Entrevistas

1. Grandfather migrating to Colombia

2. Family having to hide guns during World War II in Colombia

3. Stories of Grandfather at a concentration camp in Fusagasuga

4. Keirokai, the biggest celebration in the Cali Nikkei community

5. Food preparations for Keirokai

6. Japanese reputation in Colombia

7. Her definition of Nikkei

8. Identification as Colombian, feeling closer to JA than Japanese

9. Interracial marriage trends

10. Her grandfather in a concentration camp in Fusagasuga (Spanish)

11. Japanese were treated with dignity during WWII (Spanish)

Teisher,Monica

(n. 1974) Colombiana japonesa que actualmente reside en los Estados Unidos

Her definition of Nikkei

For me being a Nikkei is a mixture of taking the best of both worlds, and combining them together, and the values honesty, and integrity, and respect, and family. Even though the family portion is very strong, and solid in both sides, the Colombian sides of family is very important. So is in the Japanese side. Family's very important. But I think also, but the culturally, the fun, and the mischief, and gaiety I think comes from the Colombian culture more than the Japanese culture. Even though I can't say Colombians also are very hardworking, very resourceful, they're just like jerry rig anything out of necessity. Third world countries have that spirit of creativity, and ingenuity just fixing problems with however you can. All those things just get combined in being Nikkei you just take from both, but at the same time you're neither. You are a perfect blend of both, but you aren't neither of them.

Colombia Hawái identidad japoneses americanos colombianos-japoneses nikkei Estados Unidos

Fecha: September 22, 2019

Zona: California, US

Entrevista: Yoko Nishimura

País: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Entrevista

Monica Teisher nació de un padre issei y de una madre nisei en Cali, Colombia en 1974. Ella y su familia vasta eran activos en la comunidad japonesa de Cali, la más grande en Colombia. Ella se mudó a los Estados Unidos tras casarse con un ciudadano estadounidense de ascendencia judío europea del este. Ellos y sus hijas pasan las vacaciones en Colombia, en donde participan en eventos de la comunidad. (Mayo de 2020)