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MN: Now, last year the Okinawa Kenjinkai, the OAA, had their 100th anniversary. What do you think is the future of the Okinawa Association of America for the next 100 years here?

AT: Yeah, we need to -- well, you know, we do have younger generation, and that's because I think we've, like all the kenjinkai does have that problem of having the younger people. But what we did was we switched mostly to English rather than staying with all the Japanese, 'cause that's where, harder for the... so our meetings are mostly conducted in English, and we do have English. And we have, we're fortunate that we have our own building and we have our own office there, and the full-time worker, full or semi-full-time worker there who is totally bilingual, and communication. Our minutes, everything is all in English, so that helps. But yet, because everybody's scattered all over the place, and hard to bring in the younger generation. So hopefully it will carry on in some way, but again, I mean, I'm not young, but I'm part of younger generation that ourselves, we have to let our kids learn more and then grandchildren. Yeah, my daughter is involved in the scholarship committee, but that's about the extent she'll go. You know, when they need help, they'll try to go and help. But if you have younger children, it's hard to give full-time to help. So that, trying to sustain until they're free to help is the key point that I think we need to work on. So I hope you'll carry on.

MN: Well, what about your dance, you know, groups? Is there interest as there was before?

AT: Yeah, but that, too, is getting harder to get younger. Because younger children themselves are quite busy. Now, there are so many activities going, and, you know, once they start going to college then they get involved. But I do have kids that come back, and, or if they want to perform for their grandparents or if they want to perform for their wedding or something, they do come back. But continual learning is getting hard after high school. So have to get younger kids. But their parents themselves are so busy, and the kids are involved with sports and other activities, so that's... so once a year, shinnenkai or picnic are the only times that we really get everybody together. But taiko group is going pretty well, but there are lots of younger South American family are the ones that's really into it now. So we do have big Peruvian, Bolivian, Argentinian families, the younger group that's, are here. So they're bringing their children, so hopefully, that's why we have to have a trilingual at our functions. [Laughs] Adding salsa in there with eisa and taiko, everything. In some ways, it continues. South America is pretty good. They have, you know, big, even this taiko, Matsuri Taiko groups are, members are in hundred. And that's so hard to do for here. But hopefully it'll continue.

MN: You had a lot of representation from South America at your 100th anniversary. I was really surprised. Very strong. It seems the Okinawa community globally is very strong.

AT: Right, right. Yeah, and I think, you know, a lot of the music, dance, and food, just have andagi and those Okinawa food, that really... I used to know, I mean, I know this professor, he was at Washington, D.C., Dr. Garfias. He's at Irvine now, but he said, "Oh, yeah, Okinawa people. If there's ten people that you have friends in anywhere in the world, they'll form a kenjinkai. So you know, they find some common sharing that they can do." So hopefully, yeah, South America just keeps on going. And yeah, I think they're... Yonsei, I don't know if they got into Gosei, but Sansei, Yonsei. Because Nisei are still young, South Americans.

MN: Well, I've asked all my questions, and thank you.

AT: Thank you.

MN: Is there anything you want to add that I didn't ask you?

AT: No, I think pretty much covered. Thank you for, I mean, this privilege, able to talk.

MN: Oh, no, thank you. I appreciate it.

<End Segment 23> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.