~“Nikkei” in Palau~ Interview Series: Vol.#12 Mrs. Kiyoko Kawai Rengiil
2024/6/14
Ms. Kiyoko Kawai Rengiil, now 95 years old, is a Palauan of Japanese descent, “Nikkei.” Her father is Mr. Yoichiro Kawai from Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture and her mother is Ms. Ngermoket Obak of Imeong, Ngeremlengui State. Ms. Rengiil is a career nurse who retired in 1989. Before her retirement, her occupation brought her to many places in the Pacific such as Guam, Hawaii, Chuuk, and Pohnpei, but she spent most of her career working as a nurse at the national hospital in Palau. Ms. Rengiil is blessed with 4 children and many grand and great grandchildren.
Ms. Rengiil’s father, Mr. Yoichiro Kawai was a livestock farmer in Ngeremlengui until he left for Japan. She has little recollection of her father because she was so young when her father left Palau. Although she was unable to reconnect with her father, Ms. Rengiil was able to reconnect with her older sister, Kayoko, who lived with their father in Saipan and later returned to Palau.
Ms. Rengiil went to school in Ngeremlengui and then moved to Koror Kogakko. The first three years she was in honka (basic course) after that she studied the hoshuka (advanced course) for two years. After graduating, Ms. Rengiil worked as a domestic helper in Ngeremlengui, but her true passion was to be a nurse. She started working at the Palau National Hospital as a trainee, where she studied basic medical treatment. Sometimes she assisted the Japanese Doctors in translating to the Palauan patients. After the war, Ms. Rengiil returned to Koror to work at the American dispensary in Ngermid. She then went to Guam to continue her nursing studies and graduated in 1950. She also attended a nursing training in Hawaii. After graduating Ms. Rengiil went to Chuuk and Pohnpei to teach nursing. She returned to Palau and continued her work until 1989 when she retired.
Ms. Rengiil is able to understand and speak Japanese because she learned it at Koror Kogakko. She also has a dear friend Ms. Mayumi Fuji who often visits her and speaks Japanese to her all the time to help her maintain her Japanese skills. She loves Japanese food, especially sushi and ramen. Ms. Rengiil has been to Japan three times to visit her father’s birthplace, Kamakura and says that it is a very beautiful city. She also has fond memories of visiting EXPO Banpaku in Osaka and visiting Tokyo.
As this year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Palau, Ms. Rengiil believes that we should continue to maintain the relationship that we have and that she is thankful for the assistance that Japan has provided to Palau over the years.
Ms. Rengiil’s father, Mr. Yoichiro Kawai was a livestock farmer in Ngeremlengui until he left for Japan. She has little recollection of her father because she was so young when her father left Palau. Although she was unable to reconnect with her father, Ms. Rengiil was able to reconnect with her older sister, Kayoko, who lived with their father in Saipan and later returned to Palau.
Ms. Rengiil went to school in Ngeremlengui and then moved to Koror Kogakko. The first three years she was in honka (basic course) after that she studied the hoshuka (advanced course) for two years. After graduating, Ms. Rengiil worked as a domestic helper in Ngeremlengui, but her true passion was to be a nurse. She started working at the Palau National Hospital as a trainee, where she studied basic medical treatment. Sometimes she assisted the Japanese Doctors in translating to the Palauan patients. After the war, Ms. Rengiil returned to Koror to work at the American dispensary in Ngermid. She then went to Guam to continue her nursing studies and graduated in 1950. She also attended a nursing training in Hawaii. After graduating Ms. Rengiil went to Chuuk and Pohnpei to teach nursing. She returned to Palau and continued her work until 1989 when she retired.
Ms. Rengiil is able to understand and speak Japanese because she learned it at Koror Kogakko. She also has a dear friend Ms. Mayumi Fuji who often visits her and speaks Japanese to her all the time to help her maintain her Japanese skills. She loves Japanese food, especially sushi and ramen. Ms. Rengiil has been to Japan three times to visit her father’s birthplace, Kamakura and says that it is a very beautiful city. She also has fond memories of visiting EXPO Banpaku in Osaka and visiting Tokyo.
As this year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Palau, Ms. Rengiil believes that we should continue to maintain the relationship that we have and that she is thankful for the assistance that Japan has provided to Palau over the years.