ボーアタルジ 久子 Boa Tarde, Hisako！（Hello, Hisako！）

Part II Hisako's Note (5-2) In search of relatives (continued)

　2. In search of relatives (continued)

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　From the salary Hisako-san is sending money every month to her second son Jiro in Brazil. With that money she was able to buy a house cum-shop where her second son Jiro is running a rental costume business for carnival. Her dream is to utilize her skill in sewing by doing the repairing of damaged rental clothes while doing the housewife's work when she returned to Brazil.

　Recently she had come to be attached to Japan where there are many people who look like her. She happens to be reminded of her parents who would not speak Portuguese insisting they would go back to Japan someday.

　"I was brought up hearing a story of Samurai or songs for a child as 'Akatombo' (red dragonfly) or 'Donguri korokoro' (acorn rolling down). Japan is my home country. But I am called 'Gaijin' (foreigner) in Japan. While in Brazil, the country where I have been brought up, I am called foreigner. The second-generation emigrant like me has no home country, I am afraid.

　In December she is going to Brazil, however, her son would like to come back to Japan again. Hisako-san cannot stay for good as her basis of life is in Brazil. This makes her wish all the stronger to discover her own roots.

　Incidentally she knows the address of Koyumi's family home as Koyumi left a letter from her relative. One of the relatives found in Wakayama thanks to this letter eagerly invited her to visit Wakayama before she returned to Brazil. No family house remained at the place on father's Family Register's address. Then all the staff of 'Help Line’ tried to search basing on the names of the relatives found in the copy of Family Register. As a result, a person corresponding to her cousin was found to be living in Maebashi, Gumma Prefecture. Also it became clear that the father of Akira (Hisako's father), Kantaro, had died and his grand son's wife lived in Ibaragi Prefecture where his grave was also.

　At the news Hisako-san was delighted saying , "It is like a dream" again and again. She phoned Ibaragi soon. Then she was told of the other people who had known both her father and grandfather. The very thought of being able to hear much about past events made her so excited.

　Hisako-san strives to live between her two countries. The reporter is relieved to have been able to assist her fulfil her wish just before her going home, if only a little. Reporter H.M]

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　Author's note: Hisako-san and I were very grateful to young reporter for the effort to have found the relatives in such a limited time of less than tow months. Hisako had searched for the additional information of other relatives orally or by the telephone.

　Hisako and I finally made out her family tree of over 50 people from Hisako's grandfather Kantaro (died in 1931) down to Hisako's two grand daughter (1 year old, and 5 year old then).

　The second generation comprised of 12 persons (5 sons and a daughter plus their spouses.) The third generation included 35 people (spouses were excluded because of uncertainty. To my regret I cannot reveal her family tree here lest I should leak personal information.

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(End of 5(-2) 'In search of relatives')