Myron Kashima

Growing up in a sugar plantation exposed us to many cultures - Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Portuguese, Puerto Ricans, Hawaiian and Germans, etc.  Plantation workers were first and second generation immigrants and still held close to life from their own home lands. Looking back, our tiny little world was so full of different food, traditions and languages!  We "traveled" to those countries whenever we went over to play at a friend's house and shared each others' lives.

Little is written about the need to communicate across these different cultures to conduct business and develop relationships. But they had a unique ability to adapt - out of necessity.  Hearing these other languages was a normal part of growing up for us.  We all used "Pidgin English" to communicate.  The blend of two or more languages created an extended ohana "family" that was unique to the plantation camps.

I had a fantastic childhood! I was a "world traveler" when I was growing up and didn't know it! (I liked the food part of the culutural exchange the best!) - Myron