Densho Digital Archive - Nellie Mitani Interview (denshovh-mnellie-01-0001)

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RP: This is an oral history for the Manzanar National Historic Site. This morning we're talking with Nellie Okazaki Mitani. And our interview is taking place at Russell and Miyo's residence. And again...

Off Camera: Hers, too.

RP: And, and your residence. What was the address again?

Off Camera: 1402 Stratford Avenue.

RP: Okay. 1402 Stratford Avenue in South Pasadena, California. The date of the interview February 5, 2010. The videographer is Kirk Peterson and I'm Richard Potashin doing the interview. Today we also have Nellie's daughter, Miyo, present as well as Miyo's husband, Russell Ukita. And this interview will cover Nellie's experiences as a former internee at the Poston War Relocation Center and also the Crystal City internment camp. The interview will be archived in the Park's library. Do I --

NM: Excuse me. Did you say attorney? I was...

Off Camera: No, interned.

NM: Interned. Oh, I'm sorry. That's my hearing. [Laughs]

RP: Okay. And our interview will be archived at the Park's library at Manzanar. Thank you, Nellie. Can I refer to you as Nellie?

NM: Oh, of course.

RP: Okay. Thanks for spending some time with us this morning. I'd like to start our interview with some very basic personal questions here. Your date of birth and where you were born?

NM: January 31, 1919, in Mesa, Arizona.

RP: And what was your given name at birth?

NM: Narie.

RP: Can you spell that for us?

NM: N-A-R-I-E.

RP: And how did you end up with "Nellie"?

NM: People couldn't pronounce Narie, you know, the Caucasian friends. And so they decided to call me Nellie, which is quite similar in pronunciation.

RP: Uh-huh. I'd like to get a little bit of background on your family.

NM: Uh-huh.

RP: Beginning with your parents. Can you tell us your father's full name?

NM: It was Miyoji Okazaki. M-I-Y-O-J-I.

RP: And what part of Japan did your father come from?

NM: He came from Kumamoto, Amakusa, and the little village was Kyoragi.

RP: And where is Kumamoto located? Is it on the main island?

NM: I have to think. I think it's, you'd call it the main island, the southern part of it, yes.

RP: Is it right on the coast or is it inland? Is it a mountainous area? What type of landscape?

NM: I've never been there so I really don't know. But, I don't, I think they have some coast. I'm not sure.

RP: Uh-huh.

NM: Because, yes, the Commodore Perry landed near there I think, somewhere around there.

RP: Uh-huh. What can you tell us about your father's family in Japan?

NM: I think his great-grandfather, or grandfather that is, was a Shinto priest. And, and his father, I think, being a, I think he was the oldest son, took over the priesthood. But I don't know that he was too successful. They served too much wine, sake. And I think he became kind of an alcoholic or something, apparently. At least that's what my father said. He was always drunk. But that comes from the services that he had to perform because sake, naturally, was part of the service.

RP: Was your father the oldest of the, the siblings in his family?

NM: No, he was the second son. I think he had younger sisters but he had, had an older brother. But the older brother came to America and he passed away. And this is why my father was head of the family.

RP: And, the older brother's name?

NM: Shigeharu. S-H-I-G-E-H-A-R-(U), no, it's R-U, not the A. H-A-R-U.

RP: So Shigeharu was the first of the family to come to America?

NM: I think so and then I think my father came afterwards.

RP: Uh-huh. And do you know the circumstances surrounding Shigeharu's death?

NM: He was in Fresno I think, and I think he caught malaria and really became ill and passed away.

RP: What do you think brought your father to the United States, Nellie?

NM: I think the usual thing. Go to America, get rich, and come back to Japan and live like a king. But had the emperor there, but anyway, live well.

RP: Did he also come to, to bring the ashes of his brother back to Japan, too?

NM: Yes, he, he was cremated and taken back.

RP: Tell us about your father, his personality, what type of father you remember him as.

NM: Well, I think we were afraid of him because he was quite strict. And, right was right, wrong was wrong, and we had to toe the line.

RP: And he came from Kumamoto.

NM: Yes.

RP: And he, and you said that he was a pretty stubborn guy because that's the way they were there?

NM: Yes, that, that's what the reputation is.

RP: Where did he first settle when he came to America?

NM: I don't know exactly where it was the first, or where he first came, but he did spend time on Catalina Island. And, he was there as a houseboy. He learned how to cook, so he was able to make some fancy dishes.

Off Camera: You said he could de-bone a what?

NM: De-bone a chicken and stuff it, looked like a real chicken. He served, you know, all these well-to-do families, did fancy things like that. And he learned a lot of that kind of thing.

RP: So as a houseboy he worked for a wealthy family on Catalina?

NM: Oh yes, uh-huh. Yes.

RP: Did he ever share with you some of the... well, many Issei talk about some of the hardships they had to endure when they first came to America. Did he share any of that with you? Some of the early days of his life here?

NM: No, I don't think he did talk too much. He was busy raising us and we didn't have much time to talk. We had to work more. So, we didn't learn too much except I guess occasionally I got my knowledge from somewhere and it must have come from him.