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TI: Okay, so today is Thursday, June 10, 2010, and we're at the Hilo Hawaiian. And we're doing an oral history and we're, in the room we have your sister, Mrs. Hagiwara, and we have two of your daughters here. We have Carol Ann Ikeda and Gweyn Eckart. And then on camera we have Dana Hoshide, and then I'm the interviewer, Tom Ikeda. So Mrs. Tanimoto, why don't we just start, and why don't you tell me when you were born.

KT: When I was born? I was born in Hilo, Hawaii, January 28, 1919. I think it was an apartment on Kilauea Avenue because I saw one photo that had me about two or three years old, I think, in that apartment. So I must have been born there.

TI: And so when you say "apartment," then you were delivered by a midwife?

KT: I'm quite sure that was it because the rest of the children up through my brother was midwife.

TI: Okay. So you were the firstborn child. So tell me who your father was. What was your father's name?

KT: My father's name, Murakami Minoru.

TI: And where in Japan, where was he from in Japan?

KT: Oh, actually, he was born in... I don't know if it's true, but Yamaguchi Iwakuni, and he lived in Hashirano with his auntie. He lived with them, and their name was Miyoshi. That was his mother's sister. He was raised by them.

TI: So why was he raised by his aunt and not his mother?

KT: Because his parents, his actual father died in Maui when he was twenty-four years old and he was just four years old, I'm quite sure. So after he died, Mother remarried Mr. Awaya, and Mr. Awaya decided to come to Hawaii. But this time she followed him and came to Hawaii. So she had to leave my father with her sister. That's why he was there. Miyoshi, I don't know, I forgot her name, but she was raised at Hashirano.

TI: Okay. So Murakami, where did that family name come from?

KT: Murakami, I'm quite sure they're from Hiroshima. If I'm not mistaken, Murakamis was from Hiroshima.

TI: But, so your --

KT: So actually, I think they moved from Hiroshima to Hashirano, Yamaguchi. That's what I think. I don't know, really, but reading the history, it seems the Murakami came from Hiroshima.

TI: And so your father was raised by an aunt.

KT: Yeah, his aunt Miyoshi.

TI: And then his father had died when he was twenty-four in Maui?

KT: No, the father was twenty-four. He was four years old.

TI: Right. So that was your grandfather...

KT: Yeah, that would be.

TI: And do you know how he died in Maui?

KT: Yeah, epidemic. They had, I think the whole, Kula, Maui, even the Hawaiians and all of them passed away. So actually, my father didn't know where he was. So I think after he became enough money to go to (Kula, Maui), to look for his grave, but he couldn't find. So I think they put it in the, one.

TI: Oh, like a mass grave.

KT: Yeah, mass grave. So he start there. And I found his photo taken there, so it must be that one. So he went to visit him until he had enough money to go to Maui, so that was quite...

TI: I see.

[Interruption]

TI: Okay. And then so your grandfather died, and so your grandmother remarried. You were four years old.

KT: Yeah.

TI: And she remarried. Was she in, where was she when she remarried?

KT: They were in Yamaguchi.

TI: Okay.

KT: And I guess in Hashirano, because the Awaya family had some kind of construction, and then... no, not the Awayas, my grandmother's side. And he was working at their place, so that's how they met, I guess.

TI: And so after she remarried, then what did she do?

KT: Then she came to Hawaii. And this time, she decided to go with the husband instead of the first husband.

TI: Okay, good. And then that's because, and then that's why you stayed with your aunt and you were raised.

Off-camera voice: Grandpa stayed, Minoru stayed with the aunt.

TI: Oh, that's right, that's right, yeah. Your father, that's right. And then he came at eighteen.

KT: Yes.

TI: And so part of the family history we covered with your sister's interview, so I won't do as much as I normally do.

<End Segment 1> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.