Takie Okumura(奥村 多喜衛) (May 12, 1865 – February 10, 1951) was a Christian minister from Japan. He was the founder of the Makiki Christian Church in Honolulu, Hawaii, the "Okumura Boys and Girls Home", and some of Hawaii's first Japanese language schools.
Okumura was born to a family of samurai in Kochi prefecture, Japan in 1865. He married Katsu Ogawa in 1886.[1] He converted to Christianity on September 9, 1888, and studied at Doshisha University.[2] During his time at university he was supported by John Thomas Gulick.[3] After graduating in 1894, he traveled to Hawaii as a missionary assisting Reverend Jiro Okabe. He took over Okabe's ministry in 1895 when Okabe returned to Japan.[4]
CareerEdit
Makiki Christian Church
One of the first things Okumura did after taking over Okabe's congregation in 1895 is start a Japanese kindergarten. His goal was to teach Japanese children living in Hawaii the Japanese language, because many spoke pidgin, English, or Hawaiian. He established the Honolulu Japanese Elementary school a year later in 1896. The school later expanded and was renamed the Hawaii Chuo Gakuin. The schools he founded were the first Japanese language schools in Hawaii.[5]
In 1896 Okumura founded the "Okumura Boys and Girls Home" after taking in a young man attending school in Honolulu. The dormitory housed 1,400 students over the years, mostly from neighbor islands.[6] While staying at the dormitory, students had to attend church. Spark Matsunaga was one notable resident.[7]
In 1899 he founded a baseball team made up mostly of students living at the "Okumura Home". The team was called the "Excelsiors", and was the first Japanese baseball team in Hawaii.[8] Okumura founded the team in order to provide a wholesome entertainment venue, away from the "vice" in town.[9]
In 1904 Okumura established the Makiki Christian Church. The modern church building, which is well-known for its architectural similarity to a Japanese castle, was not constructed until 1932. Okumura chose that architectural style as a symbol of peace and security.[10]
After the Oahu sugar strike of 1920, Okumura traveled to every island to encourage nisei to "Americanize", and give up their dual citizenship with Japan. He believed that this would solve the "Japanese problem", a term coined by European sugar plantation owners. Needless to say, many Japanese plantation workers were not pleased with his decision to side with the sugar plantation owners during this tense time between the management and laborers.[4] During this time, and later when the American government tried to impose legislation restricting foreign language schools, Okumura clashed with Fred Kinzaburo Makino.[11]
Okumura retired from the church in 1937, but remained head of the "Okumura Home" until he died on February 10, 1951.[2]
Further readingEdit
Nakagawa, Fusa (2015). Takie Okumura: A Life Lived in Service to Japanese in Hawaii. ISBN9784283013148.
Monobe, Hiromi (2004). Shaping an ethnic leadership : Takie Okumura and the "Americanization" of the Nisei in Hawai'i, 1919-1945 (Ph.D thesis). University of Hawaii at Manoa. hdl:10125/12048.
^Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. Kurian, George Thomas,, Lamport, Mark A. Lanham, Maryland. ISBN9781442244313. OCLC 945232024.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^"Mānoa: UH Mānoa's Hamilton Library features Takie Okumura's Lantern Slides | University of Hawaii News". manoa.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
^ abChinen, Karleen C. (2012). Hawaii's AJA pioneers : one hundred profiles commemorating the centennial of the Hawaii Hochi. Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Hochi Ltd. pp. 119–120.
^Kurokawa, Colbert (1920). "Japanese young people in Hawaii and their duties". Mid-Pacific Magazine.
^Cataluna, Lee (February 20, 2004). "Minister's care lasts a century". the.honoluluadvertiser.com. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
^"Exhibit honors Japanese immigrant minister". archives.starbulletin.com. May 1, 2004. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
^Sayuri., Guthrie-Shimizu (2012). Transpacific field of dreams : how baseball linked the United States and Japan in peace and war. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN9780807882665. OCLC 784885365.
^"Makiki Christian Church". sah-archipedia.org. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
^"Issei Pioneers - Hawaii and the Mainland 1885-1924 - Part 23". Discover Nikkei. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
October 15, 2023
takie, okumura, 奥村, 多喜衛, 1865, february, 1951, christian, minister, from, japan, founder, makiki, christian, church, honolulu, hawaii, okumura, boys, girls, home, some, hawaii, first, japanese, language, schools, contents, early, life, career, further, reading. Takie Okumura 奥村 多喜衛 May 12 1865 February 10 1951 was a Christian minister from Japan He was the founder of the Makiki Christian Church in Honolulu Hawaii the Okumura Boys and Girls Home and some of Hawaii s first Japanese language schools Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Further reading 4 See also 5 ReferencesEarly life EditOkumura was born to a family of samurai in Kochi prefecture Japan in 1865 He married Katsu Ogawa in 1886 1 He converted to Christianity on September 9 1888 and studied at Doshisha University 2 During his time at university he was supported by John Thomas Gulick 3 After graduating in 1894 he traveled to Hawaii as a missionary assisting Reverend Jiro Okabe He took over Okabe s ministry in 1895 when Okabe returned to Japan 4 Career Edit nbsp Makiki Christian ChurchOne of the first things Okumura did after taking over Okabe s congregation in 1895 is start a Japanese kindergarten His goal was to teach Japanese children living in Hawaii the Japanese language because many spoke pidgin English or Hawaiian He established the Honolulu Japanese Elementary school a year later in 1896 The school later expanded and was renamed the Hawaii Chuo Gakuin The schools he founded were the first Japanese language schools in Hawaii 5 In 1896 Okumura founded the Okumura Boys and Girls Home after taking in a young man attending school in Honolulu The dormitory housed 1 400 students over the years mostly from neighbor islands 6 While staying at the dormitory students had to attend church Spark Matsunaga was one notable resident 7 In 1899 he founded a baseball team made up mostly of students living at the Okumura Home The team was called the Excelsiors and was the first Japanese baseball team in Hawaii 8 Okumura founded the team in order to provide a wholesome entertainment venue away from the vice in town 9 In 1904 Okumura established the Makiki Christian Church The modern church building which is well known for its architectural similarity to a Japanese castle was not constructed until 1932 Okumura chose that architectural style as a symbol of peace and security 10 After the Oahu sugar strike of 1920 Okumura traveled to every island to encourage nisei to Americanize and give up their dual citizenship with Japan He believed that this would solve the Japanese problem a term coined by European sugar plantation owners Needless to say many Japanese plantation workers were not pleased with his decision to side with the sugar plantation owners during this tense time between the management and laborers 4 During this time and later when the American government tried to impose legislation restricting foreign language schools Okumura clashed with Fred Kinzaburo Makino 11 Okumura retired from the church in 1937 but remained head of the Okumura Home until he died on February 10 1951 2 Further reading EditNakagawa Fusa 2015 Takie Okumura A Life Lived in Service to Japanese in Hawaii ISBN 9784283013148 Monobe Hiromi 2004 Shaping an ethnic leadership Takie Okumura and the Americanization of the Nisei in Hawai i 1919 1945 Ph D thesis University of Hawaii at Manoa hdl 10125 12048 See also EditJapanese in Hawaii Shiro SokabeReferences Edit Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States Kurian George Thomas Lamport Mark A Lanham Maryland ISBN 9781442244313 OCLC 945232024 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link a b Takie Okumura Densho Encyclopedia encyclopedia densho org Retrieved 2018 10 09 Manoa UH Manoa s Hamilton Library features Takie Okumura s Lantern Slides University of Hawaii News manoa hawaii edu Retrieved 2018 10 09 a b Chinen Karleen C 2012 Hawaii s AJA pioneers one hundred profiles commemorating the centennial of the Hawaii Hochi Honolulu Hawaii Hawaii Hochi Ltd pp 119 120 Kurokawa Colbert 1920 Japanese young people in Hawaii and their duties Mid Pacific Magazine Cataluna Lee February 20 2004 Minister s care lasts a century the honoluluadvertiser com Retrieved 2018 10 09 Sano Kobayashi Aiko 2009 In god s embrace Tate Pub amp Enterprises Ll ISBN 978 1606967089 OCLC 946151438 Exhibit honors Japanese immigrant minister archives starbulletin com May 1 2004 Retrieved 2018 10 09 Sayuri Guthrie Shimizu 2012 Transpacific field of dreams how baseball linked the United States and Japan in peace and war Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Press ISBN 9780807882665 OCLC 784885365 Makiki Christian Church sah archipedia org Retrieved 2018 10 09 Issei Pioneers Hawaii and the Mainland 1885 1924 Part 23 Discover Nikkei Retrieved 2018 10 09 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Takie Okumura amp oldid 1165118757, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
