GNA Award Ceremony

GNA Awards:  GNA awarded those who contributed to the organization on January 9, 2014 at the Tamuning Community Center.  Standing L-R : Greg Sudo Perez, Tom Yoshida (sitting), Treasurer Fred Nishihira, Director Tommy Tanaka and Chairman Frank Shimizu.

Seated L-R : Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, Webmaster; Kimmie Okada; VP David Okada; and President Monte Mesa.

GNA Meeting a Success!

Thank you to those who joined us for our first GNA meeting of the year held January 9, 2014 at the Tamuning Community Center.  A special award ceremony also took place to honor those who were instrumental in the organization.  Members introduced each other and discussed various activities, including the following:

*Family Exhibit & Membership Drive at GPO - February 22, 2014
*Issei Memorial Tribute at Yigo Peace Memorial Park - July 2014
*Nikkeijen Japanese Food Fair Night at GCC - October 24, 2014
*Coconut Floating Light Ceremony - November 2014
*Nikkeijen Sushi & Saki Night - June/July 2014
*GNA Delegation to attend the 55th Tokyo Convention of Nikkei and Japanese Abroad - Oct. 29-31, 2014
*COJ Japanese Leadership Program - November 2014

ARIGATO!

GNA Meeting:  Members listen attentively as GNA President Monte Mesa (standing) discusses activities during the organization's first meeting of the year.

明けましておめでとうございます Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu!

Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu!   明けましておめでとうございます

May the year 2014 bring you abundant blessings filled with much love, joy, peace, and happiness!

メリークリスマス Merīkurisumasu!

メリークリスマス

Merīkurisumasu (Merry Christmas)!

The Search is ON For Early 1900's Names of Issei

Holiday Greetings to all of you!

The Guam Nikkei Association has embarked on a mission to establish and secure the names of issei who came to Guam from Japan in the late 1800's and into the first decade and a half of 1900's.

Of interest to all of you, attached are names of issei who married Chamorro women and whose marriages were recorded in the Hagåtña Cathedral and the churches of Humåtak, Inalåhan, Hågat and Sumay.  CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LIST OF NAMES.

The list indicates the names of their spouses and I'm urging that if you happen to know any of the offsprings of the original couples AND/OR are currently members of the Guam Nikkei Association, please provide me through this e-mail (peteronedera@gmail.com) with correct full Japanese names and surnames. As you can see, many of them were also given Christian names. Because the Guam Nikkei Association plans to build a memorial monument in their honor at the Peace Memorial Park in Yigo in the early part of 2014, it is important that these names be submitted by the January 31, 2014 deadline.

Failure to provide the corrections will result in the non-inclusion of these issei who deserve our tribute. As part of history, many of them, too, perished during and towards the closing of the war as they might have been caught in the cross-fire between the imperial army of Japan and the forces of the United States marines.

Many were never given proper burial rites and their memories are forever shrouded in mystery even as surviving spouses died in the past several years. Because next year is the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Guam Nikkei Association would like to lay this matter to rest and bring a closure to the fate of those who died. As well, those who did survive and lived on will also be included in the memorial monument.

Feel free to forward this to as many people you know who may or may not be current members of our organization. We plan a ceremony for the dedication of the monument once completed.

Of interest to you, are the following facts that must be noted by everyone. These are:

1. The Japanese immigrated to Guam via Yokohama, Japan. They most likely came from the prefectures of Tochigi, Ibaraki, and Gunma.

2. Almost all were single and in their youths.

3. Some came as laborers, some came as merchants, some came as farmers. All were skilled. By the 1920's and 1930's, a majority of Japanese owned businesses in Hagåtña only to lose them upon the invasion of the imperial army and many were not continued after the island's liberation.

4. Many remained on Guam because they married Chamorro women. Some also returned to Japan and came back in later times as contract workers.

5. All became Catholic. The law stated, "NO CONVERSION, NO MARRIAGE!"

6. Most chose the name "Jose" as a first name in honor of the religious saint, "patriarch of families." Some also chose first names of fathers-in-law who may have acted as sponsors of these marriages.

7. Fifty two names appear on the attachment. There were a few women who also came to the island. One well-known one was Mrs. Rie Dejima.

If you know of additional names that are not on the list but you know that they were present in that period of time, please let me know, too.

I will be working on a press release and, hopefully, media coverage before the end of the year.

As a final note, we plan to indicate their original names in Japanese characters and their Christian/Chamorro names in English. Time is of the essence, please respond, at least to let me know that you'll help us out by forwarding this message to people even the ones who are living elsewhere in the mainland or in other countries.

Please help.

si peter r. onedera

Guam Nikkei Appreciation Snapshots

Deputy Consul General and his wife and team at table display

Reception / Door Ticket Sales Team

Freedom Air representative awarding airfare tickets for two to winner

Musical entertainment team and guest

GCC Japan CLUB (Customs, Language, Understanding, Beliefs) doing origami training.  One of many family heritage displays in background.

Culinary Students Serving Customers

Sushi Display

Domo arigato gozaimasu!

Konnichiwa Everyone:

Words cannot adequately describe the overwhelming success of our first major fundraising of the Guam Nikkei Appreciation Night held at the Guam Community College MultiPurpose Auditorium on Friday, October 4, 2013.

Credit for the event is largely due to Dave Okada and Dr. Mary Young Okada for a wonderful and successful turnout.  Hats off and sincere thanks to the following:

1. The GCC culinary arts students and their professors for the delicious delicacies prepared for the evening.

2. Ambros, Inc. for the variety of beverages.

3. Florence Kimura Cornwell and Julia Akiyama Cruz Caguioa for the decorations.

4. Louisa Flores Wessling for the display of the antique heirloom kimono that was on display at the front entrance of the auditorium.

5. Ginger Fawcett-Flores for the donation of the round-trip tickets for two to the CNMI, courtesy of Freedom Air.

6. Monica Okada Guzman and Ron Castro for the beautiful original artwork donated as a door prize.

7. Kensuke “Ken” Haga for additional decorations and door prizes.

8. Anthony J. “Malia” Ramirez for the archival exhibit of early to mid-1900’s issei men and families on Guam.

9. The Tajima, Sugiyama, Onedera, Okada, Shimizu families and the Japan Consulate Office, through the hard work of Kikue Cepeda for their exhibits of family histories and general information.

10. Troy and Ryan Imamura for their excellent entertainment.

11. The GCC Japanese Club Students under the guidance of their teacher, Doreen Blas for their origami creations.

12. The ticket committee comprised of Auntie Lole Quan, George and Doreen Okada Pereda, and Kimie Okada.

13. GCC staff that was on hand, one hundred percent for providing the PA system, assistance in set-up of the place as well as the break down after the event.

14. Monte Noda Mesa who was such a lively and energetic emcee.

15. Angelita Sugiyama Paulino Mendiola for the impromptu performance.

16. Lance Kawahara and Toni Onedera Blas for the smooth handling of the beverage section from set-up to closing.

17. Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera for being such a wonder webmaster for the organization.

18. Board Members, General Membership and families of Guam Nikkei Association for their help in set-up, decorations, and the clean-up at the end of the night.

Domo arigato gozaimasu!

Peter R. Onedera, president, Guam Nikkei Association