

Exploring Buenos Aires

2008-08-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

I skip breakfast at the hotel and go exploring the area around the hotel. It's such a beautiful city with incredible architecture. There is the danger of getting hit by water as the shopkeepers throw out water to wash off the sidewalk. :)

One of the most amazing sights are the dog walkers who walk so many dogs at one time!!

We visit a leather shop. I love the leather made from the capybara, the largest living rodent in the world. Check out the capybara hat. You can't see it but he's wearing matching boots!

We visit another parilla. The lambs look like a satanic ritual, huh? We were offered a sizzling platter of offal, internal organs and entrails, as a start. I had a hard time with the sweetbreads and intestines. But hey, put enough chimichurri and anything will taste good, eh?

I love how simple the plating is at the parilla. We got our slab of steak on a plate. That's it. :) The meat was very good. There were also sides of pommes frites (french fries) as well.

And of course, Richard had to try to abscond with some of the firewood.

We visit La Recoleta Cemetary, where Eva Peron is buried. The graves are above ground and seem more like masoleums. You can peer in and see coffins! I'm fascinated by the stained glass, the multitude of cats and the one celtic grave.

Okay. I don't want to dwell on how bad Marianna and Nippon Tourists are but I have to share this story. We stop off at a park where Marianna tells us, "Here is a beautiful rose garden. Many beautiful roses. You will want to take many photos, hmmm?" We ask her where the garden is and she languidly waves her hand and says that it is that way. She stays in the bus to talk on her cell phone.

We get to the garden and find it locked up and shut down. The garden is fallow. Even Amy is not skinny enought to get through the bars!

At this point, it's so unbelievable it is funny. I make Marianna get out of the bus and explain why we stopped there but she is unperturbed. Oh well. It's a beautiful day and we get to play with a lovely dog and his owner. Kozue and I play amongst the trees.

BEWARE and BE AWARE of Mr. Tango

2008-08-28T20:43:00.000-07:00

Warning! Warning! Warning!

DO NOT go to the Mr. Tango dinner show in Buenos Aires. Stay away. . .far away!!!

We head over for dinner and a tango show at Mr. Tango. We are herded into a restaurant. I try to ask the waiter how the pumpkin soup was prepared and had "It's PUMPKIN!!" barked at me.

I am not exaggerating. This dinner was some of the WORST food I have ever been served. It was atrocious. BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! The pumpkin soup consisted of shredded pumpkin sunk to the bottom of a thin cream soup with absolutely no flavor. The pasta had no seasonings! It was like eating cardboard. The absolute worst thing tho? They served a malbec that tasted bad!!

This was the first time I wanted to submit reviews to tripadvisor.com and other places to spare people the agony of eating such swill in a town renowned for excellent cuisine.

The tango show had really amazing performers. Unfortunately, you couldn't appreciate it b/c they cram you in like sardines and seat you on tiny wooden chairs. To make matters worse, it was stiflingly hot throughout the performance. Most people fell asleep. Some got ill from being packed in so closely in such a stuffy room.

What tour company chose such an awful place? Nippon Tourist. If you are looking to travel to Buenos Aires, I urge you to read up on reviews of this company before booking through them. I would never go through them.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

2008-08-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

We get lunch at a Parilla. Lonely Planet warns that the food at this location is pretty bad so I fill up on liquids!!

Chikako does the coolest bargaining for woven bracelets. No haggling. She just hands all the Brazilian Reals she has left to the lady and scoops up all the remaining bracelets and says gestures that she wants them all!

We fly to Buenos Aires, where we are met by our new tour guide, Marianna. We get to our cute little boutique hotel. I walk all over the street Marianna tells us we can find many money exchangers. Nary a one to be found. Apparently, they're on a different street. Uh-oh. I'm wondering how good (or bad) this guide is going to be.

Buenos Aires is gorgeous. It's what I imagine European cities look like.

BA is the capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southern shore of the Rio de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent. Greater BA has a population of about 13 millions. In English, BA means "Fair Winds" or "Good Air."

Run into Chris on Florida Street getting her shoes shined. She's ecstatic at how shiny her shoes turn out!

Devil's Throat, Argentina

2008-08-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

Iguacu Falls on the Argentina side is amazing as well. We had a top view of the falls and in the distance could see where we were the day before. There were hundreds of little black birds flying in and out of the water. It was stunning.

Leon was going to take a photo of us but we noticed a HUGE black bug on his lei. I didn't tell him until I could get a good shot of it first. Was that mean?

Butterflies kept landing on us!! They really liked Jimmy Serikaku. One of them decided to be a ring for me.

I wish we had more time to hike and explore. This place is incredible. I definitely want to return. l-r: Amy & Toshiko, the fabulous mum & daughter pair; Hiro Nago striking a pose; Chris trying to take photos of the falls through the grating. Below: Robert, Rodney and John hanging out.

Sheraton Iguacu: Argentina

2008-08-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

We take a bus across the border to Argentina and check in at the Sheraton Iguacu. Chris and I get to be roomies! Yay!

I find it great that the hotel sticks a piece of kale in the fruit arrangement!

We have dinner and some lovely malbec. It's great to look up at the stars and listen to the falls in the distance. btw: The hotel has FIVE pillows per bed.

We get a wake up call at 6 am. I opt to eat breakfast outside, listening to the birds and soaking in the views by a really cool fig tree!! We set off to catch the train to see the top of Iguacu Falls or the Devil's Throat.

On the way we see these really cool coatis (hog-nosed coon)!!!

Iguacu: Brazil

2008-08-27T14:40:00.000-07:00

We arrive at Iguacu Falls. It's hard to describe the scale and power of the waterfalls. Iguacu is AMAZING and awe-inspiring.

We hike out on a long walkway along the canyon with an extension to the lower base to see "Garganta del Diablo." The "Paseo Garganta del Diablo" (I called it Devil's Tongue) lets us walk directly over the falls. We get wet but I couldn't tear myself away.

Amazing butterflies as well!

Asako's 77th Birthday!!!

2008-08-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

Our group gets to the airport and checks in our bags. While we're waiting around the terminal, Asako confides that it is her 77th birthday. I sneak away and drag Rick to go look for something celebratory. I get a huge chocolate muffin and gather everyone around to sing Happy Birthday to Asako. I almost ROFL when Rick lights his cigarette lighter to substitute as the candle.

HAPPY 77th BIRTHDAY ASAKO-SAN!

After we finish our song, one of the other ladies tells me we should sing a song for Rick. She suggests, "Hawaii Aloha." When I tell her I have no idea what the lyrics are, she whips a much folded and aged copy out of her wallet!!!

Uncle Tom comes strolling up with a coffee cup in his hand and tells everyone to make a circle around him and hold hands. Uncle Tom does a beautiful rendition of the song and we all back him up (our rendition was not so beautiful but it was loud). [Here's Bruddah Iz's version]

Man, we made a ruckus but it was such a wonderful and spontaneous thank you. Awwww. . . .

Rick did such a great job guiding us around the city. If you ever take a trip to Sao Paulo, I highly recommend him! :)

How Many Pillows Do you Use?

2008-08-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

My roommate Meredith had left the day before, so I used all four pillows when I went to sleep.

Robert Tanaka was aghast when I told him how much I love an excess of pillows. We had a long discussion/argument about how to properly use pillows. He argued that one pillow is all you need. I think 3-4 are perfect.

Any thoughts on this?

Part III: Drinks with Mary & Kozue

2008-08-26T23:37:00.000-07:00

After we get back from dinner, I meet up with Mary Nakada (Peru) and Kozue Uehara (Okinawa).

We go searching for a bar that has over 500 different kinds of caipirinha. We catch a cab and start going through some really scary neighborhoods.

The driver cannot find the bar so we just get out at a place that is hopping with nightclubs and bars. We go to a little place with locals dancing and singing like mad. We have a great time catching up.
The guys at the next table try to chat us up but we politely decline. Not speaking portuguese, it was kinda funny because they were communicating solely by drawing on drink napkins. Now, if they had done interpretive dance, I might have been interested. :)

Part II: Brasil a Gosto

2008-08-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

Lonely Planet said that a MUST was dinner at Brasil a Gosto, a slow food restaurant specializing in regional cuisine, in the Jardines area. Clarence and I decided to check it out. Ran into Hiromichi Nago and invited him and Chikako to join us.

I got the concierge to BEG and PLEAD with the manager to give us a seating. I have no shame when it comes to food. :) The meal started with the manager telling us that they believe the have a social responsiblity to preserve the cooking methods and foods of the peoples of Brazil. We got to sample really local flavors. I was so happy. I had been yearning for this (especially after all the sushi they kept giving us).

What followed was a three hour tasting menu that was HEAVENLY. Accompanied by Brazilian wine and caipirinha, it was the best food I ate in Brazil. I meant to write down what we ate, but I was too busy enjoying the meal.

Part I: Drinks with Chris

2008-08-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

This is our last free night in Sao Paulo. I decide to make the most of it. Drinking in Brazil is fun. Here's a discussion on Brazilian Beers.

The evening starts off at a sidewalk bar off of Av. Paulista with Chris drinking Chopp Beer. Chris heads off to meet a friend for dinner and I head back to the hotel to meet Clarence.

Birds Eye View of Sao Paulo

2008-08-26T16:56:00.000-07:00

Sao Paulo is an enormous and sprawling city. According to Wikipedia:

Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, with its metropolitan area ranking seventh among the largest urban areas in the world. The city is the capital of the State of Sao Paulo, the most populous Brazilian state. It is also the richest city of Brazil. The name means Saint Paul in Portugese.

With an estimated population of 11,105,249 residents within an area of 1,523 square kilometres (588 sq mi), Sao Paulo is the most populous in Brazil, in South America and in the Southern hemisphere.

Interesting to see so many helicopters, the transportation of choice for the wealthy, flying around. Not surprising, with the traffic being so congested here.

Eating Our Way Through Sao Paulo Begins

2008-08-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

We go to lunch at the Municipal Market. Lonely Planet recommended trying the bologna sandwich?!?!? We go to Hocca Bar and order the bacalhau pastel and bologna sandwiches. Whew! Tasty but SALTY.

The marketplace is amazing. There are vendors selling fruits, spices, cheeses, peppers, cachaca and paella pans 10x bigger than your head!

I'm thirsty from all the salty food so Rick shows us the places that make drinks. First up: Acerola and Cashew Fruit juice. It was thick and nice tasting. Didn't realize that cashew was a fruit!!

Next up: Guarana.

Last: Fresh Acai!!! Needless to say, I don't recommend drinking three energy drinks like that in a one-hour span. I was HOPPING.

We had a hard time locating everyone in the market when it was time to go, so Richard started whistling through his nose to gather us together. I think I prefer the Okinawan style whistling, though I still drool when I try.

Japan town (I forget the real name)

2008-08-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

The rest of the group is shopping. I'm not interested so I go walking around with Chikako. The graffiti around the freeway is amazing. Dogs lie about on the sidewalk and look dead. Even the ground is interesting to look at with their Okinawan looking tiles.

An Okinawan man is standing at a corner handing out something. He asks us if we are Okinawan. Gets excited when we say yes. He asks "karaoke" and pulls out song lyrics and starts singing Enka to us.

We end up in a grocery store and check out the supplies.

Asako and I copy the artwork and start stretching. The rest of the group jumps in. While Richard laughs at us from his perch on a fire hydrant and Rick joins the Hawaii gang and starts wearing his lei.

Tour of Sao Paulo

2008-08-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

Some of us take a tour of Sao Paulo with Rick. We visit a park and walk around the lake. There are some cool vultures hanging around. We check out the beautiful plants and trees.

Chikako and I become tree huggers when we spot some Brazilwood, the tree that Brazil got its name from.

Robert Tanaka started getting hungry. Had to stop him from chomping on strange fruits and nuts.

I forget the explanation but this is some kind of amphitheater that concerts are held at. I just wanted to slide down it. Sliding from the top looked dangerous, so I opted to slide down a smaller section.

I FINALLY get to eat Brazilian Food!!!

2008-08-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

There is another dinner planned for the group, but suspecting that it will be sushi again, I make plans to have dinner with Tomaz Hideki Chibana.

We go to a buffet that has local dishes. YAY! YAY! YAY!

I got to really talk story with Tomaz and we swapped tales of small kid time and the Okinawan communities in Hawaii and Brazil. It was fascinating.

After dinner, we went walking around. We caught the subway to get to Tomaz' car and drove around the city. Got to meet some of his family at their beautiful home.

The centennial trip was also symbolized by extreme formality and “speechifying.” Not being able to understand them, the myriad speeches by dignitaries and VIPs were meaningless for me. More often than not, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. For me, the value and high points of this trip came down to personal connections that I was able to forge.

In general, the Uchinanchu I met in Argentina and Brazil were incredibly caring. I have always felt so embraced by the Okinawan community in Hawaii - this community embraced me just as warmly. I met so many people who went to great lengths to ensure I had a good time! I found myself wondering if I would be that concerned and do just as much if the positions were reversed. I felt really humbled in the face of so much warmth and aloha.

Not being able to communicate in Japanese, Uchinaguchi, Portuguese or Spanish, I connected mostly with the younger generation who could speak English. We swapped stories about small kid time, our backgrounds and our dreams. While there was much that differed, we found much in common. I loved the discovery of a shared culture and heritage, in spite of such huge geographic separation, evinced especially through food, music and dance (though I did not find a strong presence of awamori and andagi, which I sorely missed).

My favorite dish is Feijoada, a stew of black beans, considered the national dish of Brazil. Yum, Yum, Yum!! I had the Feijoada with long grain rice and Farofa, which is made from toasted manioc flour. Ooh. I also ate it with sauteed kale, which was lovely.

I didn't want to embarass Tomaz but I had to take photos of everything! I'm a foodie.

2nd Worldwide Uchinanchu Conference

2008-08-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

The conference is chaotic. It starts an hour late and doesn't really have a set schedule. Dr. Willcox provides the keynote on the Okinawan Diet. We get headsets that provides translations in Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. Man, the logistics for a conference with so many different language speakers must be a nightmare!

I sit in on the Women's Forum. They are preceded by two men who speak about the power of women but the examples they cite are only in the context of wives. I start to get seriously annoyed. Thank goodness the women who comprise the panel talk about their impressive contributions and accomplishments, which have nothing to do with being wives. This gets me thinking about the status of and attitudes towards women in South America and in Okinawa.

Lunch is SUSHI in bento boxes. Chris and I run away to get food at a local por kilo. We eat our meal sitting on a balcony looking out into a giant tree. Heh. I was enjoying the meal so much, I forgot to photograph it til after it was half consumed.

Restaurante por quilo is a Brazilian restaurant in which you help yourself from a buffet and weigh your plate. You just pay for the weight of the portions you chose.

Kilo restaurants usually serve varied, home-style Brazilian food: beans, rice, meats, vegetables, pastries, casseroles and salads.

The kilo price is the same for everything, so the terms "light" and "heavy" have a literal meaning here - a heaping serving of lettuce will probably be cheaper than a small serving of steak or potato salad.

Daniel Chinen lets me have some of his time to present the Takejiro Higa Story. It's crazy. You talk a few sentences, then it is translated into Portuguese then Japanese. They grabbed Tomaz and someone else and told them to translate with no warning! Whew!

Dinner: Braz

2008-08-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

Lonely Planet's Guide to Brazil recommended pizza at Braz. A group of us head over there. We start off with a salami bread that is divine. We follow that with a fresh heart of palm salad. It cracked us up that the olive oil is a brand called, "Mr. Man."

Then the pizza arrives. OMG. Best pizza I've ever had. Apparently, Brazil has a large Italian population. The Caprese is everyone's favorite. Caprese: "Tomato sauce and mozzarella in oven. Topped with slices of fresh persimmon fruit type tomato, slices of crafty buffalo mozzarella and large basil leaves with black olive sauce." Hmmm. . .what are makes mozzarella crafty!??!

Okay. I have to share a story about Dr. Leon Serafim. After perusing the menu, he opts to get some kind of pudding dessert thingy that comes on a spoon. A discussion ensues about how the spoon is too manini and it would be better served on a ladle We decide to dub him, "Leon, the Ladles Man" and name ourselves "The Ladlettes."

Postscript: At the end of our meal, a hush falls over the room as these tall blonde men dressed in pearl gray suits come walking in. The waitstaff rush to serve them and in complete silence, the men sit down at their table. We concoct stories about who these men are. Leon thinks that they're remnants of the Germans who fled to South America after the war. . .

After dinner, Kozue and Mary help me hunt for a payphone so I can call Tomomi and arrange to go drinking. We cannot figure out how to work the payphone! Turns out you need a phonecard. We find a convenience store and the smallest card is R$20. Eh!

More Centennial Celebration Speeches

2008-08-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

Feeling a bit out of sorts from lack of sleep.

We go to another Okinawan center for another centennial celebration. Lotta speechifying again which is perfect because I promptly went to sleep. I wake up hours later when this guys trods on my foot - just in time for lunch!! :) The others left me asleep thinking I needed the rest!

They really went to town on this one. Two whole COWS roasting on a spit! a pig too! Heh. And of course, MORE TABLES OF SUSHI! For some reason, they separate locals from the foreigners. We're put in different tents for lunch. :(

Brazilians do this really cool snapping with their fingers to say hurry up! I tried but I guess I looked like a crazy person because they told me maybe I should stop.

Edu manages to find me in the mob and we got to hang out again. Yay! Entertainment starts with modern dance, which made me think of monkeys. Then they acted out the story of immigration from Okinawa to Brazil. It's a good program. Augh! Just as the eisa come out, they tell us the bus has come and we have to leave!! [Isn't the costumes in the lower right photo crazy? Love it!]

While we're waiting for everyone to gather, they start a kachashi. Chris starts dancing and then WHOOMP! all these guys zoom over, surround her and start dancing with her! :)

Olympic Volleyball

2008-08-24T01:00:00.000-07:00

We get back to the hotel and it is well past midnight. Glenn Kogachi and I decide to watch the Olympic Men's Volleyball finals in the bar. United States vs. Brazil! We drink Chopp beer and cheer for Clay Stanley. It gets a little surreal when the Brazilian waiters all start gathering around to cheer for Brazil.

I stumble to bed at around 4 am.

Tontonmi

2008-08-23T21:26:00.000-07:00

We get to listen to Tontonmi perform up close!! I like them! Edu gave me their eponymous CD, which is really interesting because they use a lot of uchinaguchi in the lyrics! I found some of their videos online. Check them out!

Asadoya Yunta
Ashibina
Tontonmi at Uchinanchu Taikai
Tontonmi with RKMD

Brazil Okinawan Festival, Part II

2008-08-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

John Tasato, Daniel Chinen, Glenn Kogachi and I decided to stay behind. I was so glad we did! We hang out with the locals and talk story as we watch the entertainment. This grandma calls her grandson over and I guess tells him to speak English to me b/c he is studying it in school. The boy, who looks to be in elementary school, asks me, "How do you do?" I answer, "I am well. How do you do?" and we smile at each other for a long, awkward moment. The grandmother nudges him and I guess tells him to talk some more because he then tells me, "You are very pretty." :) He got me charmed!

John Tasato and I brazenly walked into the VIP section and found ourselves schmoozing with politicians, with an incredible view of the entertainment. Edu Oshiro’s brother and sister-in-law spotted me sitting at the table and told him I was still around. Edu shows up and hangs out with us for the rest of the night, trying valiantly to teach me to whistle Brazilian-Okinawan-style (photo lower left). Heh. The photo lower right is with Kamiya, a politician running for some office. John tells him that my father is a kaichou for the Okinawan association in Hawaii and all of a sudden they start pinning campaign buttons on me.

At the close of the festival, I found myself near the stage with Edu, dancing the kachashi. We were surrounded by a sea of Uchinanchu, with Eisa drummers snaking all around us – creating a living beat that resonated through me and shook the ground. Piercing whistles were going off all around us. It was magical. I could not stop smiling from ear to ear. The entire area was awash with such incredible joy and sheer energy! I remember thinking, “This is why I came to South America!!! This is what I expected to find for the celebrations!”

The events ended with a big fireworks show right over our heads. heh. I had paper raining down and getting caught in my hair. The finale was thousands of firecrackers going off. We end up in a gym, where RMD Hawaii performers continue to celebrate. Tomaz Chibana, with RMD Brazil, generously drives us back to our hotel even though it is well past midnight. What an amazing experience!

Brazil Okinawan Festival

2008-08-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

We head to another location to have lunch and participate in a parade. I'm gazing out the window of the bus, still in a blue funk about the disappointment of this trip, when we drive up to a large park that is just bustling with people and energy. yay!

This is an amazing festival grounds - Picture an enormous park that has a HUGE open tent with a full sized stage in front, ringed with food booths with stands facing the tent.

They take the group to a house across the street with more sushi and yakitori!!! Must be the same caterers. AUGHH! I can't believe people are eating this food when there's a fantastic festival grounds waiting outside to be explored! I leave with the warning that we are supposed to participate in a parade at 4 pm (which Clarence & I end up missing because it really started at 3:30 pm!!).

Hands down, the Okinawan Festival in Brazil was my favorite event (even though I could not find freshly made, hot andagi). I think we are conditioned from the Hawaii Okinawan Festival to crave andagi. Festival = Andagi. I went looking all over but found only some pre-made, pre-packaged and cake-like andagi.

I consoled myself with some scrumptious chicken and cream cheese pasteis (pastel). Eating my way through the festival, the only regret I had was the yagijiru or goat soup, which no amount of mizuna and ginger could make palatable.

Travel is about experiencing local culture. For me, it was drinking maté with the bus drivers, catching the subway, learning the songs, eating local food and exploring the streets.

The Okinawan Festival was the first chance I could really interact with locals. When we were watching the parade, some of them heard us speaking English and struck up a conversation. The lady insisted that we had to stay and listen to her kid’s band, Tontonmi, which would perform later that night. We explained that our bus would be leaving soon.

She was insistent, even calling over her nephew Eduardo Oshiro, who was volunteering as an interpreter, to convince us to stay.

Ancestral Mass

2008-08-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

In the morning, we head to an ancestral mass. Streets are in bad shape with lots of dog poo scattered about (poo again!).

Many, many, many speeches. Don't understand what is going on. A ceremony follows. We later find out that the high priests were calling the spirits down to honor and thank them.

I'm starting to feel extremely depressed and disappointed in the centennial celebrations, as I start to think that this trip is just going to be an endless round of sushi, formalities and incomprehensible speeches and ceremonies.

Cairpirinha

2008-08-22T23:37:00.000-07:00

We have drinks in the hotel lobby after the reception. I sit with Leon Serafim and Clarence Uehara. For some reason, we talked about poo for two hours. I told them about the best-selling books, What's Your Poo Telling You? and Poo Log. From Amazon:

With universal appeal (everyone poops, after all), this witty, illustrated description of over two dozen dookies (each with a medical explanation written by a doctor) details what one can learn about health and well-being by studying what's in the bowl. A floater? It's probably due to a buildup of gas. Now think back on last night's dinner, a burrito perhaps? . . .All the greatest hits are here: The Log Jam, The Glass Shard, The Deja Poo, The Hanging Chad . . . the list goes on. Sidebars, trivia, over 60 euphemisms for number 2, and unusual case histories all make this the ultimate bathroom reader. Who knew you could learn so much from your poo?

I try caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil, for the first time! Caipirinha (pronounce it KIE-PUR-REEN-YAH) is made with cachaca (KA-SHA-SA) a distilled alcohol made from sugarcane. Pretty strong stuff.

Heh. An alternative name is "Gay Piranha." Wonder how that name came about?

Welcome Reception

2008-08-22T20:20:00.000-07:00

We go to a Welcome Reception for the Centennial Celebration. Masses of people milling about.

There are open tables with drinks and food laid out. Masses of Japanese food, especially sushi and yakitori. There's a fight for food with some shoving and pushing. I am always wary of the pushing power of older Japanese women when they want something. :)

The bus comes right before the overly muscled capoeira (African/Brazilian martial arts and dance) performer goes on stage! Rick lets me ogle while he herds everyone to the bus and I manage to catch the entire show. Rick, you rock!

Random: Friends of Uncle Mike and Aunty Martha from California track me down! They are a part of the green lei tour and wanted to say hi. How cool is that?

Graffiti

2008-08-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

The graffiti in Brazil was fascinating. There were a number of derelict looking buildings that had graffiti all over them. I kept staring at them, trying to figure out how they managed to tag them.

The freeway and other public spaces also had some really interesting graffiti. There was one underpass that had some really exceptional ones but we drove by too quickly to capture.

Take a look at Brazil Graffiti: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tristanmanco/sets/154564/

Funny Story. . .

2008-08-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

Chris and I are walking down Av Paulista. We notice this man pulling a load of recyclables down the sidewalk. Man, he is fast! I have to run to catch up to snap this shot. It was an anomaly to see this scene in such an urban setting.

We see these cake deliverymen sneak up behind the cart and place their boxes on the back. They walk behind the cart. The poor guy had no idea he was hauling this extra load for blocks!

The delivery guys picked up their boxes when they needed to turn down another street.

THANK YOU Chris Yano!

2008-08-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

So we finally get to the hotel and I get to take a hot shower that is just HEAVENLY. Mind you, we have been traveling for almost two days and we're pretty ripe. Almost everyone on the tour opts to rest.

I am so grateful that Chris Yano was on the trip. I found someone I could explore and walk the streets with. I loved wandering around with Chris and finding out of the way places. THANK YOU CHRIS! We wander about Sao Paulo and get a taste of the city on Avenue Paulista.

Let me tell you, crossing the street in Sao Paulo is SCARY. It really feels like drivers speed up when you put a foot on the road. Chris is just standing on a street corner and almost gets hit by a bus taking a too wide turn! In the beginning, I just shadow the locals when crossing the street but by the end of our stay, I can handle crossing the streets (like a native!), even if I have to pound on the hood of the oncoming car.

Chinese Food in Brazil? Ugh!

2008-08-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

So the entire group (including the people who went to Peru) join up. We go to a CHINESE restaurant for lunch. Chinese food in Brazil?!?!?! Ten courses of pretty gosh darn awful food.

The really, really, really awful food was mitigated by the excellent company. Our table opted to introduce each other. I start off. Hideko followed and talked for quite a while. :) She ended by saying, "I know I've talked for a long time but I'm old and I have a lot to say." How cool is that?

Actually, introducing each other was a really cool thing. The people at the table were the only ones I really got to really know during the trip! By sharing our backgrounds, we found so much in common! Turns out Mr. & Mrs. Tanaka hail from Mililani and their son played baseball with my brother Eric and that they would potluck with my parents!

Robert Itoman has an interest in orchids and knows John Obata, the native plant specialist I was working with.

The Fabulous Luiz Ricardo Pimenta de Souza

2008-08-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

Our tour guide is Luiz Ricardo Pimenta de Souza or Ric.

He is so much FUN.
Love how he keeps calling me, "Honey" (pronounce it Hoou-Ni).

He teaches the tour a children's song about the cow with a black face. :)

Hairy Trees

2008-08-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

I was utterly fascinated by the hairy trees in Sao Paulo.

We Made It! The Grubby Tourists Take on Sao Paulo.

2008-08-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

We arrive in Sao Paulo. Exhausted and grungy. Our hotel rooms are not ready so we take a tour of the city.

Leon tries to remember "chicken" in Brazilian Portuguese so he can place his order. I help out by acting like a chicken, to the great amusement of the clerk.

First experience using a public toilet. We are instructed to throw the toilet paper in the wastebasket and not the down the drain.

I'm struck by the presence of barbed wire everywhere. It's sobering to see.

I had to take a shot of the building to the right. Doesn't it look flat?!?!

Still Heading for Brazil

2008-08-21T20:12:00.000-07:00

LA to Miami.
Miami to Sao Paulo.

This is a crazy long flight. Get to try Guarana Antarctica soda for the first time, though!

Oddly enough, the centennial trip for me is symbolized by a bright orange lei. Everyone in our tour group was given one of these yarn leis to wear. While it made our group very conspicuous as foreigners, it was our passport to incredible experiences. The leis shouted out that we were from Hawaii and made us extremely approachable. Many strangers walked up to talk story or issue invitations to join them.

Uchinanchu Emigration to South America

2008-08-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

Here's some background I looked up:

In 1906, a wave of Okinawan emigration to South America started off in Peru. Two years later, immigrants arrived in Santos, Brazil, contracted to work on coffee plantations. A majority of them planned on returning to Japan after making their fortunes. Lured by false promises of great opportunities and wealth, they found living and working conditions harsh and life a struggle. These pioneers provided the foundation for thriving Okinawan communities in Brazil today.

In contrast, Okinawan emigration to Argentina consisted mainly of “free migrants,” rather than contract immigrants. Uchinanchu flocked to urban areas, running dry cleaning, floral or gardening businesses. By the 1950s, they dominated the dry cleaning business (which is an interesting contrast to Uchinanchu in Hawaii who overwhelmingly went into the restaurant business on Oahu!).

It is estimated that there are currently around 150,000 Okinawans living in Brazil, 35,000 in Argentina and around 60,000 in Peru. [University of the Ryukyus]

Heading out for Brazil!

2008-08-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a travel grant from the Okinawan Chamber of Commerce aka WUB-Hawaii (Worldwide Uchinanchu Business Association), I was able to attend the centennial celebration of Okinawan immigration to Argentina and Brazil. In August of 2008, an estimated 6,000 Uchinanchu from around the world converged on Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires, including three groups from Hawaii.**

Honolulu to LA.

We start our long journey. Of course, the ladies have tons of packed food and quickly distribute the sushi and chicken.

Bump into Albert How at the airport! Haven't seen him since Mililani High School. He's a pilot living on the East Coast. . .coming back from visiting his girlfriend in China. How random is that?

** Excerpts from an essay to be published in the Hawaii Herald will be inserted into this blog if relevant.

Ice Cream with Noodle Bits

2008-05-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

Food & Wine Magazine listed 100th tastes to try in '08. I saw a listing for Kulfi:

Koolfreeze makes the South Asian supercreamy ice cream known as kulfi, which gets its texture from boiled milk. The taffy-colored popsicles come in exotic flavors like saffron.

My favorite flavor is "Faluda" which is described as: "Made from exotic Rose oils infused with fine noodle bits, our Faluda Kulfi will inspire a new palette of taste buds that will have your mouth begging for more." http://koolfreeze.com/htdocs/flavors/faluda.html

So consider adding NOODLE BITS to your ice cream! :)

Going Overboard with Food

2008-04-30T21:11:00.000-07:00

When does food become so pretty you don't want to eat it? I've been checking out insanely cute and complicated bento boxes. Can you eat the following? Can someone make them for me?

Honoring the Legacy, Part 1.4: Varsity Victory Volunteers

2008-01-28T21:05:00.000-08:00

YMCA executive Hung Wai Ching encourages the dispirited former members of the HTG to serve their country by creating a volunteer labor battalion. A petition is sent to Delos C. Emmons, Military Governor, which reads in part:

Hawaii is our home; the United States, our country. We know but one loyalty and that is to the Stars and Stripes. We wish to do our part as loyal Americans in every way possible and we hereby offer ourselves for whatever service you may see fit to use us.

The petition is accepted on February 23, 1942, and the first all-Nisei volunteer unit of World War II, the Varsity Victory Volunteers (VVV), is created. Though still civilians, the 169 VVV members are assigned to the 34^th Combat Engineers Regiment at Schofield Army Base. They spend the next eleven months doing essential defense work, including backbreaking labor in the stone quarries, as well as construction and road work.

Honoring the Legacy, Part 1.3: Hawaii Territorial Guard

2008-01-21T21:02:00.000-08:00

Hawaii Territorial Guard

University of Hawaii ROTC cadets are ordered to report to campus shortly after the attack. Later that day, the ROTC is converted into the Hawaii Territorial Guard (HTG). Members of the HTG are dispatched to guard buildings and installations throughout the island, armed with 1905 Springfield rifles, each loaded with only five bullets.

Six weeks later, on January 19, 1942, the Nisei members of the HTG are abruptly classified as 4-C “enemy aliens” and declared ineligible for military service.

"If a bomb had been exploded in our midst it could not have been more devastating! We were hit by the painful reality that we, Japanese Americans, were being rejected and disowned by our own country, just because we bore the face of the enemy. It never occurred to us that our status and loyalty as Americans would ever be doubted or challenged. We had been born, raised and educated as Americans all the way. To have our own country, in its most extreme time of danger, reject and repudiate our services was almost beyond comprehension. There was no depth to which our emotions sank. The very bottom dropped out of our existence!” - Ted T. Tsukiyama

Honoring the Legacy, Part 1.2: Yasutaro Soga's Story

2008-01-14T20:22:00.000-08:00

[The following is taken from Life behind Barbed Wire by Yasutaro Soga. Paraphrasing by Mary Louise Haraguchi.]

December 7, 1941

Yasutaro Soga, the managing editor of the Japanese language paper Nippo Jiji, is arrested the evening of December 7 at the Honolulu home he shares with his wife and four children. Three military policemen inform him that he is being taken to the Immigration Office. The prominent journalist is 68 years old.

[That morning] I had a premonition that something was going to happen to me. I usually wore a kimono on Sundays, but I changed to a suit and put on a pair of shoes so that I would be ready to go out at any time.

My wife came with me as far as the entrance hall and whispered, “Please be careful not to catch a cold.” I tried to say something but could not utter a word and silently went to the car. Two of the MP’s sat in the front, and one sat beside me in the back with a pistol in his hand.

Within the space of a day we had been forced from our Pacific Ocean paradise and now found ourselves in hell. [Life behind Barbed Wire]

At the Immigration Office Soga is searched and most of his belongings are confiscated. His MP escort then thrusts him into a room that he later realizes is “packed like sushi” with men who have been arrested that day. They soon learn that all of their routines are under the surveillance of military police with bayonets.

On the very first morning, a cocky young MP, apparently fresh from the Mainland, ordered us around like dogs with his bayonet. Once, with the blood surging in my veins, I was on the verge of throwing a dish at him, but at the last minute I regained my composure. [I would have been] gored like potatoes---and would have died needlessly. [Life behind Barbed Wire]

Sand Island Detention Center

Three days later, on December 9, Soga is part of a group that is taken by boat to Sand Island, the U.S. Quarantine Station under military control. They are told that they are detainees, “not criminals but prisoners of war.” By the end of that day they have to assemble their tents, working in the dark and the rain. Exhausted, Soga writes, “That night, like sewer rats, we slept just as we were.”

The detainees are not allowed to keep any item that might be used as a weapon. In one incident, when a man is found to have a handmade knife, all of the detainees are ordered to assemble in the dark and strip completely.

Even in Hawaii it gets cold at night in the middle of December. It was especially cold that winter, the year the war began. We were kept standing for a long time; a dry wind blew and we all shivered with cold. When we finally returned to our tents, we found all of our belongings scattered about. (Life behind Barbed Wire]

The detainees are allowed no free time unless they are sick. Besides their assigned chores, they weed and pick up trash. They are also ordered to disperse if more than three of them gather to talk. Paper, pencils, newspapers are not allowed. No light is permitted at night and detainees have strict rules about leaving their tents.

After dinner, from eight o’clock on, we could not leave our tents except to go to the toilet. If you were on your way to the toilet at night and a guard suddenly ordered

“Stop!” you had to answer “Prisoner!” immediately. If you kept silent, you could be shot dead. [Life behind Barbed Wire]

By the third week of December, Lieutenant General Delos Emmons arrives in Hawaii as the newly appointed army commander. After an inspection of Sand Island, a statement is issued that the men are not to be considered prisoners of war or criminals but detainees not subject to military rules.

Up to that point, we had been regarded as prisoners of war. We had all thought that designation a strange one, and I think Commander Emmons noted it upon his arrival…Once our status changed, the tight grip was loosened. [Life behind Barbed Wire]

Nonetheless the harsh living conditions continue, with water flowing in the tents when it rains at night. There is also a regular rotation from one tent to another until barracks are built after six months.

Communications from outside Sand Island are also limited at that time. Letters can only be written in English so the few men who can read and write in English have to help the others during the limited hours when letter writing and access to stationery and pencils is allowed.

An inquiry commission is set up at the Immigration Office in early January of 1942, composed of civilians and military personnel. Hearings last from less than an hour to several days.

Soga is detained at the Immigration Office for two weeks. His attorney, Masaji Muramoto, is allowed to represent him and Dr. Stanley Gulick is a witness.

Fear of another impending attack by Japan also continues to persist.

We did not know if or when Japan would attack Hawaii again, but we were convinced it would bomb Sand Island. The camp office issued gas masks and taught us how to use them. We were also ordered to dig trenches around the camp. Air-raid sirens would sound unexpectedly as a signal for us to jump into the trenches. This often made us feel like sewer rats. We never knew if a real attack was imminent, so we were terror-struck whenever we heard the sirens.

In February 1942, the first group of detainees is sent to camps on the mainland. Those who remain continue to have little access to the outside world.

We received no news of the war or of Honolulu, although the city was clearly visible. When new internees arrived, we welcomed them eagerly, anxious to hear any news, good or bad…Most of the time the information was accurate, but sometimes it was not, which led to many false rumors within the camp.

Conditions begin to change in mid-May of 1942 when the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and the Honolulu Advertiser are allowed in the camp. Then, on May 25, it is announced that visits from families twice a month would commence.

Finally, in early August, the fifth group of internees receive notice that they are to leave for the mainland. Soga’s name is included and he writes farewell letters to his family. He leaves ninety poems he has composed at Sand Island to be given to his wife.

I felt like the aimless wanderer in the old Japanese tales. I carried a suitcase in each hand and asked a young man to carry the big barracks bag for me. When we passed in front of the women’s barracks, they called out, “Good luck!” I heard Mrs. Mori say,

“Mr. Soga, be strong.” A tear fell in spite of myself. We boarded ship at four o’clock that afternoon.

Soga is interned at two camps in New Mexico. Lordsburg is run by the U.S. Army and Santa Fe, by the Justice Department.

Return Home
He returns to Hawaii on November 13, 1945, after being incarcerated for almost four years.

Soga resumes writing for the Hawaii Times, the successor to Nippo Jiji which was taken over and renamed by his son Shigeo while his father was away. He also continues to write autobiographies, assists in reactivating Choon Shisha, a tanka club, and produces an anthology of his poems.

The feelings he experiences after December 7 is captured in one of his poems:

There is nothing ikusa hodo
More sorrowful than war. kanashiki wa nashi
Here alone, sekaijyu no
All of life’s sadness kanashiki koto no
Is brought together. koko ni atsumaru

Yasutaro Soga dies on March 7, 1957, at 83 years old.

Soga’s book Tessaku Seikatsu (Life behind Barbed Wire) covers his observations of the entire period he was incarcerated, all captured with the unique nuances of an experienced journalist. It was translated by Kihei Hirai and released in 2008.

Honoring the Legacy, Part 1.1: The Attack on Pearl Harbor

2008-01-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, Japan launches a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.

"I heard the drone of airplanes. I look up, there’s a lot of planes in the sky. Then I saw them dive-bombing, hitting the destroyers and cruisers that were only several hundred yards away from shore.

Then I looked toward the Battleship Row and saw a dive-bomber come low and drop a torpedo. I saw it explode. And the plane, instead of going up and getting hit by anti-aircraft, turned around and hugged the water surface, only a few hundred feet from it and came right toward me.

As I was looking up, the pilot was looking down at me and he had a canvas- type of helmet and great big goggles. There was a red insignia on the wings. I knew it must be a Japanese plane.” - Ronald Oba

This surprise attack prompts Congress to declare war on Japan. Hysteria runs rampant amidst charges of Japanese fifth columns and the fear of sabotage. There is a subsequent backlash against the Issei and Nisei living in Hawaii and on the mainland.

"At first I was angry. Then I was kind of ashamed that our ancestors had come. And then my parents, you could see that they were so sad, so humiliated that their ancestors would come and attack Hawaii. Later, as the FBI came around, corralling people, fear crept in. Everybody started to get scared.” - Ronald Oba

Nisei Linguists: Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service During World War II

2007-12-13T22:09:00.000-08:00

I have been waiting for this book to be published for years and it finally came out March 2007. I think it will be the best resource on the nisei who served in the MIS. Ted Tsukiyama just gave me a copy (Thanks Ted!) and it's going to be my holiday reading. :)

Book Description: At the start of World War, II the U.S. Army turned to Americans of Japanese ancestry to provide vital intelligence against Japanese forces in the Pacific. Nisei Linguists: Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service during World War II tells the story of these soldiers, how the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) recruited and trained them, and how they served in every battle and campaign in the war against Japan.

Months before Pearl Harbor, the Western Defense Command (WDC) selected sixty Nisei soldiers for Japanese-language training. When the WDC forcibly removed more than 100,000 persons of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast, MIS continued to recruit Nisei from the relocation camps and later from Hawaii. Over the next four years, the school graduated nearly 6,000 military linguists, including dozens of Nisei women and hundreds of Caucasians.

Nisei Linguists tells the remarkable story of those who served with Army and Marine units from Guadalcanal to the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Their duties included translation, interrogation, radio monitoring, and psychological warfare. They staffed theater-level intelligence centers such as the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section in the Southwest Pacific Area. In China, Burma, and India they served with the Office of Strategic Services, Merrill’s Marauders, and Commonwealth forces. Others served with the Army Air Forces or within the continental United States. At war’s end, the Nisei facilitated local surrenders of Japanese forces as well as the occupation. Working in military government, war crimes trials, censorship, and counterintelligence, the MIS Nisei contributed to the occupation’s ultimate success.

Author: James C. McNaughton is command historian for U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. He previously served as command historian for U.S. Army Pacific and the Defense Language Institute. He received a doctorate in modern European history from The Johns Hopkins University and is retired from the U.S. Army Reserve with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He has been working on this book for a very, very long time.

Takejiro Higa on Hogen Fuda

2007-12-12T22:03:00.000-08:00

Takejiro Higa is born in Waipahu on the island of Oahu in 1923. (Isn't he ADORABLE?!?)

He is the youngest child of immigrants Takeo and Ushi Higa. His father runs a small store, just below the Oahu Sugar Company Mill.

In 1925, the family visits relatives in Okinawa. Takejiro and his mother who is diagnosed with pleurisy remain while his father and siblings return to Hawaii.

His parents and grandparents pass away by the time he turns 12. An uncle raises him.

Takejiro talks of not being allowed to speak the Okinawan dialect in school:

"I was just like a regular Japanese student. [A]t home, I spoke Okinawa lingo, and in school, standard Japanese. In those days, we had a policy of trying to encourage everybody to speak standard Japanese. And if you speak Okinawa lingo in school, we used to have demerit tags, hogen fuda.
And it's a shame to have a hanging thing [hogen fuda] all the time until you find somebody who speak the Okinawa lingo, and then pass on. If I ever get one, I used to go behind my friend, kick him from behind. And then he'd yell back in Okinawa hogen [dialect]. I'd say, "Ah, ah, ah." So I report to the sensei [teacher], and sensei passed the tag to him. I guess I was kind of naughty.

So anyway, because of it - this was way prior to the war, of course - the Okinawans spoke so much their own language, when you go to Mainland Japan, they'll look down, like a lower-class of people. So the school policy was, if you want to succeed in your life, you got to master standard Japanese. To encourage that, they had the demerit system of högen fuda if you speak hogen at school."

Read the rest of Takejiro's story at: http://nisei.hawaii.edu/page/takejiro.html

Sue Kobatake Isonaga

2007-12-11T21:50:00.000-08:00

I took it for granted that I would go to high school and college. Reading Sue Isonaga's story highlighted how different things were in the 1930s and just how much I had taken education for granted.

Shizue "Sue" Isonaga is born in 1921 in Lahaina, Maui. She is the third of four children born to Gitaro and Toyo Kobatake.

Her mother is widowed when Sue is four years old. After her mother re-marries, three children are born. Sue's stepfather, Tomosaburo Uda, works at Pioneer Mill Company. He passes away when she is fifteen years old.

In Sue's words:

"When my stepfather died, I was still fifteen. I was finishing my eighth-grade class and I wanted to go to high school in the worst sort of way. But since my brothers, my older brother had to leave school, there was no way I could go. But I would say I was a good student and I just really wanted to [go to high school].

I think it broke my mother’s heart because she couldn’t do it, you know, allow us to go.

I wanted to go to school but I couldn’t go to school. I think I must’ve cried so much, I felt maybe if I cried long enough, my mother will give in but she never did. Because she said, “The two boys, enough.” You know, there, and besides, they needed me. So, I just accepted that.

[I would have gone to] Lahainaluna [High School]. I don’t know [the cost]. Public school, you know. There were some boarders who boarded from out-of-town and stayed there but they worked in the dairy or worked in the print shop or worked in the cafeteria, to make up for the tuition.

Well, [it was] not really cost, but, no salary, no money to bring home. You know, it would be on the family income. But then, there were many families like mine. Lot of children, so no income, so we have to all go out to work.

My brother just below me, he was able to go to high school and so did the rest, go to high school and finish. One brother went into trade school, so they all had their chance to go to school.

It was just, I was the point that couldn’t go."

Read the rest of Sue's Story: http://nisei.hawaii.edu/page/sue.html

Note: The lei that Sue is wearing in the photo is made out of CREPE PAPER!!! She said that they couldn't wear it outdoors because if it rained, the color would run and stain their clothes.

Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project

2007-12-10T21:30:00.000-08:00

I mentioned the Densho catalog on LibraryThing in a previous post. Densho is a Japanese term meaning "to pass on to the next generation."

"The legacy we offer is an American story with ongoing relevance: during World War II, the United States government incarcerated innocent people solely because of their ancestry.

We present these materials and related resources for their historic value and as a means of exploring issues of democracy, intolerance, wartime hysteria, civil rights and the responsibilities of citizenship in our increasingly global society."

The Densho website (http://www.densho.org/) has some powerful stories and incredible primary source materials.

The Yasutake Story is worth a look: http://www.densho.org/sitesofshame/family.xml

Densho Catalog on LibraryThing

2007-12-07T21:20:00.000-08:00

LibraryThing lets you create digital bookshelves and catalogs. It's a great way to connect with people with similar interests. It's been described as the world's largest book club.

"Last week, one of these simple, brilliant ideas got built..."

- The Guardian (UK)

I created a catalog of my personal library. Yes, I really do own over a thousand books. Yes, I have read most of them. Check it out: http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=gruacach

While browsing around, I stumbled across a catalog created by Densho. As of 12.07.07, it has 981 items. Most deal with Japanese-American issues. I share 21 works with Densho. :)

This is an amazing catalog and a great resource. Worth browsing through! http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=densho

Yoshiaki Fujitani

2007-12-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

Yoshiaki Fujitani is born on August of 1923 in Pauwela, Maui. He is the second of eight children born to Kodo and Aiko Fujitani.

Educated in Japan, Kodo is a Buddhist minister from Shimane-ken.

Considered a "potentially dangerous enemy alien," Rev. Kodo Fujitani is arrested on April 28, 1942. He is held at Sand Island until May 23, 1942. Rev. Fujitani is sent to Lordsburg, New Mexico (June 18, 1942 - June 14, 1943), where he refuses repatriation to Japan.

He is then imprisoned in a Department of Justice (DOJ) Camp in Santa Fe (June 14, 1943 - November 14, 1945). Despite this, Yoshiaki volunteers to serve in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS).

On furlough during training at Ft. Snelling, Minnesota, Yoshiaki visits his father in the Santa Fe DOJ Camp. In the photo to the right, Yoshiaki had his father Kodo stand on a rock so the son would not be taller than the father, a sign of respect.

Read Yoshiaki's Story at: http://nisei.hawaii.edu/page/yoshiaki.html

Note: A book is being written about the men imprisoned in the Santa Fe Department of Justice Camp. More information provided later. An interesting story is that these were educated men (priests, teachers, community leaders, etc.) - one of them translated the Geneva Convention into Japanese and went from camp to camp explaining the rights and protections the Geneva Convention granted to the prisoners.

Remembering Stanley Akita, 100th Infantry Battalion

2007-12-05T20:21:00.000-08:00

The first time I talked to Stan Akita, I was totally played by him.

Claire Mitani, the 442nd RCT Veterans Club Archivist, told me to call Stan and ask about the memoir he had written in the 1950s about his experiences as a POW in Germany during WWII. He told me that he only had a high school education and maybe it wasn't "good enough" for publication.

So I rush to tell him OF COURSE I would read the manuscript and OF COURSE I would see about publishing it as part of his story on the HI Nisei Story website. The manuscript, Stalag VIIA, was very well written with incredible details but I realized that I had read it somewhere before. It was already published in the book, Japanese Eyes, American Heart!!

Stanley was like that - very, very sharp and a rascal. There was always a twinkle in his eyes, especially when he was pulling one over you.

I began talking story with him and even joined his wine group at the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Clubhouse on Thursdays. The only rule was that wine had to be under $5 for the bottle.

At his house, Stan had the most amazing Grand Cru wines from France that we would drink and talk story. A lot of his stories centered around food and wine, a reflection of his love of both.

He talked about growing up in Honomu on the Big Island of Hawaii, catching frogs to eat or smoking out wasp larvae to fry with shoyu and sugar. On Saturdays, he would take a bucket to pick out maggots in the manure piles to take home to feed the chickens. Of course, we would discuss how a maggot fed chicken vs. the chickens we eat today differ in taste.

Stan talked about being a POW and having to eat sawdust bread. During the war, there was a shortage of flour, so the Germans used "tree flour" or sawdust in their bread. I searched the web for hours and managed to find the recipe for Stan. We wanted to try to re-create the recipe but were unable to figure out how to get pesticide-free and edible sawdust!

German Black Bread Recipe
[The following ingredients are from the Food Providing Ministry in Berlin, Germany. It was labeled “(Top Secret) Berlin 24.X1 1941.]

50% bruised rye grain
20% sliced sugar beets
20% tree flour (sawdust)
10% minced leaves and straw

The grain should be sufficiently rotten to provide gases to allow the bread to rise. The pieces of sugar beets provide sugar to supply the yeasty rye.

Mix together ingredients to create dough. Shape into loaves and bake. A loaf should weigh 3 to 4 pounds.

Stan developed an appreciation of French cuisine from his war years. We began a search to find all the restaurants serving escargot. My friend Lock and I would go over to their house and cook dishes like veal tongue and cheeks for Stan and Yuki.

Yuki Akita passed away on August 9, 2007.

Stan passed away on August 27th. To the end, he was talking about how good sweet and sour cabbage or rafute (shoyu pork) would taste. The last time I saw Stan, he held my hand and squeezed it as he whispered to me, "I love you."

Stan was a dear, dear friend. I miss his stories and I miss seeing the twinkle in his eyes.

Please read his story: http://nisei.hawaii.edu/page/stanley

WWI: Experiences of an English Soldier

2007-12-04T21:17:00.000-08:00

WWI: Experiences of an English Soldier is a fascinating site. It tells the story of Harry Lamin.

Harry was born in August 1887 in the East Midlands of England. In 1917, at the age of 29, he joins up as a private to fight in the First World War. During his service, he writes letters home to his brother and sister.

Harry's grandson is publishing the letters exactly 90 years after Harry wrote them. It begins with his first letter, written from training camp on February 7, 1917. The letters are released on the date it was written. Harry's story unfolds letter by letter and readers must wait for the next letter to learn Harry's story and his fate.

The 411: This site is fascinating and highly addictive.

Read Harry's Story at: http://wwar1.blogspot.com/

Building a Community of Memory

2007-12-03T20:32:00.000-08:00

Ronald Takaki's book, Strangers From a Different Shore, had a passage that stayed in my mind for years:

"Writ large across the pages of history are the stories of individual men and women who populate this earth. It is not the stories of Presidents, celebrities, or the wealthy that cry out to be told but that of the “common” man or woman. Their experiences and their tales provide the framework for a “community of memory,” which in turn provides an integral key to understanding ourselves and our histories."

The idea of a "community of memory" is echoed at the Center for Digital Storytelling:

"Every community has a memory of itself.
Not a history, nor an archive, nor an authoritative record . . .
A living memory, an awareness of a collective identity woven of a thousand stories."

I have thought often about those stories crying out to be told. The project I'm currently working on, The Hawaii Nisei Story, is an attempt to "fill the silence."

The Hawaii Nisei Story, a Web-based exploration of the experiences of local Americans of Japanese Ancestry leading up to, during and following the Second World War, comprises the life stories of Hawaii-born Nisei veterans.
Some well-known, some less so, these stories – drawn from oral interviews with veterans of the 100^th Infantry Battalion, the 442^nd Regimental Combat Team, the 1399^th Engineering Construction Battalion, the Military Intelligence Service and the Varsity Victory Volunteers – are deepened, complemented and complicated by the seldom heard stories of the veterans’ wives and families.

Read their stories at: http://nisei.hawaii.edu