“Japanese forefathers honored with Issei Monument”
by Lacee A.C. Martinez
Under the blazing morning sun, families huddled beneath canopies at the South Pacific Memorial Peace Park in Yigo Saturday.
They were part of at least four generations of descendants who joined the Guam Nikkei Association for the unveiling of the Issei Monument.
Fifty-three names of the Issei, the first generation of men who started the island’s community of Japanese families in the early 1900s, are etched into the ebony torii gate monument designed by architect Andy Laguana.
“They married Chamorro woman, learned the Chamorro language and adopted the Catholic religion,” Monica Okada Guzman, president of the association explained to the families gathered. “While some returned to Japan, those listed here stayed and their legacy continues in generations of families today. All of them have died and we cherish their contributions to Guam’s rich history that we know today.”
While the Issei have since passed on, emcee Monte Noda Mesa acknowledged the Nisei, or second generation family members of the Issei, in the crowd visiting from Japan.
Saturday's crowd, however, was made up mostly of the Sansei, the third generation grandchildren of the Issei, their children and grandchildren.
“One of our goals is to try to connect our local families with our Japanese families in Japan and a lot of us are still trying to connect and research,” Mesa said. “There are a few families that have been very successful.”
One of those families is the Tajima clan who had three visiting relatives from Japan at Saturday's ceremony.
About 30 years ago, David Lujan placed an ad in a newspaper and began the search for his grandfather’s family in Japan, his cousin Hilda Duenas explained.
Their grandfather, Souhei Tajima, already had a family before arriving in Guam.
“He got stuck here and for some reason couldn’t go back to Japan,” she said. “So he decided to stay here and start a family, but he was still communicating with his family in Japan.”
Tajima married Margarita Meno of Inarajan and changed his name to Jose when he joined the Catholic faith.
Among the Guam Tajima family members, most who bare the translated name “Tayama,” was Noriko Ishihara, Jose Tajima’s granddaughter from his family in Japan. She was joined by her husband Hiroshi Ishihara and son Yasuhide Ishihara who translated for the family.
Their Issei ancestor was from the Gunma prefecture, just north of Saitama, Yasuhide Ishihara explained.
Since discovering each other some 30 years ago, the Guam and Japan Tajima clans have had reunions, going back and forth from Guam and Japan.
“We keep in close contact — we Facebook, now email, telephone,” Duenas said.
Through the strong northern breezes, the chatter between the family members was a mix of Chamorro, English and Japanese. Fourth generation Tajima clan member Grace Cruz weaved in between her aunts, uncles and cousins, guiding the fifth generation Tajima clan members to the Ishiharas.
“I love this family,” she said.
Guam Nikkei Association
The Guam Nikkei Association is made up of families and other island residents with bloodlines that can be traced back to Japan. The association meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Tamuning Senior Citizens Center. Those interested in joining the group are encouraged to attend.
Rewritten from information published in the Pacific Daily News (Hagåtña, Guam) on November 30, 2015.
by Lacee A.C. Martinez
Under the blazing morning sun, families huddled beneath canopies at the South Pacific Memorial Peace Park in Yigo Saturday.
They were part of at least four generations of descendants who joined the Guam Nikkei Association for the unveiling of the Issei Monument.
Fifty-three names of the Issei, the first generation of men who started the island’s community of Japanese families in the early 1900s, are etched into the ebony torii gate monument designed by architect Andy Laguana.
“They married Chamorro woman, learned the Chamorro language and adopted the Catholic religion,” Monica Okada Guzman, president of the association explained to the families gathered. “While some returned to Japan, those listed here stayed and their legacy continues in generations of families today. All of them have died and we cherish their contributions to Guam’s rich history that we know today.”
While the Issei have since passed on, emcee Monte Noda Mesa acknowledged the Nisei, or second generation family members of the Issei, in the crowd visiting from Japan.
Saturday's crowd, however, was made up mostly of the Sansei, the third generation grandchildren of the Issei, their children and grandchildren.
“One of our goals is to try to connect our local families with our Japanese families in Japan and a lot of us are still trying to connect and research,” Mesa said. “There are a few families that have been very successful.”
One of those families is the Tajima clan who had three visiting relatives from Japan at Saturday's ceremony.
About 30 years ago, David Lujan placed an ad in a newspaper and began the search for his grandfather’s family in Japan, his cousin Hilda Duenas explained.
Their grandfather, Souhei Tajima, already had a family before arriving in Guam.
“He got stuck here and for some reason couldn’t go back to Japan,” she said. “So he decided to stay here and start a family, but he was still communicating with his family in Japan.”
Tajima married Margarita Meno of Inarajan and changed his name to Jose when he joined the Catholic faith.
Among the Guam Tajima family members, most who bare the translated name “Tayama,” was Noriko Ishihara, Jose Tajima’s granddaughter from his family in Japan. She was joined by her husband Hiroshi Ishihara and son Yasuhide Ishihara who translated for the family.
Their Issei ancestor was from the Gunma prefecture, just north of Saitama, Yasuhide Ishihara explained.
Since discovering each other some 30 years ago, the Guam and Japan Tajima clans have had reunions, going back and forth from Guam and Japan.
“We keep in close contact — we Facebook, now email, telephone,” Duenas said.
Through the strong northern breezes, the chatter between the family members was a mix of Chamorro, English and Japanese. Fourth generation Tajima clan member Grace Cruz weaved in between her aunts, uncles and cousins, guiding the fifth generation Tajima clan members to the Ishiharas.
“I love this family,” she said.
Guam Nikkei Association
The Guam Nikkei Association is made up of families and other island residents with bloodlines that can be traced back to Japan. The association meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Tamuning Senior Citizens Center. Those interested in joining the group are encouraged to attend.
Rewritten from information published in the Pacific Daily News (Hagåtña, Guam) on November 30, 2015.
“Japanese forefathers honored with Issei Monument”
by Lacee A.C. Martinez
Under the blazing morning sun, families huddled beneath canopies at the South Pacific Memorial Peace Park in Yigo Saturday.
They were part of at least four generations of descendants who joined the Guam Nikkei Association for the unveiling of the Issei Monument.
Fifty-three names of the Issei, the first generation of men who started the island’s community of Japanese families in the early 1900s, are etched into the ebony torii gate monument designed by architect Andy Laguana.
“They married Chamorro woman, learned the Chamorro language and adopted the Catholic religion,” Monica Okada Guzman, president of the association explained to the families gathered. “While some returned to Japan, those listed here stayed and their legacy continues in generations of families today. All of them have died and we cherish their contributions to Guam’s rich history that we know today.”
While the Issei have since passed on, emcee Monte Noda Mesa acknowledged the Nisei, or second generation family members of the Issei, in the crowd visiting from Japan.
Saturday's crowd, however, was made up mostly of the Sansei, the third generation grandchildren of the Issei, their children and grandchildren.
“One of our goals is to try to connect our local families with our Japanese families in Japan and a lot of us are still trying to connect and research,” Mesa said. “There are a few families that have been very successful.”
One of those families is the Tajima clan who had three visiting relatives from Japan at Saturday's ceremony.
About 30 years ago, David Lujan placed an ad in a newspaper and began the search for his grandfather’s family in Japan, his cousin Hilda Duenas explained.
Their grandfather, Souhei Tajima, already had a family before arriving in Guam.
“He got stuck here and for some reason couldn’t go back to Japan,” she said. “So he decided to stay here and start a family, but he was still communicating with his family in Japan.”
Tajima married Margarita Meno of Inarajan and changed his name to Jose when he joined the Catholic faith.
Among the Guam Tajima family members, most who bare the translated name “Tayama,” was Noriko Ishihara, Jose Tajima’s granddaughter from his family in Japan. She was joined by her husband Hiroshi Ishihara and son Yasuhide Ishihara who translated for the family.
Their Issei ancestor was from the Gunma prefecture, just north of Saitama, Yasuhide Ishihara explained.
Since discovering each other some 30 years ago, the Guam and Japan Tajima clans have had reunions, going back and forth from Guam and Japan.
“We keep in close contact — we Facebook, now email, telephone,” Duenas said.
Through the strong northern breezes, the chatter between the family members was a mix of Chamorro, English and Japanese. Fourth generation Tajima clan member Grace Cruz weaved in between her aunts, uncles and cousins, guiding the fifth generation Tajima clan members to the Ishiharas.
“I love this family,” she said.
Guam Nikkei Association
The Guam Nikkei Association is made up of families and other island residents with bloodlines that can be traced back to Japan. The association meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Tamuning Senior Citizens Center. Those interested in joining the group are encouraged to attend.
Rewritten from information published in the Pacific Daily News (Hagåtña, Guam) on November 30, 2015.
by Lacee A.C. Martinez
Under the blazing morning sun, families huddled beneath canopies at the South Pacific Memorial Peace Park in Yigo Saturday.
They were part of at least four generations of descendants who joined the Guam Nikkei Association for the unveiling of the Issei Monument.
Fifty-three names of the Issei, the first generation of men who started the island’s community of Japanese families in the early 1900s, are etched into the ebony torii gate monument designed by architect Andy Laguana.
“They married Chamorro woman, learned the Chamorro language and adopted the Catholic religion,” Monica Okada Guzman, president of the association explained to the families gathered. “While some returned to Japan, those listed here stayed and their legacy continues in generations of families today. All of them have died and we cherish their contributions to Guam’s rich history that we know today.”
While the Issei have since passed on, emcee Monte Noda Mesa acknowledged the Nisei, or second generation family members of the Issei, in the crowd visiting from Japan.
Saturday's crowd, however, was made up mostly of the Sansei, the third generation grandchildren of the Issei, their children and grandchildren.
“One of our goals is to try to connect our local families with our Japanese families in Japan and a lot of us are still trying to connect and research,” Mesa said. “There are a few families that have been very successful.”
One of those families is the Tajima clan who had three visiting relatives from Japan at Saturday's ceremony.
About 30 years ago, David Lujan placed an ad in a newspaper and began the search for his grandfather’s family in Japan, his cousin Hilda Duenas explained.
Their grandfather, Souhei Tajima, already had a family before arriving in Guam.
“He got stuck here and for some reason couldn’t go back to Japan,” she said. “So he decided to stay here and start a family, but he was still communicating with his family in Japan.”
Tajima married Margarita Meno of Inarajan and changed his name to Jose when he joined the Catholic faith.
Among the Guam Tajima family members, most who bare the translated name “Tayama,” was Noriko Ishihara, Jose Tajima’s granddaughter from his family in Japan. She was joined by her husband Hiroshi Ishihara and son Yasuhide Ishihara who translated for the family.
Their Issei ancestor was from the Gunma prefecture, just north of Saitama, Yasuhide Ishihara explained.
Since discovering each other some 30 years ago, the Guam and Japan Tajima clans have had reunions, going back and forth from Guam and Japan.
“We keep in close contact — we Facebook, now email, telephone,” Duenas said.
Through the strong northern breezes, the chatter between the family members was a mix of Chamorro, English and Japanese. Fourth generation Tajima clan member Grace Cruz weaved in between her aunts, uncles and cousins, guiding the fifth generation Tajima clan members to the Ishiharas.
“I love this family,” she said.
Guam Nikkei Association
The Guam Nikkei Association is made up of families and other island residents with bloodlines that can be traced back to Japan. The association meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Tamuning Senior Citizens Center. Those interested in joining the group are encouraged to attend.
Rewritten from information published in the Pacific Daily News (Hagåtña, Guam) on November 30, 2015.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
