<Begin Segment 7>

AI: Well, in that regard I wanted to ask you then if either your mother or your father conveyed much to you or discussed much about behaviors or values or lessons or ways of living that they wanted you to, to learn?

CN: Lots of it. And I think in every Japanese family there is much emphasis on behavior and etiquette and manners and that kind of thing.

AI: Anything that stands out in your mind? Especially anything that would be emphasizing the Japanese cultural heritage or any particular principles or values?

CN: Yes. You're you're not to explain yourself. They called it "back-talk." All you had to do was say, "But," or "No, it wasn't like that." It was, "No, you don't. That's enough. We know you did wrong." Which I thought was terribly unfair because we all have to... well, we all do things because something else was done to us and maybe that's a poor excuse, but I thought it was very difficult trying to explain myself because I wasn't given the chance to explain myself. But... this business of you have to always be on your best behavior because we don't want the neighbors or other people to quote, "laugh at you." Really what they were saying is, laugh at them. And so, very much so. And, of course, you, we learned a lot of that, too, not only at home, but at Japanese school. And we, in Bellevue, went to Japanese school on Saturdays and spent most of the time fooling around, really. Playing school in school. Because we had two teachers and they had four grades each. So while they were spending time with one grade, all the others of us had work that we were supposed to be doing. [Laughs]

[Interruption]

AI: Well, you were talking a little bit about what your parents taught you, some of the things they taught you and things you learned from them.

CN: Well, I'd, I'd like to say, just to tell people that it's my mother who taught me how to jump rope and also juggle beanbags and, and play some of the Japanese games, and, of course, songs. I taught her the American songs and oh, even taught her the "Pledge of Allegiance."

AI: Did you ever discuss the "Pledge of Allegiance" with her? Did she have any commentary on that, or --

CN: No, I don't think I did. In fact, I don't think we were even... we just -- well, I can only talk about myself. This was through rote, you just... and some of us didn't even know what we were saying, I don't think.

AI: At such a young age.

CN: Yeah, because we started at, you know, at least at the first grade level. And I was going to say kindergarten, but I remember the first grade.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.