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GF: And then -- went to Oshima -- the name was changed to Nonoya. See, our name was Nonoya. That's what it was, then we came to Hogami. Our real name in Japan is Hogami, but when we came here it was changed to Fugami. The reason why is because the midwife -- you know, the Japanese words can be read both ways and she read it as Fugami. So when, coming from Japan, when I came from Japan they said, "Well, why is your father's name Hogami and your name is Fugami?" So I had explain to the immigration that this is the reason why. So they took it that way. And so that made sense to them probably. [Laughs] Anyway, this goes way back.

DG: It does. It does.

GF: Way back, generation of a thousand years ago. So this fella, this reverend that's there -- I don't know if he's still alive or not, he went and studied all this and then he sent it to me. I said, "I'd like to know my background."

DG: So then it's kind of a tribute to how Japanese kept records, also.

GF: Yeah, that's right. So it came in the paper, this Asahi Shinbun, came in Asahi Shinbun about this wooden plaque they found, and this is where the history came out. Kinda interesting.

DG: Can you briefly tell me about the wooden plaque?

GF: [Laughs] Well, I'll tell you, he said, "I came, I sent you a copy of Asahi Shinbun newspaper finding of our family language. It was sent to me -- "

DG: Well, can you just kind of explain it to me a little bit, because it's better not read.

GF: Gee, that part I -- hard to say. 'Cause it goes all the way back in history with different names.

DG: Okay, well, that's fine. That's fine.

GF: I'll leave you a copy so you can look at it if you want to, but I'd like to have it returned to me. [Laughs]

DG: Of course.

GF: But it goes way back, and... when this fellow sent it to me, it was really interesting to me because I use --

<End Segment 4> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.