Okinawan-Hawaiian Shiroma, whose family emigrated four generations ago, asks for information about relatives of his great grandfather Taru

Okinawan-Hawaiian Shiroma, whose family emigrated four generations ago, asks for information about relatives of his great grandfather Taru


March 31, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo

Musician Ian Shiroma, 42, an Okinawan-Hawaiian who lives in Aichi Prefecture and whose family emigrated to Hawaii four generations ago, is looking for relatives who may live in Okinawa.

His great grandfather Taru Shiroma was from Nishihara, and it seems that he emigrated to Hawaii before World War Two, but there is no further information on his family history. “I want to know my family history to tell my son,” Shiroma said.

Shiroma visited Okinawa between March 24 and 27 for his music activities and gathered information on his family history at the Okinawa Prefecture Library and other facilities.

In the Okinawa Prefectural History and the Nishihara Town History records, he found a record of a 15-year-old man named Taru, the fifth youngest son of Kama Shiroma who lived in Uchima, Nishihara. Taru emigrated to Hawaii, brought over by his father in 1917.

The man who was recorded in the two history books is likely Shiroma’s great grandfather as the birth date matches.

Shiroma could not gain any further information on the relatives of his family history because a person whose last name is not Shiroma lives at the site of the domicile of family register. Shiroma does not know if all Taru’s family members emigrated or not. Some relatives may have stayed in Okinawa.

He said, “I want to know why the first generation emigrated to Hawaii. We may not be able to find this out in the era of the fifth generation, so I have to find out now.”

Shiroma is looking for anyone who has further information on his relatives. His email address is: ishiroma@yahoo.com

(English translation by T&CT)

The Shiroma family’s photo, which Ian Shiroma received from a sister of the grandfather Harold. The great grandfather Taru (far left), the grandfather Harold (second from left) and the great grandmother Kanechiyo (far left).

Go to Japanese


　


Previous Article:
Next Article:

[Similar Articles]