Tale about the power of forgiveness is featured at Storytelling Festival in St. Louis
As soon as Alton Takiyama-Chung read the children's book about the two World War II veterans — a Japanese pilot and American bugler — whose lives collided in war then intersected again 50 years later, he knew he wanted to perform the story.
A little more than a decade ago, he looked up the author of "Pearl Harbor Warriors: The Bugler, the Pilot and the Friendship." He discovered that author Dorinda Nicholson was living in Kansas City. Takiyma-Chung was then the chair of the National Storytelling Network, which had moved to Kansas City. They met for dinner, and he asked for permission to write an adult version of the book to be performed in front of live audiences.
She encouraged him to do it. The next year, he shared his version of the story with her. She supported his decision to perform it. Takiyma-Chung will bring this moving story of the power of forgiveness to St. Louis audiences as part of the 45th annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival. The festival is hosted by St. Louis County Library and runs from Nov. 13 to 23.
There's a powerful lesson in the story that captivated Takiyama-Chung that feels relevant to a deeply divided nation.
He shared details about the bugler and pilot in a recent interview. Richard Fiske served as a private and bugler on the USS West Virginia. On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Fiske survived the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. He was so close to the oncoming fighter planes that he could see the face of a Japanese pilot. That face seared in his memory and haunted him for decades. It tormented him in nightmares. It led to a hatred of all things Japanese, Takiyama-Chung said.
After Fiske served in the war and eventually retired from the military, he volunteered at the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii. He shared his recollections of the war and, in particular, the day of the attacks with visitors. A man in Tokyo read a news report about Fiske's story. That man was Zenji Abe, who was in command of a squadron of dive bombers in the second attack wave. He dropped his bomb, but missed his target.
Abe reached out to Fiske and said he would like to attend the 50th anniversary memorial ceremony of the attack.
Fiske was unsettled about coming face-to-face with him, given he had hated the enemy for 50 years. The day of the ceremony, Abe bowed his head as he walked toward the group of veterans. When the two men were a few feet apart, they embraced and tears streamed down their faces. Abe asked Fiske if he could give him money to buy a rose for the memorial every month and asked him to play taps. It was Abe's way of asking for forgiveness. Fiske honored this request every month for 12 years until he died. The men, who were enemies during war, became close friends.
Abe attended his service.
When Takiyma-Chung performs it for audiences, they go on an emotional journey with him.
"It's a story of hatred and reconciliation," he said.
He's one of eight nationally renowned storytellers, along with several regional presenters who will be featured at the festival.
Kristen Sorth, director and CEO of St. Louis County Library, describes the 45th annual festival as an incredible tradition. She is reminded of the phrase "Lectures put people to sleep, stories move people to action," when she watches the performances.
"I was blown away by going to it and by just how involved you get in it," she said.
This year's lineup will also include "Your Story On Stage," which features community stories performed by the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and "Capture Your Personal History," which uses the new memory lab at the Emerson History and Genealogy Center to record personal histories. People can reserve a time in the lab to record their own family stories with relatives. There are also workshops on writing and storytelling.
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