Less information about Hawai‘i in mainland

Getting involved in the family business at age 19 A body, mind and spirit work ethic Postwar discrimination Less information about Hawai‘i in mainland Family first Being accepted as biracial family Preserving tradition becoming more difficult To be “100 % Japanese”

Transcripts available in the following languages:

When I was stationed in Virginia, you get all these hillbillies and these guys – they got no clue what Hawaii is, you know. They think I live in caves. They think I live in grass shack, I said, “My father’s a contractor.” Not joking. “We live in caves because it doesn’t leak like a grass shack” and they thought I was telling them the truth. “The girls walk around without any tops?” I said, “Of course!” “You guys brush your teeth?” I said, “No. There’s no toothbrush.” I was joking but they thought I was telling them what Hawaii was like. I was in Fort Lee, Virginia.

Date: June 1, 2006
Location: Hawai`i, US
Interviewer: Akemi Kikumura Yano
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

discrimination hawaii racism virginia

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