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TI: Any other strong memories of your mother during this time?

MN: She was a very proficient shamisen sensei also. And she used to play the, we called it the futo, the big shamisen, the real bass one. And she used to play that thing like a banjo player. I mean, she would just tear into that. And we had a, I remember one instance, there was a professional sensei from Japan that sat right across from her, and she played note for note with him. I mean, just... they call it jongara, jongara shamisen, so she's very good at playing shamisen. And so, and then she also taught the Japanese singing, the Japanese-type opera, where she would accompany with the shamisen, and the male, only male singers, would narrate a story, and all their voices, whether they were women or men or children, they had to sing with that type of voice, and we would listen in on them and enjoy that, too. Because it was just an enjoyable part for them.

TI: As you describe this, it seems your mother is quite the personality, quite the presence in terms of her music, her singing, her dancing. Was that pretty much how you kind of...

MN: Oh, yes. I think she had a lot of people admiring what she could do.

TI: Any other memories outside of her performances like at the home or outdoor activities, anything that comes to mind?

MN: Well, we lived in Venice, and we just had a little tiny old plot behind our house, and she would grow vegetables behind the house. Behind our little plot was a ranch. A Japanese group, Japanese family had a big celery farm back there, and we made friends with them. And they would invite us to go over there and pick whatever we wanted from their ranch and eat them and whatever we wanted. And so my mother, I guess, being that kind of person she was, we made a lot of friends, and people were very gracious to us. Being that it was during the Depression, and we had no money. We were quite unwealthy, I guess I would... poor, I would say. So we were very fortunate that there was a good relationship with neighbors and the community.

TI: Good. During this time, you mentioned your sisters participating in the dancing. How about your older brother? Was he very much into the arts, like either the...

MN: Not that I know of. He used go to all the recitals and be there, 'cause I could tell from some of the pictures that the whole family was in there with my mother. But he didn't do... he did appreciate good music. To this day, he appreciates classical music, and we grew up with classical music in the house. My sister, too, she appreciated the arts and painting. But we just, we're different. [Laughs]

TI: No, this is. It's not common, when I interview Niseis, to hear about so much music and the arts in the household.

MN: My mother always instilled in us the appreciate of art. She said, "If you a dime" -- not me, my older sister and my brother -- "take that money, take the streetcar, and go take in a concert." Whether it was music or whether it was dance or whatever, she said, "Whatever chance you get to go to these things, go." So to this day, we all appreciate the arts. She was different for an Issei.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 2009 Densho. All Rights Reserved.