<Begin Segment 16>

LT: Okay. Did your experience during the war... actually, I think I'll go on. You have a daughter. What have you told your daughter and your family about your wartime experiences?

MN: None at all; they don't ask. I think the Nisei didn't talk anything about it, and the kids never asked until they started this movement from the Sanseis. So my daughter said she's looking forward to this film. [Laughs] She's going to learn something.

LT: And what you said, we hear from many Nisei, that they don't talk about their wartime experiences to their family.

MN: Well, they were never asked, that's why. The Sanseis ask, so it comes out. But our kids never asked us what we did, where we did... they don't know hardly anything unless the parents started talking, which they are now.

LT: What else could we do to engage Nisei more in talking about their stories? If you could give us advice about next steps, what would that be?

MN: I don't know. Just... people aren't willing to talk about things unless it's been asked. Like you people are asking now, so we're answering, but the kids don't question their parents that much.

LT: So the number one thing is we need to ask questions.

MN: Uh-huh.

LT: Okay, and then what can we do to make it safe for Nisei to answer those questions and tell us about their lives?

MN: Just have to have the kids ask us, that's all.

LT: Okay. There's so much that we can learn from Nisei telling their stories, and from Issei before. What do you think we should learn about what you experienced during World War II?

MN: The only way to learn is to question. And I don't know, our kids don't question Niseis. Niseis aren't prone to offer any information unless asked.

LT: Yeah, that's an important point. As you look back at your life growing up with Issei parents and going to camp and working through the work release program, and then coming back and resettling after having been secluded from other families, what would be the number one lesson that we should learn from that?

MN: You mean our third generation?

LT: Third generation and those who are not Japanese American?

MN: Well, I think they're doing a lot, digging into past history, and it's coming out.

LT: If there was one message that you want to give based on what you learned from your life, what would that be?

MN: I don't know, just be happy.

LT: Okay. Recently, Japanese Americans were able to gain redress.

MN: Yes.

LT: And the government apologized for the incarceration of Japanese Americans and the loss of civil rights. What do you think about that?

MN: All I know is we got our $20,000 and my husband got his first car with his share.

LT: And how did that change your life?

MN: Well, we just got around more, I guess. Because we walked everywhere, but we lived in town, so that wasn't a problem.

LT: I think that's one of the reasons you stayed so healthy, you've been walking a lot. Do you have any other thoughts about the purpose for the $20,000 redress, the reparations?

MN: We never saw so much money in our life.

LT: Okay. Was it a fair compensation for what you experienced?

MN: We were just glad to get whatever we got.

LT: Okay. One last question. What's important in life?

MN: Just be happy, I guess.

LT: Okay. And what are you doing in life to be happy?

MN: Socializing, playing cards, going to church, and getting on all the activities that's offered, just keep busy.

LT: Are there any questions that I should have asked you about?

MN: I can't think of it offhand, uh-uh.

LT: Okay, thank you, Mary.

<End Segment 16> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.