There was a lot of excitement the past few days…the excitement is over and now it’s back to business. Â Whenever I have to explain my last name, people usually will ask me if I know any Japanese. Â I know very little. Â If I got off a plane in Tokyo tomorrow, I’d have the look of confusion and of course would not be able to get around without a translator. Â But the knowledge of the language and culture did not come from my Grandpa. Â It came from my curiosity to learn about my Grandpa’s culture, but only the Japanese part and not the Hawaiian part. Â He was born and raised in Hawaii so it was a bit mixed. Â My great-grandfather came to Hawaii from Japan while my great-grandmother was born in Hawaii. Â People will often look at me with some disappointment that I don’t know more. Â A part of me would want to shout from the rooftops and say, “It’s not my fault!” Â But really…does it matter? Â Why should I let this question bug me so much?
This is yet another question/issue/dilemma that I address in Japanese Eyes/American Heart. Â One of the characters has a line that says,
“He was Japanese in a time and place where it was not okay. Â Even if you completely Americanized yourself, you were still watched, suspected, never to be trusted.“Â -(Japanese Eyes/American Heart, Act I, Scene 4)
And that’s why I don’t know any Japanese.
When I was younger, I attempted to learn from a Japanese singer named Seiji Tanaka because he made covers of American songs. Â It’s kind of amusing actually…his rendition of “Saturday Night” is my favorite…and I’ll end on a lighter note for this short posting:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AyfyWREFFY]
BTW, I’m accepting artwork submissions for the play’s poster. Â If you saw the first staged reading and wanted to make some artwork, contact me directly. Â A few people talked to me after the first staged reading and hopefully someone is still interested.
Random Side Note: Â I’ve just realized that I’ve met and worked with more well-known British actors than American actors. Â I wish the United States had the same vibe as British theatre…I remember seeing my Shakespeare teacher from BADA playing a major role in “Vanity Fair”. Â I’m tempted to send JE/AH across the pond and see what feedback I get since I have the connections.