Akiko Kirkham’s story is a testament to personal endurance and community borne cultural shift. It documents the lived experiences of Japanese war brides who settled in Australia post–World War Two. When she arrived in Australia in 1953, Kirkham – on her own and unsupported – took the biggest risk that went wildly against her family’s expectations. She had to leave Japan to marry an Australian serviceman. This decision ushered me into a new life—one filled with deeply fulfilling experiences but daunting trials.
Akiko Kirkham’s experience was about more than individual agency. For a conventionally raised Japanese woman in her time, it was a radical, countercultural act of rebellion. Her family fought against her choice, demonstrating the attitudes that ruled Japan at the time. She marched to the front, determined to make her own way. With fierce willpower, she assimilated into the Australian culture she had dreamed of joining for years.
Upon her arrival, Kirkham faced numerous hardships. Adapting to a new culture was a major challenge for her. She was battling the trauma that came from her previous experiences fighting in the war. She described the atrocities she experienced, remembering the panic as bombs dropped and relatives perished around her. Her challenging immigrating transition was made much worse by the discrimination she experienced due to the White Australia Policy. This policy limited immigration to white migrants from Britain and was largely enacted until its official repeal in 1973.
In spite of these challenges, Kirkham took a dive into her new community, head first. She immersed herself in cooking new Australian cuisine, learning English, and becoming a valuable member of her community. Her will to fit in was strong enough. To prevent her infants from feeling like outsiders, she made the deliberate decision to not speak Japanese in the home.
Kirkham’s journey resonates through her daughter, Elysha Rei, who has taken steps to honor her mother’s heritage. To illustrate this special bond, Rei designed a custom-made shirt that represents their cultural identity as Japanese war brides. Having pearl shell buttons is intentional, a reference to Queensland’s international pearl diving industry that employed many Japanese immigrants.
“My mum and I made this shirt together. The pearl shell buttons as well which references the pearl diving industry in Queensland – they’re all sewn in. And the shirt is made out of paper.” – Elysha Rei
In an interview, Rei explains how her mother’s struggles led to her own sense of self. As a child, she absorbed the spellbinding stories of her Native Hawaiian ancestors and cultural traditions.
“When I was a young child, I used to enjoy listening to stories about her life, about our ancestors and cultural heritage and I didn’t really realise it at the time, but it was informing a lot of my sense of self-identity.” – Elysha Rei
Kirkham’s experience is reflective of the struggle experienced by most Japanese women who made the journey to Australia. Akiko’s daughter-in-law, Jan Kirkham, remembers the hatred that was still being spewed at Japanese immigrants in the early 1950s. Families who had experienced death or dispossession at the hands of the war treated them with bitterness and hostility.
“There was a lot of animosity because my mum was Japanese… I didn’t want to eat Japanese food. I didn’t want to learn Japanese. I wanted to be the same as every other kid in the street.” – Jan Kirkham
Japanese women such as Akiko Kirkham despite the challenges they faced, overcame adversity and played a role in moulding today’s modern Australian society. Their unstoppable efforts changed minds, allowing Australia to become the multicultural nation it is today.
“I think they had a really tough time almost carrying that load, but yeah, they ultimately changed Australia to what it is today and now we are considered and proud to be a very multicultural society because of that.” – Interviewee
Elysha Rei wants people to understand that her mother’s journey embodies a warrior spirit and rebelliousness that ignores straight-laced norms.
“I reckon she was one of those fiery, highly spirited women… The fact that she left her family in Japan and came to Australia with an Australian man was almost a little bit rebellious when you think about it.” – Elysha Rei
It is through Elysha Rei’s artistry and emotional storytelling that the legacy of Akiko Kirkham lives on, leaving an impactful blueprint for future generations.
“Mum spoke a little bit about it of when the bombs started dropping and how frightened she was and how she lost her friends as well… So it was on both sides, you know what affects everybody.” – Elysha Rei
