What Okinawa mean to U?

I just talked to Shusaku Higa, one of TV/Radio personality in Okinawa. And got some questions about Okinawans in Hawai'i.

 @higashusaku:Hi! Is okinawan TV/radio personality in hawaii?How do hawaian like  Okinawan event?  Such as  talk show,pop/rock live and more.

Since those are related my current research and my concern, and I know some other persons are interested in Okinawans in Hawai'i, I will try to do my best to answer these question. This is just a rough writing so far. I'll write series of further reports!!

1.Okinawan TV/Radio personality in Hawai'i?
 It depends who do you means "Okinawan". In Hawai'i, there are tens of dozens of "Okinawans".
Some of them are descendants of immigrants, from 1st generation to 4th or 5th generation. There also be people from Okinawa recently, or people born/raised in Okinawa somehow. They could be a student like me or lots of scholars and who are working. You can easily find Okinawan name such as "Higa", "Oshiro", "Arakaki","Ige" and so on, but it's hard to tell they are local or not. The funny thing is there is also 3rd category "Okinawan at Heart" who people doesn't have any Okinawan ancestor, but involved in Okinawan community(-ies).

I know one person named "Uyehara" belongs local radio station KZOO which is a Japanese radio station in HI. (http://www.kzoohawaii.com/jp/announcers/) I guess she is one of Okinawan descendant.
There was used to be some Okinawan radio programs at 1960s and 70s, but I guess there's no more.

Then, in case of TV, I'm not sure if there are any Okinawan personalities. Even if there are, it doesn't equal to they are appealing as an Okinawan, or having a program something treats Okinawan issue.



2.How do Hawai'ian people like Okinawan event? (Such as talk show, pop/rock live and so on.)
 Well, the biggest Okinawan event here is Okinawan festival (click to jump my post about the festival), we have a lot of cultural show such as Ryu-bu and Eisa on the stage, also one can enjoy Andagi, Okinawa soba, Tebichi on the food stall.
Here in Hawai'i, as far as I've seen, "Okinawa" usually symbolized as "Okinawan Culture", that is more traditional thing (not as you imagine what "Okinawan" pop/rock music). I could say same thing for other local people here who is not "Okinawan".

Some of performances are mixture with Hawai'ian, American and also Japanese culture. You can see  they are dancing Eisa with Hip-Hop music, Hula with "Nada-sousou" (sang in Hawai'ian!), dancing Bon-dance with Okinawan songs! It can be a kind of "pop"!
 There are also some other chances to see performer from Okinawa, we had Miyagi Mamoru as a guest of the festival. (I'm not sure he is sort of Rock?) Yet I think most of them are not pop/rock but more traditional thing like Hana-warabi. Guest from Okinawa represents "Okinawan Culture" will always quite welcomed. There are a lot of young Okinawan descendants who eager to learn Okinawan culture and language. Yet it's true they are American at first, also there are people thinks they don't need to learn.

 Also, of course a lot of people are interested in current Oknawan culture. I know a high-school girl  who really loves HY! There's no difference with a girl in Okinawa:) Yet these examples are not dominant.In addition, it's true there are very considerable people about current Okinawan political, economical, and social issue! Perhaps these people are very limited that who can connect with current Okinawa. Basically what they mean "Okinawa" is "Okinawan Culture" and it's almost equal as "Traditional", which is easily symbolized.


I hope we can connect them in current Okinawa more. And also we need know each other more.
I wish I can do something in next World's Uchinanchu Taikai.

mmm...I know these explanations are not enough and I wanna/should talk more!
I'll keep writing/recording/reporting things about Okinawans in Hawai'i, and how can we connect each other. There will be good chemistry I believe!

A week before Thanks giving

Here comes beautiful Saturday again, woke up a bit late and time for doing my laundry.
Thunderstorm and heavy rain from last midnight has already gone away, now I enjoying gentle warm sunshine and breeze coming from my window. I think I'm getting my pace of living here. Since I know it doesn't necessary to haste myself, house chore won't bother me no more, and being enjoy weekends with no plan. Actually, there are some plans, yet still unorganized, I just let it being flexible so far.

Well, I noticed that I am dreaming in English these days, still partially though. Basically, people who speak in english in my real life would speak in english, but suddenly other people who usually uses Japanese break into speak in english. Today, I had a dream that I'm in a classroom, then one of my acquittance start to give a speech in english with perfect pronunciation. I never heard him speaking in english, and I'm sure the voice was completely someone else's. I was just amazed, and then I cannot remember what the topic was.

If you let me analyze this fact a little, it could be evidence that my brain started thinking in english. Also, I feel I'm becoming feeling comfortable to speak and listening in english, reading and writing as well. I believe such dream comes from my unconsciousness. This is absolutely a good sign. At the same time, I was motivated to keep writing my blog in english believing me of my accomplish:)

Okay, the wash machine sounds finished his job. The clock told me another afternoon is coming.
I'll have a busy long holiday weekend in next week; Thanksgiving is coming! There will be no turkey dinner, no black friday, but Volcano, lava and hot-spring in Big Island is waiting for me.
I have just 4days to go. There's no time to waste, and there was no time I'd been wasted.

Veteran's Day

I'm kinda writing high today...

It's Veteran's Day holiday today, that is for honor of retired military personnel.
Since I came in Hawai'i, I realized there are many military discounts or free admission or something like that in museum or even in a garment shops. And finally, veteran's day.
mmm, basically, I don't feel like I'm in the U.S. in everyday life, but this is an example what reminds me it's U.S. here.

Well, anyways, I had a good calm holiday.
Feeling free as alone, went Barnes and Noble for the first time.
They're entirely in christmas moods, their proposal of presents for kids are quite interesting.
Those are compose of tools like hena arts or kits for making own pinhole camera and so on. It gives children fun, also educative, and really creative! I wish I could take a photo.
Browsing book shops always inspires me a lot. I can satisfied with just looking around title on the books, and great designs. And also I love the cozy atmosphere of American book shop! I wanna enjoy a book in the cafe inside someday=)

Book Off in Shirakiya was really Japanese...Actually, Shirakiya itself are real japanese.
I was happy to find japanese 新書 (I donno how to call it) there. I think I'll go there again someday to  stand an read a book up...lol.

Thanks giving and Christmas are coming soon.
I'm going to Big Island on thanks giving holidays!
NY and SF on christmas holiday maybe...?

I'll just push myself, more advance, advance.

WUB Conference

past 16 and 17, I attend the WUB conference and beach camp.

16th
have a relaxing time at Hawai'i kai beach house first...
playing sanshin and ukulele,
meeting 'Uchinanchu' around the world...
with beautiful sunset,
feeling brisk ocean breeze on your face...

then, discussed on what's uchinanchu I.D. is in the conference, on the next day.



We are divided to 9groups, and each person in a group represents his/her group.
I was a bit surprised because I've been thought they are already know each other, or know what each organization doing, but not.

Then I realized how Okinawan cultural action are energetic and huge yet not organized well at the same time.
We started with the question; "what is the Uchinanchu Spirit is?".
Not surprisingly, answers from each members and also groups are almost similar. The answers are like "Ichariba Chode (Once meet together, we are brothers and sisters)", "Chimu gukuru (Heart + Spirit), and that is something cannot see, but feel.

Their main concern is how can we inherit this spirit.
Importance of "Okinawan Culture" was of course insisted, especially Music and Dance.
Some supposed to open Okinawan museum and place a curator to make their next generations feel connect them into the materials.

WUB is going to collect all recording of this conference, and make some proposals for next "Okinawan Taikai (世界のウチナーンチュ大会)" in 2011.

I'll be there n help something hopefully...!