Banzai, world war II

Banzai in Japanese, or at least during the World War 2, aka as the Japanese invasion, means "Hail to the Emperor." The fierce Jap soldiers required anyone seeing them to prostrate 90 degrees, lift one hand out and say," Banzai!" Then the Jap soldiers will let you go. If you don't, you would be knocked by the gun, and beaten or forced with water into your stomach or thrown to jail.

Whereas, in Hokkien, a Chinese dialect, Banzai means "Go to Shit." So according to my brother Charles, the Chinese were very enthusiatic in saying ," Banzai! Banzai". The soldiers not knowing this, would let them go. The rest of the population like the Malays were beaten really badly.

My Dad, and later Henry related this story. Dad really needed to banzai/shit. When he was heading towards a toilet, he encountered some Jap solders. His quick thinking made him lift his hand to show them his toilet paper, and saying Banzai at the same time. Misunderstanding him, the Jap soldiers let him off. I teased Dad in his later years if he shat his pants, and he only laughed. He said, now we can all laugh, it was no laughing matter then.

This shop in Mt Eden is called Banzai, it sells Japanese snacks. I alway snigger when I see it. You won't catch me going into that shop.

***When the water engineer wears his Japanese cap, I scold him to be a ratbag, his Dad who was beaten up twice by the Japs would roll in his grave. The Japanese caps and uniform were Khaki in colour. The water engineer's hat is blue and made in China. I don't think China would make such a cap in Khaki colour.***


 I supposed it was influenced by deputy director of the 

drama troupe of the Sibu Chinese Choir.
 
. After the war,in 1946, by the my dad was 

teaching in Tung Hua, Methodist Secondary School, Chung 

Hua School and Sacred hearts school. 


There was this big

drama production in Sibu to


 raise funds to rebuild Sibu. They 


approached my Dad to act main character. The main 


character was also the Japanese spy. 


My Dad accepted the role saying this is the role of an actor 

and be professional in the role.

Mum was a bit worried people might misconstrue acting life 

with real life.