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A brief overview
Ikigai is that which gives life worth and purpose. It is what propels you through life. In a similar sense, Karl Marx discusses ‘species-life’, where humans find meaning in life through free and conscious labor. What connects these concepts is their guiding philosophy of locating life’s meaning.
In interviews conducted with the matriarchs of my family, I aim to inspect the link between ikigai and labor. I want to see how other’s make sense of their labor, whether it is visible or invisible, paid or unpaid.
My Grandmother, Tokiko Kumano, and my mother, Naomi Kumano, migrated to the United States in 1971. Tokiko was 29 years old, Naomi was 4. They moved to Honolulu, Hawaii in order to help Masuzu (“Marichan”), my Grandfather’s older sister, whose difficult marriage and transition to the United States necessitated familial support.
While this website hosts a discussion of culture, work, and intergenerational bonds, it is primarily a tribute to the determination and drive of the women whose legacies I am proud to be a member of.
ありがとうございます。私は皆さんにとても感謝していますし、とても愛しています。