Densho Digital Repository - Takae Tanino Walts Interview (Densho ID: ddr-densho-1000-508-25)

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TI: Good. Any interesting... I mean, you've lived such a rich life, and I'm trying to... I guess, when you think of your life, and you think of what you'd want to tell your daughters, and do you have any grandchildren?

TW: Yes, I have five.

TI: Okay, five grandchildren. When you think of the generations down the line, what do you think is important for them to know about you and your life in terms of what you've learned, in terms of what's important?

TW: Well, they're mostly interested in the Japanese side. They want to learn a lot about what being a Japanese is. So they would ask questions, they want me to write letters to them, and that's very difficult for me to do. I don't remember that much Japanese to be able to write a letter, but I tried to do that. And they are also interested in learning the language, and there are two kids that are attending Japanese classes. And I really, I have a difficult time trying to remember the kanjis and the hiragana and katakana, but I try. Because they wanted, I guess, for souvenirs, to say, "Grandma wrote this."

TI: Well, so there's the Japanese language, but when it comes to maybe the things you learned from your parents or grandmother in particular, what are some of the values of when, if a granddaughter or grandson said, "Grandma, what Japanese values are important to you?"

TW: I think honesty is very important. To work hard, and mostly to get an education. I think that was stressed to us as well as my children. Mary and Melody also, they stress education in their family. But though they stressed education, they really didn't have the funds to send you to school. Fortunately, my daughters can do that, but when I was growing up or when my brothers and I, we had to fend on our own and make our own tuition. But it was good for us, I don't regret that part. I think one can handle it if... you do what you have to do to get by in this world, and I think that's what we did. I think they stressed things like, be on time for your work, and honesty, like I mentioned. I don't know. I think things just came naturally, to do the right thing.