Much Mahalos
In this series, acclaimed author "Da Pidgin Guerrilla" Lee A. Tonouchi uses the language of Hawai‘i Creole, a.k.a. Pidgin, to talk story with accomplished and up-and coming Japanese/Okinawan Americans from Hawai‘i. Interviewees discuss their passions, their triumphs, as well as their struggles as they reflect and express their gratitude to those who have helped them on their journeys to success.
Stories from this series
Totally Pawsome: Aiko Wan’s Dresses Showcase Her Passion for Dogs, Art, and MATH?!!
Oct. 1, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
As one child Aiko Wan, 39, loved math. She remembahs in six grade she won one district math competition which only made her wanna excel at math even more. When she got to high school and came time for take her SATs she got one perfect 800 math score. So I asked if she got perfect on top da English too and she said, “I scored 740 in English, but I was happy with that considering I went in without …
Master of da Disappearing Act: Actor Dann Seki on Becoming da Character
July 30, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
Dann Seki, 78, stay one Hawai‘i acting icon. He grew up in ‘Aiea on O‘ahu in da 1950s back when ‘Aiea wuz just one small plantation town and nevah have nahting around but miles and miles of sugar cane. But luckily da town did have not one, but TWO movie theatres. Where get ‘Aiea Shopping Center now, Dann says there used to be one movie theatre that dey called Up Theatre. And below Moanalua road around where get da post …
No Longer One Need for Speed: Sanshin Master Kenton Odo on mastering da moment
July 9, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
It’s kinda funny how growing up Kenton Odo always wanted for be da fastest. Like da fastest for ride his bike around Pacific Palisades on O‘ahu. Da fastest for hike down Heart Attack Hill. Even when he started learning songs on top da sanshin [Okinawan three-stringed instrument], he mostly only wanted for play da fastest of da songs. Nowdays dis 54 year old, ’88 Maryknoll grad finds himself no longer in such one rush. His journey to mastering da moment …
Storytelling Sensation Kathy Collins—How one “short Japanese girl” could still do acting
June 6, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
Growing up in rural upcountry Maui, Kathy Collins [maiden name Yogi], 67, always had one fascination with stories and da power dey had in transporting da reader into totally different worlds. In da books of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Kathy would imagine “how wonderful it would be to live in the Midwest at the turn of the last century, making snow angels, churning butter. running through the meadow and picking wildflowers.” During da course of her life, Kathy’s been one radio …
Life of One Pidgin Linguist: How Kent Sakoda became da Pidgin Yoda
May 13, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
Small kid time Kent Sakoda, 72 wuzn’t known as Kent “Yoda” Sakoda yet. He wuz just one Local Japanese sansei growing up in da small town of Hanapēpē on Kaua‘i. After he wen go graduate from Waimea High School in 1970, he already knew he wanted for leave Kaua‘i for try see what college life on top da continent might be like. Back den he had no clue he wuz eventually going become one highly respected Pidgin linguist known for …
Wea You Stay! Laurel Nakanishi on da importance of da poetry of place
March 29, 2024 • Lee A. Tonouchi
Waimea Valley IV We enter the valley silently, without shaking the branches. We enter without startling. Alae ‘ula watches us from the estuary remembering the pitch nights when the fire lived only in her. We followed the pig trails listening for the rustle grunt of Kamapua‘a. In the quiet, our thoughts are small gods. They fly above the earth. —Poem from Laurel Nakanishi's collection Ashore As I stay da outgoing Tony Quagliano poetry award champion, da Hawai‘i Council for the …
Discover Nikkei Updates
Be in our video celebrating Nikkei worldwide. Click to learn how to submit! Deadline extended to October 15!
November 12
5pm PDT | 7pm PET
Featured Nima:
Graciela Nakachi
Guest Host:
Enrique Higa
Presented in Spanish
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