I Am Burmese — I Am A Wanderer

This interviewee is the grandmother of one of my friends, who lives in Los Angeles, California.

“What You Learn, Nobody Can Take Away From You”

My parents both came from Japan, and they settled here in Hawai’i. My mother came to better her life. They opened the road for us, my siblings and I. You have to be proud of where you’re from. The Chinese are the ones who opened the door for all…

Born on Maui, Employed in San Fran, Living in Honolulu

I was born on Maui on a sugar plantation. My parents lived and worked for the company. I went to high school on Maui. During that time, not too many people were able to come to Hawai’i. Most of my family were able to go to business…

My Ancestry: The War in Vietnam to Life in the States

I interviewed my grandfather for this story to discover more about my ancestral past; he narrates the tale of war in Vietnam and his life experiences from a war-torn country to immigration into the United States. This is the story from…

From War in Korea to Retirement in Hawai’i

I interviewed a couple for this story, who took turns sharing memories from their lifetimes. The story is formatted similar to a dialogue. Taye is in bold, Kenneth is in italics.

Life of a Traveling Psychiatrist

When I was in college in 1954, I worked in the summer as a nursing assistant in Illinois. I was 18, so I got ten years of education until I was 28 years old. I was a psychiatrist. I was raised in Milwaukee, and I had a Nazi mother. She went to two Hitler rallies in the…

The Stories of Kupuna Project: Background and Purpose

What is this publication?

Stories of Kupuna is a project that seeks to share the diverse and unique life stories and backgrounds of kupuna (Hawaiian for “elder” or “older adult”) from the local…

3300 Miles From Hometown Puerta Vallarta

I sat next to Mr. Laude on a plane ride back to Hawai’i. He gladly agreed to allow me to share his fascinating story for this publication.

I lived in Mexico for eight years as a child, the rest of my life I lived in Hawai’i, 54…

Growing Up in Hawai’i

I used to live by a poi factory across the street in Kaimuki. I went to Japanese school by 4th Street, the Hongwanji building. I used to run away from school all the time. My mother was at home at the time, when I was in school, and I used to run home. I was a bad girl to run away…when the…

My Ancestry: Hawai’i 75 Years Ago

I interviewed my grandmother for this story to discover more about my ancestral past; without her I…