Pidgin pieces echo
small-kid time
Lee Tonouchi's short-story collection
celebrates the post-plantation
era with wit and spirit
Review By Cynthia Oi
Star-BulletinLEE TONOUCHI crafts his short stories with an innocence that is simultaneously disturbing and charming.
The collection, entitled "da word," is written in pidgin English, which the self-dubbed "Pidgin Guerrilla" has dedicated himself to promoting and preserving.
Whether a reader supports his agenda or not is beside the point because for the most part, Tonouchi presents stories that are bittersweet, moving, spirited and funny.
The stories will resonate for the generation that followed the more familiar "small-kid time" post-plantation experience other island writers have focused on.
Tonouchi's characters are more contemporary, yet the way in which they relate to their elders reflects a lingering of the past.
There's Aaron, who complains about the biases of his grandparents as they conflict with the multiracial composition of his friends and schoolmates.
"da word"
By Lee Tonouchi (Bamboo Ridge Press),
144 pages, paperback, $15
"Anykine girl you choose, me no like," his grandmother says in the same lecture she gives every time she sees him. She runs through a litany of races she considers unacceptable: "Make sure you no marry Popolo girl now. Grandpa no like blacks. And no can be Filipino. ... And no can be Chinee. ... Japanee maybe, but depen on da family," she tells him.
Aaron frets. "Going be one miracle if I evah do fine da right girl. Sometimes I tink in my head -- but not like everybody pure someting li'dat."
When he learns that his grandmother fears she can no longer care for his ailing grandfather or herself, however, he reverts to their traditional view of family obligation. And when she weeps, he sets aside the aversion to displays of physical affection that is ingrained in some Asian families and wraps his arms around her.
In this one story, Tonouchi deftly displays his skill with construction as he maneuvers between Aaron's visit with grandmother and his attempts to attract the girl of his dreams. The title, "where to put your hands," centers the reader's mind as Tonouchi weaves the image through the piece.
In "square," Tonouchi poignantly explores the rivalry that can break an adolescent friendship and the pain that follows. In "da house of liberty" and "bag lady in da big apple," he shows off his sense of humor, exposing a man's view of how a woman shops.
Most of his stories are built from the kind of incidents in life that aren't monumental but peel away in subtle bits the naive perspectives of youth. His characters and their experiences are familiar, almost typical.
Still, he maintains the tension necessary in good storytelling.
For readers not conversant in pidgin, the language may be a little challenging. But even those who are may find "pijin wawrz," the last piece in the collection, tricky. Although in the other stories Tonouchi mixes standard English with pidgin and keeps spellings close, in this sci-fi tale, Tonouchi abandons himself completely to transcribing pidgin phonetically. The word question becomes "kweschend," thought becomes "tawt," and eyeballs becomes "aibawlz." He is making a statement, obviously, but his mission may get in the way of his message.
"da word" is a fine introduction of Tonouchi's writing talent. It will be interesting to see if he can expand his abilities in future works.
Lee Tonouchi reads from his work at these free events: meet da guy
>> Thursday: "Heard Da Word?" Big Book Launch for "Da Pidgin Guerrilla" opens with a 7:30 p.m. reception followed by 8 p.m. reading; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Center Ballroom.
>> Friday: Q&A wit "Da Pidgin Guerrilla," noon, UH Bookstore; 7 p.m. reading, Borders Ward Centre. Call 591-8995.
>> May 4: Reading, 8 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, Kahala. Call 737-3323.
>> May 5: Lee Tonouchi & Da Crew, writing workshop with Lisa Kana'e, Jason Minami, Michael Puleloa, Normie Salvador, Carrie Takahata and Cat Toth, to read and talk about da craft; noon, Borders Waikele. Call 676-6699.
>> May 6: Bring papah-pencil for a writing workshop conduck-ed by Lee Tonouchi, noon, Native Books and Beautiful Things, Ward Warehouse. Call 596-8885.
>> May 9: "Pidgin Wars," performance pidgin and talk story wit Lee Tonouchi and James Grant Benton, 6:30 p.m., Moiliili Blind Fish Tank. Call 944-0588.
>> May 18: Reading, 7 p.m., Volcano Art Center on the Big Island.
>> May 20: Reading at 2 p.m., Borders Hilo.
Click for online
calendars and events.
