Densho Digital Archive
New Mexico JACL Collection
Title: Charlie Matsubara - Mary Matsubara - Evelyn Togami Interview
Narrators: Charlie Matsubara, Mary Matsubara, Evelyn Togami
Interviewer: Danielle Corcoran
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Date: May 28, 2012
Densho ID: denshovh-mcharlie_g-01-0002

<Begin Segment 2>

DC: So Mary and Evelyn, since you're sisters and you shared a lot of the same experiences growing up, we have some questions that are for the both of you, and then, Charlie, we have some questions that are just for you. So we'll get to those later, but feel free to jump in any time if you have something to add, okay? So Evelyn and Mary, we wanted to begin by talking about your parents, okay? So where did your parents come from in Japan?

ET: Hiroshima Japan.

DC: And your father came to the U.S. first, is that right?

ET: Uh-huh.

DC: Do you know when he came?

ET: Well I don't know the date but he was just about eighteen years old when he landed in San Francisco, and then he just looked around for a job and all, so he can get his family out. That's about all I know.

DC: How long did he stay in San Francisco?

ET: I have no idea.

DC: Do you remember what year he was born?

ET: Oh my goodness. When Papa was... well, do you remember what year? I can't remember what year he was born.

MM: No.

ET: We should have looked yesterday. We went to the cemetery and it's all written down there.

CM: Go to the graveyard and see the stone.

DC: So he was in San Francisco and then what eventually brought him to New Mexico, your father?

MM: I guess when he got Mother you know, it was one of these marriages where the family in Japan picks a bride for you, you know, and so that's when my dad was in San Francisco, and he met her on this boat when she came in. And they got married in San Francisco.

DC: I see. And then they came to New Mexico together after that?

ET: Right.

DC: I see. And so, why did they choose New Mexico?

ET: He worked for the railroad, so whether that brought him here, I don't know. Do you think, do you remember?

CM: Those early years, the first group of immigrants, they had more or less a contract, hotel and immigrant and the railroad. That's where most of them got all, got into the railroad, here, because that was more or less a set contract, they have to serve so many months or years. That's why, to open up the railroad system out west, they used all the Oriental immigrants to do the labor work.

MM: Of course, you know, when my father was here, his folks in Japan thought he should be married because he's single. And so they picked out my, picked out Mother and it was sort of a "picture bride," okay. And my dad agreed and everything, so when she came over, she said there's a bunch of young ladies on the boat and they're all looking out from the deck to see all these gentlemen waiting on the dock. "Oh, I think that's mine, no, he's too ugly," and this and that and it all happened, you know.. But my dad was handsome, so Mom was lucky. [Laughs]

[Interruption]

DC: So what was your parents' life like in New Mexico in those early years?

MM: Well you know, when my dad met her in San Francisco, they got married over there, and my mom says it was really funny because she had the Japanese kimono and all. So my dad, he decided he was going to take her to the department store and outfit her, you know. And you know how embarrassing it is when you don't know anybody, but she says that they managed. And then they got, they came back to New Mexico and Albuquerque because my dad was working here and he knew more way... and he had, well I should say he had a lot of friends, and they took my mom in just like a member of the family, taught her how to speak Spanish. And I think she said she spoke better Spanish than Japanese by the time...

ET: Well, they told us we spoke English, I mean, Spanish before we learned English. Because our neighbors were Spanish people and they all spoke Spanish, so we picked it up. To this day we remember some of it, but not too much. [Laughs]

MM: Can't even remember Japanese either. [Laughs]

DC: So did your father work on the railroad the whole time they were in Albuquerque before the war?

MM: Well no. I think eventually he went into farming. There was a nice lady, old time friend of my dad's, 'cause he was working here, and she had land and a big home, says, "You can all move in there," and all and so he started farming.

DC: I see. What did he grow?

MM: Just all vegetables, vegetables more or less. And then he sold it to the hospital, to the cafe, and you know, he went out and... so that's the beginning.

ET: He was a salesman. [Laughs]

DC: And how did your mother occupy herself once he started farming?

ET: She worked hard on the farm, she did.

DC: I see.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright © 2012 New Mexico JACL and Densho. All Rights Reserved.