Disco Ebony: The Maintinace of Nikkei-Peruvian Identity
Disco Ebony, owned by a Peruvian, is the only club that caters to the Peruvian community in Oizumi and other towns nearby. It enables Peruvians and members of other minority communities, primarily from other Latin American countries, to come together and participate in a social setting of dancing, drinking, and music. The club is located right outside of Oizumi. The social dynamics and mixture of cultures within the club is like no other social space in the area.
Every weekend Disco Ebony draws
a unique crowd. Pakistani bouncers keep a watchful eye on the
cheerful crowd of dancers composed of people from the Philippines
and almost every country in South America with the exception of
Brazil. Disco Ebony is a social space where all minority groups
in and around Oizumi except the Brazilians come together to socialize
and have fun.
Since Brazilians are by far the largest minority group in Oizumi, it seems odd that they are usually not found in Disco Ebony. The tension between the Brazilians and their Latin American neighbors runs deep in Oizumi. This tension manifests itself in many forms and especially in the context of the club environment. In the interviews that my colleagues and I conducted in the Peruvian and Brazilian communities, both groups expressed a marked tension between the two. A number of the Peruvians commented that they are not allowed into Brazilian nightclubs and that every once in a while there are fights between Brazilians and Peruvians. On the other hand, there are cases when Peruvians and Brazilians come together with minimal tension. One example is the owner of the Peruvian restaurant Carol, who is married to a Brazilian. Both Guarana and Inca Cola are sold, and both Brazilian and Peruvian soap operas are played on the TV. The Peruvian community has to battle discrimination both from the Japanese society and from the Brazilian community in its efforts to maintain a space to express and maintain Nikkei-Peruvian identity.
Disco Ebony functions as the Peruvians' main space, where they can socialize in a relaxed and comfortable environment outside of the factory. It also acts as a place for other Latin Americans and a variety of other minorities to escape from their daily struggles at work. In the context of nightlife one can see the tension and division between the Brazilian community and all other minorities in Oizumi. Disco Ebony affirms an identity not only for Nikkei-Peruvians but also for other members of the Latin American community who are left outside the doors of Brazilian clubs.
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