~“Nikkei” in Palau~ Interview Series: Vol. 32 Ms. Nana Spesungel & Ms. Gloria Oseked
2025/9/24
Ms. Juliana “Nana” Spesungel Mikel, born in 1944 and now 81 years old, is a Japanese woman who was adopted and raised by Mr. Spesungel Rikang and his wife, Ms. Merkii Soilokel, from Ngchesar State. She is the second oldest of the adoptive daughters of Mr. Rikang and Ms. Soilokel.
Ms. Nana Spesungel attended Ngchesar Elementary School and later continued her education at Mindszenty Intermediate School. At the age of 19, she met her first husband, Mr. Telchalb Mereb, and the couple moved to the Marshall Islands, where they lived for some time.
During their stay in the Marshall Islands, Ms. Nana received word through her adoptive parents in Palau that her biological family in Okinawa, Japan, was inviting her to visit. She traveled to Okinawa and reconnected with her birth family, the Arakaki family, for the first time. Her brother, who was living in another country at the time, flew to Okinawa to join their reunion and welcome her home alongside their parents. Although she enjoyed her visit, especially seeing the plants and farms of Okinawa, her heart remained with her Palauan family.
After the visit, Ms. Nana decided to return to Palau, feeling a deep attachment to her adoptive parents. She doesn’t recall the exact month she traveled to Japan but remembers there were no cherry blossoms in bloom. On her way back to Palau, she also spent time with her aunt in Hawaii. Upon her return, she met her second husband, Mr. Augustine Mikel from Koror state. Ms. Nana Spesungel now lives together with her niece Ms. Gloria Oseked in Koror, Palau.
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Ms. Gloria Oseked, 64 years old, is a third generation of Japanese descent. She was born to Ms. Kieko Spesungel and Mr. Oseked Ngirngemelas. Her mother Ms. Kieko, is the biological daughter of Ms. Mirair Soilokel and Mr. Yasuda, a Japanese man, but Ms. Oseked was adopted by her mother’s sister, Ms. Merkii Soilokel, and her husband, Mr. Spesungel Rikang, of Ngchesar State.
Ms. Oseked was married to Mr. Kwajelin Tem from Peleliu and Koror. Ms. Oseked has one sister, four sons, and nine grandchildren. Her husband passed away in 2011 and Ms. Oseked is now taking care of her aunt, Ms. Nana Spesungel.
Ms. Oseked attended Ngchesar Elementary School and later enrolled at Palau High School. Although she did not graduate from PHS, she earned her GED, the equivalent of a high school diploma. She continued her education at Palau Community College (PCC), earning an Associate of Science degree, and went on to pursue online studies with San Diego State University, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Education.
Prior to earning her bachelor’s degree, Ms. Oseked worked in the Customer Service department at Palau Pacific Resort (PPR). She left that position to focus on her studies. After graduating, she returned to education and taught at Meyuns Elementary School from 2004 until her retirement in 2021. She told us that her “passion lies in helping students learn by offering multiple ways to solve problems and encouraging them to choose the method they find easiest to remember and understand.”
Ms. Oseked remembers what her adopted parents and biological parents taught her about being kind and considerate to others. Her father, Mr. Spesungel, had a habit of inviting neighbors to his house for coffee. Ms. Oseked also told us that her biological mother, Ms. Kieko, and other older women from Ngchesar visited Japan and met Mr. Yasuda, who is related to Ms. Kieko’s biological father. She told us how she taught her sons to do household chores including cooking and washing laundries. Now, her sons tell her how appreciative they are of the way she raised them.
Ms. Nana Spesungel attended Ngchesar Elementary School and later continued her education at Mindszenty Intermediate School. At the age of 19, she met her first husband, Mr. Telchalb Mereb, and the couple moved to the Marshall Islands, where they lived for some time.
During their stay in the Marshall Islands, Ms. Nana received word through her adoptive parents in Palau that her biological family in Okinawa, Japan, was inviting her to visit. She traveled to Okinawa and reconnected with her birth family, the Arakaki family, for the first time. Her brother, who was living in another country at the time, flew to Okinawa to join their reunion and welcome her home alongside their parents. Although she enjoyed her visit, especially seeing the plants and farms of Okinawa, her heart remained with her Palauan family.
After the visit, Ms. Nana decided to return to Palau, feeling a deep attachment to her adoptive parents. She doesn’t recall the exact month she traveled to Japan but remembers there were no cherry blossoms in bloom. On her way back to Palau, she also spent time with her aunt in Hawaii. Upon her return, she met her second husband, Mr. Augustine Mikel from Koror state. Ms. Nana Spesungel now lives together with her niece Ms. Gloria Oseked in Koror, Palau.
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Ms. Gloria Oseked, 64 years old, is a third generation of Japanese descent. She was born to Ms. Kieko Spesungel and Mr. Oseked Ngirngemelas. Her mother Ms. Kieko, is the biological daughter of Ms. Mirair Soilokel and Mr. Yasuda, a Japanese man, but Ms. Oseked was adopted by her mother’s sister, Ms. Merkii Soilokel, and her husband, Mr. Spesungel Rikang, of Ngchesar State.
Ms. Oseked was married to Mr. Kwajelin Tem from Peleliu and Koror. Ms. Oseked has one sister, four sons, and nine grandchildren. Her husband passed away in 2011 and Ms. Oseked is now taking care of her aunt, Ms. Nana Spesungel.
Ms. Oseked attended Ngchesar Elementary School and later enrolled at Palau High School. Although she did not graduate from PHS, she earned her GED, the equivalent of a high school diploma. She continued her education at Palau Community College (PCC), earning an Associate of Science degree, and went on to pursue online studies with San Diego State University, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Education.
Prior to earning her bachelor’s degree, Ms. Oseked worked in the Customer Service department at Palau Pacific Resort (PPR). She left that position to focus on her studies. After graduating, she returned to education and taught at Meyuns Elementary School from 2004 until her retirement in 2021. She told us that her “passion lies in helping students learn by offering multiple ways to solve problems and encouraging them to choose the method they find easiest to remember and understand.”
Ms. Oseked remembers what her adopted parents and biological parents taught her about being kind and considerate to others. Her father, Mr. Spesungel, had a habit of inviting neighbors to his house for coffee. Ms. Oseked also told us that her biological mother, Ms. Kieko, and other older women from Ngchesar visited Japan and met Mr. Yasuda, who is related to Ms. Kieko’s biological father. She told us how she taught her sons to do household chores including cooking and washing laundries. Now, her sons tell her how appreciative they are of the way she raised them.