Lee Tonouchi, aka “Da Pidgin Guerrilla,” is a gentle but steadfastly effective advocate of Hawaiian pidgin English as a full and complete equivalent of standard English, whether for creative or academic writing.
On the academic side of the ledger is his University of Hawaii-Manoa master’s thesis, written in pidgin for his degree in English. (“Hahahahaha,” Tonouchi said, retrospectively.)
On the creative side are his many short stories and poems, essays on pidgin’s place in island culture, and several entertaining yet insightful plays. In “Gone Feeshing,” staged by Kumu Kahua in 2004, Tonouchi explored the universal issues of father/son relationships and rivalry between siblings through the uneasy relationship of two brothers and their memories of their late father. In 2016, “UchinaAloha” introduced Hawaii to the sanlele — a real-life three string instrument that is a cross between Hawaii’s ukulele and the sanshin of Okinawa — and looked at the similarities between the experiences of Okinawans under Japanese rule and the experiences of Native Hawaiians.
Tonouchi’s newest play, “Oriental Faddah and Son,” opens at Windward Community College this weekend.
“Oriental Faddah and Son” is an outgrowth of Tonouchi’s 2011 book of poetry, “Significant Moments in da Life of Oriental Faddah and Son.” It looks at the experience of being Okinawan in Hawaii, the traditional values of Okinawan culture, and the broader subject of father and son relationships.
Tonouchi’s stories will be brought to life by director Taurie Kinoshita and a talented cast, including Brandon Hagio playing the patriarch of an Okinawan family.
Tonouchi responded to questions about his newest play in true Pidgin Guerrilla style.
Star-Advertiser: What is the most important thing people should know about the show?
Tonouchi: Da play stay based on my collection of Pidgin poetry, “Significant Moments in da Life of Oriental Faddah and Son,” which won da Association for Asian American Studies Book Award. Das one national award, brah!
It’s funny cuz lotta da poems get humor, but when fans approach me for talk about da book, they like for begin by telling me which poems made them cry da most. So maybe people who see da play should bring Kleenex.
Q: Will the people who inspired the characters recognize themselves?
A: Da main characters are pretty much da real people from my family. For lotta da older generation of Okinawans in Hawai‘i, they wuz looked down upon by da Japanese.
My great grandma wuz so shame of her Okinawan hajichi hand tattoos that when she died she wanted for be put in da casket with gloves on. Da fack that Okinawans wuz so shame of their culture makes me sad.
Through da play I hope for honor my family’s struggle in Hawai‘i and celebrate our Okinawan heritage.
Q: The press release mentions “the nuances of an Okinawan family.” What are some of the nuances?
A: Growing up, my Kaimuki Grandma would always stress how Okinawans and Naichi (Japanese) people stay different. Her favorite example was how Okinawans just visit each oddah’s houses, no need call first. She said Japanese people, if you no call first, then they no invite you inside. But then one day she wuz cleaning out her fridge and her Okinawan friend came, and she nevah have nahting for serve. She wuz so embarrassed. So den she said, “Maybe telephone first, good idea, yeah.”
Q: What do you want the play to share about what it means to be Okinawan in Hawaii?
A: In da play, da main character goes through one journey of self discovery as he learns more about his Okinawan history and culture. But da play’s about more than that. It’s also about how being Local Oriental in Hawaii stay different from being Asian American on top da continent.
Q: The press release describes the play as “provocative and humorous entertainment.” Provocative in what way?
A: I like for use humor for stir da pot and talk about all kine serious issues like stereotypes, colonialism, imperialism, and all kine intellectual kine stuffs.
Q: Anything else we should put in the story?
A: John Berger likes for list local references in his theatre reviews, so I figgah I go tell John some he can look forward to: Kikaida, Spam, Frank De Lima, Rap Reiplinger, Manuela Boy, and da old Chiyo’s down by River Street.
Q: One more thing, congratulations on “UchinaAloha,” and thanks for raising awareness of the sanlele — a combination sanshin and ukulele. The sanlele shows how Hawaiian music has mixed and mingled with that of other cultures.
A: Das awesome! Oh, and Kumu Kahua is hoping for remount “UchinaAloha” this August. My younger daughter learning sanshin now. If she comes good I hoping she might take interest in da sanlele!
“ORIENTAL FADDAH AND SON”
>> Where: Paliku Theatre, Windward Community College
>> When: 7:30 p.m. Friday; continues 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday through March 22
>> Cost: $10-$15
>> Info: 235-7315, palikutheatre.com
