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Waka @wkndn

Hello, I'm Waka from Tokyo.

New York City, New York, United States of America Nima since 2022 last login 4 days ago
Nima of the Month Learn about some of our favorite Nima and what they like about Discover Nikkei.

Lee Tonouchi, also known as “Da Pidgin Guerrilla,” is an Okinawan Yonsei writer who lives in Hawai‘i. Lee is recognized for his work advocating for the acceptance of Pidgin (Hawai‘i Creole) as a legitimate language. In 2023, he received the American Association for Applied Linguistics Distinguished Public Service Award for his advocacy of Pidgin.

Lee is the author of a number of award-winning books, including Pidgin poetry collection Significant Moments in da Life of Oriental Faddah and Son: One Hawai‘i Okinawan Journal, winner of the Asian-America Studies Book Award in 2013; children's book Okinawan Princess: Da Legend of Hajichi Tattoos, winner of the Skipping Stones Honor Award in 2020; and Chiburu: Anthology of Hawai‘i Okinawan Literature. His monthly column for Discover Nikkei, “Much Mahalos,” uses Pidgin to interview Japanese and Okinawan Americans from Hawai‘i about their stories.

What do you like about Discover Nikkei?

As one Discover Nikkei contributor who wuz born and raise in Hawai‘i, I stay in one position for talk story with lotta really interesting Hawai‘i Japanese/Okinawan folks and it's kinda cool how I get for help introduce these amazing Local people to da world.

And I not exaggerating when I say da world, cuz Discover Nikkei get one onreal reach. I love it when da people I profile report back for tell me how so many readers from so many places said dey read their interview!

Why is it important to share your Much Mahalos series on Discover Nikkei?

People get lotta stereotypes about Hawai‘i. Dey tink everybody in Hawai‘i does hula and surfs all day long. I like for tink that my Much Mahalos column helps for eju-ma-cate people and show off da full spectrum of talented kine peoples we get living ova hea. So far I wen interview one poet, stand-up comedian, actor, sanshin player, storyteller, Pidgin linguist, muralist, comic strip artist, crafter, Okinawan language activist, graphic designer, clothing designer, with planny more occupations yet for come!

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Episode 17
November 12
5pm PDT | 7pm PET
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