Summer of Bon

Aloha, Hip Hapa Homeez!

Summer will be here in a minute ushering in Obon season around the world. Yes; around the world!

bon dancers

Even though Obon (or Bon Odori) is a dance event honoring Japanese ancestors, it’s now found in some places where no Japanese expats even live.

Further, some of the music played these days includes modern tunes like the Electric Slide!

You probably know that Obon is held annually at Buddhist temples in commemoration of those who have departed. It’s believed that their spirits return every summer, and family members celebrate by dancing.

Generally, participants dance to old Japanese folk tunes played over a loudspeaker. Sometimes, local taiko (drumming) groups even perform live.

taiko

Anyone can join in the dancing, but there are usually groups of dancers who have practiced at their temple throughout the year. They’re the leaders inside the dance circle performing steps that others can follow.

The theme of Obon appears in our War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory films titled The Culture. In Tamales 4 Bon Odori, the interviewee laments that she was not welcomed at her neighborhood Obon as a child because she was not accepted by Japanese Americans due to her father being Mexican.

Well, times are changing. Today, a lot of people at Obon festivals celebrated in the U.S. have no Japanese ancestry at all.

You can watch Tamales 4 Bon Odori here on Gumroad along with our other 4 war brides’ films:

Gumroad

Meanwhile, we’re still working on our Tokyo Lily film and Lily Wisteria graphic novel. And, of course, our feature Watermelon Sushi. Come back  here for updates.

You can also subscribe to our two Youtube channels:

Watermelon Sushi

War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory

And, remember to visit our websites:

Starwheels

Watermelon Sushi

War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory

Happy Bon! Happy Summer!

Planting Watermelons And Making Sushi

 Aloha, Hip Hapa Homeez!

Spring is in the air and planting season has begun. 

It’s a good time to get those Watermelon seeds into the ground. And, it’s a good time to eat more Sushi, too, particularly the vegan kind. Norimaki rolled with veggies, anyone?

Of course, those words are not-so-subtle references to our Watermelon Sushi feature narrative turned animation.

As we announced in our last post, filmmaker Doug Ing has come aboard as our Executive Producer. This multi-talented man recently had one of his documentaries accepted by SIFF, a major film festival in Seattle.

Omedettou gozaimasu, Doug!

Doug Ing in Honolulu

Doug Ing films Yuriko in Tacoma Washington                      

We’d also like to congratulate Yuriko-san on her fake birthday today. This incredible artist was actually born a month later, but her father forged her birth certificate so she could enroll in school when the semester began in April--instead of waiting another year.

upcoming projects

Anyway, our documentary film about her, Tokyo Lily, will be accompanied by a graphic novel, Lily Wisteria. The documentary will feature her life story and artwork, while the novel will showcase illustrations of WWII and the Occupation.

btw, Yuriko means ‘lily’ in Nihongo and her clan name, Naito, has a mon represented by the hanging wisteria plant.

While we’re tackling all these projects, we’re pumping up our Youtube channels, so please subscribe:

Watermelon Sushi

War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory

And, for your edutainment pleasure, the five 'War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory' films are currently available on Gumroad:

Gumroad

If you need more details about any of our projects, please navigate to our main websites:

Starwheels

Watermelon Sushi

War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory

Or, you can drop us a line, too. We’re always on the look out for more mixies like ourselves to spotlight on this blog.

Lifting up our fans with love and gratitude!

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi

A New Year, A New Logo, A New (Old) Film

Aloha, Hip Hapa Homeez!

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou! Akemashite Omedettou Gozaimasu! 

Best wishes for the happiest of new years to all of our loyal fans.

In our last post, we mentioned having an executive producer onboard to help complete Watermelon Sushi—first shot in 1998. Arrigatou! to the fabulous filmmaker Doug Ing for having our old footage digitized for easy editing.

Since Watermelon Sushi was not completed the first time (and the performers are now more than 20 years older), we will create an animated version of it. The story is still the same; still about two mixed-race sisters framed by nostalgic 1980’s rap and hip hop.

Please stay tuned as we produce a new logo in the next few weeks that will spearhead our crowdfunding efforts.

Speaking of new logos, we’re also working on another film, Tokyo Lily, which is a biopic of a Japanese war bride who married a Black American soldier and moved to segregated Texas in the 1950’s. Eventually, her family settled in another state where she studied traditional Japanese dance (playing male roles), became a painter and wrote haiku.

Additionally, we will have a graphic novel about the same bride titled, Lily Wisteria. 

Meanwhile, please subscribe to our two Youtube channels:

Watermelon Sushi

War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory

You can also view the 5 War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory films on Gumroad:

Gumroad

For more detailed information, please visit our main websites:

Starwheels

Watermelon Sushi

War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory

Here’s to peace and prosperity in 2023!

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi

Falling Forward

 Aloha, Hip Hapa Homeez!

Here we are again, preparing for Fall. But the darker days and longer nights are actually a blessing. It will keep us in our studio where we will spend more time working on our creative endeavors.

For one, Watermelon Sushi (the movie) now has an Executive Producer. In the posts to come, we will name that person and the work they are doing for our film. Soon, we’ll be starting our fundraising campaign!

Yayoi introduces her family 

We also have our yet untitled documentary and graphic novel about a Japanese war bride artist. 

a war bride and an artist

And, we’ll be licensing artwork for both films in the very near future.

Have you stayed updated on our two Youtube channels?

Watermelon Sushi

War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory

While you’re there, please subscribe. 

You can also view the 5 War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory films on Gumroad:

Gumroad

Finally, here are the links to our films’ main websites:

Starwheels

Watermelon Sushi

War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory

As always, we’re open to interviewing mixed-race, multicultural, multiethnic and multiracial folks who are making a difference. Please drop us a line!

Meanwhile, our deepest mahalo to you—our fans since 2006—for your continuing support.

Have a beautiful autumn!

Your Hip Hapa, 

Yayoi

Summer Sun and Fun

Aloha, Hip Hapa Homeez! 

HAPA sunshine! 

cocktail, anyone?

Summer is here, but we won’t be lazing around in the sun sipping on a Watermelon Sushi cocktail, or munching on Watermelon and Sushi salad either. 

Nope. We're going to be too busy creating content for you, our mixie friends. 

First off, we have finally completed our short film, Native Vegan. This project was funded by a grant via VeganFlix Studios, and we are eternally grateful for that. 

You’ll be able to view it at our Watermelon Sushi Youtube channel, once it’s posted early next month:

https://www.youtube.com/c/WatermelonSushi/featured 

or watermelon sushi salad?

While you’re on Youtube, please check out our War Brides of Japan channel, too:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPemluw0stoTsx8yvz2tCrg/featured 

The 5 films that make up the series are currently available for (cheap) rent on Gumroad:

https://watermelonsushi.gumroad.com 

Finally, we have onboard an executive producer for the narrative, Watermelon Sushi. This film is about you and me, Dear Hip Hapa, so please stay in touch. 

You can see our updates at our website: https://www.watermelonsushi.com 

And, at our Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/watermelonsushi/ 

Or, Twitter: https://twitter.com/watermelonsushi 

We can’t thank you enough, our devoted supporters, for your financial and spiritual encouragement throughout these decades! 

cool rules!

Watermelon Sushi, the movie

We also have other projects on our plate, like the story of a Japanese war bride artist which will be both a documentary film and a graphic novel. 

https://lenastarwheels.wixsite.com/iamartistyuriko

http://heartworkbyyuri.blogspot.com

And, we’re in talks with a producer for a documentary film about the enslavement of African people in the U.S. Please enjoy your multi-culti summer, and drop us a line if you or someone you know would like to be featured on our next blog post. We’re always looking to write about interesting mixies like yourself. 

See you again this Fall. Meanwhile, stay cool because cool rules! 

Your Hip Hapa, 

Yayoi

HAPA Spring N2 Action!

Aloha, Hip Hapa Homeez!

Here were are, already at the end of the first quarter of 2022. How’s it going so far in your multicultural world?

Your Hip Hapa with Watermelon Sushi

For us at Watermelon Sushi World, it’s been a time of turning out projects like crazy!

In honor of Women’s History Herstory Month, Your Hip Hapa was invited to participate in an art exhibit called 'Herstory'. A month-long event at Arts at Mark’s Garage in Chinatown, Honolulu, O’ahu, the exhibit showed off the work of women artists and their powerful visions of women. A fun time was had by all!

Your Hip Hapa's "Herstory: Rice 2 Space" artwork, bottom right

As you can see, Your Hip Hapa’s artwork included a portrait of a hapa woman who rises from being a baby on her mother’s back (a traditional Japanese woman cooking rice) to becoming an astronaut. Stay tuned for a whole series of NFT’s based on this subject matter.

Meanwhile, the ‘War Brides of Japan, a docu*memory’ series is now available for viewing on Gumroad.

Check out these links:

https://watermelonsushi.gumroad.com/l/HERSTORY

https://watermelonsushi.gumroad.com/l/theBRIDES

https://watermelonsushi.gumroad.com/l/theKIDS

https://watermelonsushi.gumroad.com/l/theCULTURE

https://watermelonsushi.gumroad.com/l/BUDDHISTFRIENDSFOREVER

Additionally, we’re surging forward with two films and three books. Don’t worry, we’ll keep you posted about their statuses.

Do drop us a line if you’re someone who has something to say about being a part of our mixed race world. We love doing interviews with people like you.

HAPA SPRING!

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi

HAPA New Year!

Aloha, Hip Hapa Homeez!

a hip hapa homee

Akemashite Omedettou Gozaimasu! Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!

Hey, hip hapa homee, what are your New Year’s resolutions? Are any of them centered around issues of importance to BIPOC and, especially, us mixies?

Since Your Hip Hapa began this blog in 2006 (and really moved forward with it in 2008), so much has changed in our Watermelon Sushi World.

In the old days, we rarely saw any outed multiracial images onscreen, in books, or anywhere public. There may have been actors who were mixed in real life, but they were often forced to play mono-racial characters. Except for a few pioneering films that addressed the issue of being mixed, the topic was mostly ignored.

Watermelon Sushi the Movie by B.R. Winfrey

But 2008 brought a biracial president of the U.S. into the public arena. Although he was “one-dropped” by most media, he also quietly stood apart from issues of ethnic identity. Despite having a white mother, Obama was considered to be a black man by the majority, and he went with it.

Still, there has been so much progress on the planet in the 15 years that we’ve been publishing this blog. We can hardly wait to see what’s coming next. Maybe soon, we might even stop writing this blog because, hopefully, the world will reach a point where there will be no reason to bring light to BIPOC and mixie-related topics.

featured family in Watermelon Sushi the Movie

Meanwhile, our goal for 2022 is to produce two films. One is in homage to a Japanese war bride married to an African American soldier. Her fantastic life includes her work as an artist, dancer, chef, and so much more.

Our second film is also a documentary. With major “arrigatous” and “mahalos” to VeganFlix for their generous grant, we are producing a short about Indigenous who were likely vegan before being colonized.

Here’s our VeganFlix interview:

https://veganflix.com/interview-with-2021-veganflix-video-seed-grant-recipient-yayoi-l-winfrey/

Additionally, we’re finally releasing some of our fiction. One will be a collection of short stories all featuring BIPOC, multicultural, mixed-race and interracially involved characters. Another is a novel about a multi-generational mixed-race family living in the Caribbean in the midst of race-based political turmoil.

2022 promises excitement, so please stay tuned!

Watermelon Sushi Youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/WatermelonSushi/featured

www.watermelonsushi.com

War Brides of Japan Youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPemluw0stoTsx8yvz2tCrg

www.warbridesofjapan.com

making War Brides of Japan

dir. Yayoi with war bride daughter, Diana Portugal

dir. Yayoi with war bride daughter, Roleta

dir. Yayoi with war bride daughter, Yoshi

Starwheels Productions website:

https://yourhiphapa.wixsite.com/starwheels

A HAPA New Year to you!

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi