<Begin Segment 44>

TI: So one of the things you are known for is you help keep the story of Walnut Grove alive. I mean, people when they want to learn about Walnut Grove, are often referred to you, because you know so much. Not know so much, but you want to keep the story alive, of the Japanese at Walnut Grove. But why is that important to you?

LW: Well, I don't know. I guess I'm the only one living now. I had a great time in Walnut Grove, so the memory, when the younger days. But other than that, there's nothing to look forward to.

TI: When you think of your grandchildren, your granddaughters, I mean, what would be important for them to know about Walnut Grove in terms of what you experienced?

LW: They got no answers. One time I took her down when they had a bazaar, they look at the old house and, "Grandpa, that's like a shack," you know what I mean? They're not used to those things. But they're changing, the culture changing. It's more Americanized than Japanese, so it's kind of hard.

TI: But are there certain things that you grew up with, the culture at Walnut Grove, the Japanese community, that you think is important for your granddaughters to eventually understand and learn?

LW: Yeah, but the couple time I mentioned things, but they're not really interested.

TI: But if, but imagine I'm your granddaughter in a few years, and they say, "Granddad, what..." all of a sudden they're interested. What would you tell them?

LW: It's pretty hard, because, you know, they married a mixed, they didn't marry a Japanese. So, you know, the lifestyle is different. Strictly American style now.

TI: But still, say they all of a sudden become interested --

LW: My daughter is kind of, but not that much. Not that...

TI: But then --

LW: So that's why I think it's, eventually it's gonna die. Because Sansei, Yonsei kids are not really not interested, huh? Only a few.

TI: But if you were to give them kind of a message or a sense of what you think is important about the Japanese culture that you grew up with, what are some of those key things? What are some important things?

LW: Well, one thing about Japanese, when you have friends, they help each other, you could trust them, and they're really, you don't have to be a family, they'll help each other mainly, I think. You could trust them.

TI: So a sense of community that you grew up with that was really important. That even though they're not family, there was a sense of comfort...

LW: Yeah, because the friend that you made in Walnut Grove, kind of different friends from what you're making now. Because they're more close together. That's the difference, I think.

TI: So almost like a clan almost.

LW: Yeah, right. More like a family-like. Because they kind of trust each other and they help each other. "Anytime you want something, just let me know." But it's hard to ask the friends that, you made friends in Sacramento.

TI: So community's important. How about things like work ethic? What did you learn about the Japanese growing up in Walnut Grove about working?

LW: Well, one thing I noticed, that they really are hard workers, and dependable, and honest. That's one thing. Any time you have a Japanese worker, you could really trust them, because they work hard. It's not like the other nationality where you kind of... because when I was in the grocery business, I'd rather hire Asians than white people, because they work for you more. Never complain.

TI: How about culture, Japanese culture? What are some things --

LW: No, none of them are interested. That's the trouble. I think it's gonna die, the culture, Japanese culture. Because even the Japanese dishes and Japanese food, they don't, they're not that interested.

JS: What do you want your grandchildren to know about their great-grandparents?

LW: Well, only thing, they liked the grandmother because the grandmother treated them real nice. When they come, they cook for them, they waited on them, you know. Yeah, that's the only thing about grandmother. Not the grandfather, because I don't cook.

JS: But what do you want them to remember about your parents, about the Issei?

LW: They haven't mentioned anything about my, my folks. So I guess they're not that interested.

JS: Well, they'll have this story, we'll have this story that you can share with them.

LW: Because lot of time, you know, I want to show the camp, what we went through, the album and all that, they're not that interested. It's a shame, I don't know how you could put it together.

<End Segment 44> - Copyright (c) 2009 Densho and Preserving California's Japantowns. All Rights Reserved.