Samizu Matsuki. The early years
SW HOKKAIDO Wartime Childhood From Hokkaido women Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan where I was born, and where I lived my first 18 years, has a history similar to that of Australia - a land of banishment. Since most of the early inhabitants were cut off from the cultural continuum, mainland influences were largely rejected or simply ignored by the inhabitants. A proud ”Hokkaido-ness” characterized as a “rough and tough” independent culture and life style evolved. Hokkaido women were expected to be as independent and strong as men. Literacy at Age 1 " Thanks to my parents, I learned to read when I was one year old. No big deal it seems; kid has got to use as much brainpower & concentration to master baby talk as to learn to read. When I was a teacher, I met some teachers who taught babies to read." 1976036 I remember when I was a child, a very young child, looking at a picture of St. Francis talking to a little bird and thinking what a silly old boy...