Kokusai Hiroba Café -Around the World- Vol. 67 Bolivia & Brazil

Date

January 6^th (SUN) 14：00－15：30

Venue

Online through Zoom

Organizers

Fukuoka International Exchange Foundation

Participation Fee

Free

Audience

To people interested in international exchange

instructors

Toyomi Miyazono (Bolivia)  
Ayumi Lisa Egami (Brazil)

 ◇ Contents

　 Opening and introduction of Hiroba Café

   Explanation of Kenjinkai and the Exchange Student Program for Descendants of Immigrants from Fukuoka Prefecture

　 Introduction of Bolivia and Brazil by lecturers from each country

   Q&A time and closing of the meeting

(Overseas Kenjinkai)

It is an organization organized by immigrants who have Fukuoka Prefecture as their home and their descendants to deepen friendship and exchange, and to help each other live in a foreign country. The Kenjinkais have a long history, was organized more than 100 years ago by people who emigrated overseas under the immigration policy of the Japanese government.

Today, there are 39 kenjinkai in 24 countries and regions around the world, and our prefecture is actively engaged in exchanges with foreign countries in the international community. In doing so, they serve as a bridge between our prefecture and their respective countries and regions and are a valuable asset.

(Exchange Student Program for Descendants of Immigrants from Fukuoka Prefecture)

This program has been implemented since 1966 to accept children of overseas Fukuoka Kenjinkai members as international students for one year to acquire specialized knowledge and skills at universities and vocational schools in the prefecture, and at the same time, deepen their understanding of the traditions, culture, industry, and economy of our prefecture.

We talked with Toyomi Miyazono from Bolivia and Ayumi Lisa Egami from Brazil, who are studying in our prefecture from April 2021 to March 2022 under this program.

(Introduction of each country)

Bolivia: Toyomi Miyazono talked about his hometown of Santa Cruz in Bolivia, the Salar de Uyuni, food, traditional dance and carnival.

Bolivia is located in the center of South America, with a population of 11.67 million people, and her city, Santa Cruz, is the largest city in Bolivia. She explained that the climate is warm and humid with lots of vegetation. She also explained that the people of Santa Cruz are friendly and kind, and that there are many beautiful buildings in the city, showing pictures.

She explained that about 300,000 tourists from all over the world visit Uyuni Salt Lake, a famous tourist attraction in Bolivia, every year because if you go there during the rainy season, the entire Salt Lake looks like a big infinite mirror connecting with the sky. The sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful here, she recommended staying at the “Salt Hotel” to enjoy the sunrise and sunset. The “Salt Hotel” is a hotel around the Uyuni Salt Lake that is made of salt. The walls, tables, chairs, and floors are all made of salt, she explained, showing us a picture. “Wow! I would like to stay in that hotel,” said one participant.

She explained about salteña, the most famous dish in Bolivia. Salteña is made by putting meat, potatoes, eggs, and olives in a pie-like dough and baking it in the oven. The filling is very juicy and delicious, she explained, showing us a picture. she said that it is mainly eaten for breakfast or as a snack.

She also explained about Moco Chinch Soda, a refreshing and sweet drink made from peeled and dried peaches.

Bolivia has many different kinds of traditional music, and among them, she talked about her favorite, Carnival. She explained that the Bolivian carnival is a mixture of Hispanic Catholic and indigenous cultures, and that people dance along many roads during the five days of the festival. she explained that Carnival is a very happy festival filled with many colors, music, and cultures.

Finally, she explained about Aguayo. She said that the Aguayo is a rectangular garment used by indigenous women in Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, and northern Chile as a backpack, coat, and ornament, and can also be used to carry a baby or very heavy objects on the back.

Brazil: Ayumi Lisa Egami talked about Brazilian food, markets, and Japan in Brazil.

　She explained that at Cea Jesús, the biggest market in Brazil, the people working at the market get ready early in the morning to sell vegetables, fruits, fish, flowers, etc., and it is very lively. Among the stands selling food there, she explained about her favorite food, pastel. She explained that pastel is a dumpling-like dough filled with meat, cheese, palm hearts, etc. and deep fried. She said that eating pastel was his favorite thing to do, and that she always ate pastel with meat, while his mother always ate pastel with cabbage, ginger and cheese. Pastel is often eaten with sugar cane juice. It is a sweet juice made by squeezing sugar cane juice with lemon, pineapple, and ginger. She explained that on Sunday mornings, he and Pastel often eat sugar cane juice as breakfast.

She also explained the history of Japanese immigration to Brazil. Brazil is famous for its coffee, which was a major product from 1800 to 1930. She explained that in the early days of coffee cultivation, people from Africa worked in the coffee fields, but after 1888, immigrants from Europe and Asia were accepted to work in the coffee fields, and from 1908, immigrants from Japan also started to arrive.

She also explained about Liberdade Square, the famous Japanese town in Brazil. she explained that on Saturdays and Sundays, there are stalls selling tempura, yakisoba, and dumplings, as well as handicraft displays, and Japanese food, daily necessities, and books are also sold. She explained that especially during the New Year and Tanabata festivals, there are many people who come to watch music shows, dance, martial arts, and even write their wishes on strips of paper.

She introduced another big event about Japanese culture in Brazil, the Japan Festival. She explained that this event is so popular that people come all the way from other states to attend. She explained that the event is very popular, and people come from other places come and attend. There is a food plaza, a stage, stores, and attractions, and people can experience calligraphy, tea ceremony, origami, yukata, and many other things for both children and adults. Finally, everyone enjoyed the atmosphere of the festival by watching a video of the Japanese festival.