Calling all community members! In the spirit of Mochi Tsuki, help solve the problem of how to fix a broken usu and maybe even mend a family feud.
Recently, BIJAC received an inquiry from Port Orchard resident, Tanya Gregoire. Her story involved her heritage, a family feud, and a not-so-ordinary heirloom–an 1800’s usu.
As Mochi Tsuki participants may know, the usu is the large stone bowl that is used to hold the steamed mochi rice, while participants swing a kine, or mallet, to pound the sweet mochi rice until it achieves a smooth, sticky texture. An authentic stone usu is hard to come by in the United States.
Ms. Gregoire’s family originated in Japan and emigrated to the Islands of Hawaii. In the mid-1800’s her great great grandmother’s village in Japan purchased an usu bowl made from a single stone. She was told the villagers saved their money to purchase the usu, and when it finally arrived it was honored with a ceremony of drums as it was put in place. As she tells the story, her great great grandmother was the last to leave her village and, as a result, acquired the treasured usu.
When Ms. Gregoire’s grandfather married her grandmother, he had the usu, as it had been handed down to him by his mother.
“I am telling you this story for a reason,” explained Ms. Gregoire. “My Grandpa had a feud with my Grandma, and Grandma filled the usu with cement–something my Grandpa was mad about and even spoke of during his last words.”
Today Ms. Gregoire’s mom has the usu. “My mom and aunties regret not fixing it for my grandpa.” “I am desperate and really want to fix the usu for my auntie,” she explains.
Over the years, repairs have been attempted using a dremel. Much of the cement has been removed from the interior of the bowl, but Ms. Gregoire would love to see if fully restored. Both the interior and exterior have suffered damage, but the hope is that they can be repaired.
So, BIJAC Community, the challenge is before us. Help Tanya Gregoire fix her family heirloom, and we might also heal the wounds inflicted by a feud between grandma and grandpa so many years ago. Have ideas? Please email them to: info@bijac.org.
Comment(1)
Tanya Gregoire says:
March 10, 2024 at 1:50 pmBelow is a post my auntie put in our family cookbook. This is how she remembered how the story of our family USU went.
I travel a lot and for long periods of time and because of this still haven’t made an effort to get the USU fixed. After reading the below post from my auntie the USU is my priority. I return back to Washington next month, is there anyone in the BIJAC community that can send me the right direction to fix our USU?
Tanya D Gregoire
popokie2@icloud.com
Here’s the story that makes me sad. I took dad to the hospital and while we were waiting for a bed, dad started to talk about the usu (not sure how to spell it). I kind of brushed him off and told him we could talk about later. We never had the chance. He died Sunday morning. Maybe he knew it would be his last chance we could talk about it alone? Don’t know. Anyway, dad and I would spend time talking on the dinner table during his late 9:00 pm “snack”……. whether it was just coffee and crackers or his jazzed up pork and beans or whatever he would make that tickled his fancy…. even take a drive to Robert’s bakery for apple pie. I remember dad asking me if I wanted apple pie and I said “sure”. Next thing I hear is his truck leaving to buy it. Thought he had a pie in the refrigerator! Anyway, back to the usu. He remembered as a kid that the Papaikou kumiai spent years saving up for the usu. when they had enough, they had bought it. I don’t remember if the usu was made in Japan and sent it to Hawaii or was made locally. Anyway, it was a very big thing as the community was made up of plantation workers. There was music and a little parade with dancing and the men carrying the usu down the street and later a community party. The kumiai bought things for the community like the big wok, big “cookie” sheets, etc. I remember seeing them in the garage (except the usu). The reason we got them is because dad’s mom as the last survivor of the original kumiai. I don’t remember when we got the items. I don’t know the circumstances but dad lent houselot the usu. remember for new years, we would go over there and pound mochi? I think ojichan would light the fire for the mochi and obachan would wash the sweet rice, soak it for a while and steam it outside by the shed. The usu was outside by the house. The hot steamed rice was ladled into the usu and Uncle Sus, and Uncle Shuzo have a beat would pound it smooth while dad was the “crazy” one who put his hand in the usu to turn the rice while the 2 uncles continuously pound the mochi. Once the mochi was all smooth, it was put on the table that was under the house. Uncle Giso was at the head and he would make the balls and distribute (throw) the balls of mochi to auntie Mako, Ruthie, Aichan, mom and what kids at the table. With potato flour to prevent the mochi to stick on our hands. We would flatten and shape the ball and put in the cooked beans in the center and pinched it closed and shape it smooth. Anyhow, that is how I remembered. I didn’t know the usu was dads until much later. Dad wanted the usu back and obachan and/or auntie Aichan or uncle giso gave it way to someone. They told dad that if he wanted it he should call the person up. That went around and around that they (houselot) should be the one to call since they gave it away something which wasn’t theirs and that dad be the one to call since he wanted it back. Don’t know who did the call but in the end dad went to pick it up and that is when dad saw that the person had lined the usu with white paint. Can you imagine what dad felt? It is my belief…. I know he never forgave that incident.
Linda Mayahara
8/15/2023