Dear Friends,

Please excuse the wanderings on this page.
Just this once, I ask for your trust and time.
Have faith, for each turn upon my twisting path is, indeed, intentional.
But, if you need further justification, I understand.
Consider my meandering as evidence of my Post-Modern, Deconstructionist, Jungian, neo-Marxist, New Wave Feminist, Queer Theory analysis. I trot these trick ponies out to dance for your educational delight
And, if you need further explication, I sympathize. Let me explain my explanation.
I, Stephen H. Nii, am a child of Baby Boomer culture. Moreover, I am the child of GLOBAL, Baby Boomer culture: my parents were once Japanese Nationals and I consider myself Japanese-American-- light-headed on the Japanese and heavy-handed on the American.

As one of your children, my toys, my teachers, my tools and my converging realities were (and still are) the products and by-products of that which you, ‘Boomers, have produced.
This following piece is my commentary about that life, which is, in fact, the life you have left for me. It is a loving document--, testimony to the parenting of my parents.
Of Mother, to be exact.
So, enjoy yourselves, you’ve really earned this, literally.
Allow me to parent you as your kind has parented me.

And remember this, throughout this piece, I am but the fool-your fool, actually.
So laugh and let laughter bring you joy.
And through Joy, let me also be your happy caretaker!

So, have some fun and a nice day! Thank you, “The Son of Mama-gon”

In 1954, Shigeru Kayama’s Gojira, or Godzilla, rose for the first time from the celluloid sea. Conjured from Japan’s post-Atomic conscience, the “King of All Monsters” personified the country’s most powerful insecurities (such its humbling and cataclysmic loss of WWII) within the ultimate, Asian, Animist symbol of change--the Dragon.

As the sequels rolled on, Godzilla’s role developed into that of the hero. This transformation coincides with Japan’s adjustment to its new post-WWII identity. Godzilla became the Defender of the New Realm, combating other “dragons” whose roles represented contemporary social insecurities.

For example, one could draw corollaries between Mecha-Godzilla and Japan’s social insecurity of over-industrialization.

By the time those of the Global Baby Boomer Generation began to raise families of their own, the cultural impact of these cinematic dragons were evidenced throughout Japanese society. One of these impacts surfaced in Japanese language.

The title, “Mama-gon,” literally translated, means “Mother-Dragon.” This moniker is both playfully and respectfully given to the dedicated mothers of young Japanese scholars (e.g. ALL Japanese children). This along with the term, “Kyoiku-Mama,” (trans. Education Mother) is often whispered fearfully amongst school children and their teachers.

Mama-gons live and die by the Japanese proverb, “Kodomo_no tame_ni” which means, “For the sake of my children.” The specific goal of those bestowed with this title is to insure the academic and therefore overall success of their progeny.

Their children, toiling under the watchful, often seething eye of the dragon, dutifully try their best to appease their Guardian/Punisher/God.

Mama-gons, however, do a great deal to facilitate their children’s academic professions, serving their children with more, if not equal devotion, to their mates. Ironically, the fathers have not achieved such powerful status in the eyes of their children.

The most driven, the paragons of “Mama-gon”dom, would be considered as the worst of overprotective mothers by Freudian standards.

Nevertheless, although nearly monolithic in their imposing stature, the children have come to see Mama-gon much like their own personal Godzilla’s-the Loving, if not a little Grumpy Protector and Friend to all children.

Certainly, Mama-gons play integral roles as both motivator and facilitator of Japan’s unparalled national and academic successes. My own Mama-gon, transplanted to the West 35 years ago, has inarguably given me the intellectual resources and opportunities to pursue my own dreams. For this reason, but not only this reason, I, as her dutiful son, owe her the world.

It then becomes my special, but not unique, challenge as an independent Japanese-American adult to care for her, to parent the parent. Parent MY parent.

I must re-integrate Mama-gon from her family-bound environment and release her into society with the same freedoms she’s given to me.

No doubt, it will be hard work, but it will also be hilarious, as well. Like listening to an American boy learn to speak Japanese with strange, warbled accents. Like listening to English given funny, new rhythms with Japanese syntax.

I hope that I can care for her as she has for me. I know I love her as deeply. Although she might not know that- remember that we’re supposed to be traditionally Japanese.

I hope that I can teach all that I have learned since Mama-gon’s tutelage. I have wonderful new tricks to employ in her progress.

Most of all, I hope that she can look at herself and be proud of what she sees--her personal achievements and those unique and shining qualities that make her the most precious and beautiful woman in the world.

Unfortunately, Mama-gon’s self-esteem has slowly sunk over the years, returning to the protean sea of Depression. She has sacrificed too much of herself for her Duty and her Child.

I will now try to help her and nurture the young girl that I can see behind her eyes.

I vow to give her the future that she has earned.