Category Archives: History

Moreno Alie: Historical Bettelheim Issue May Offer Insights into Okinawa’s Current Plight

Editor’s note: This article is a reprint of a comment posted by Moreno Alie to “1850 British View of ‘Lewchew and the Lewchewans’” (Liuchiuan, 11 Oct. 2014) on 28 Nov. 2018. -Jim By モレノ・アリー [Moreno Alie] This article has served … Continue reading

Posted in History, Op-ed | 1 Comment

Illustrated Talk by Joyce Chinen on ‘Okinawans in Hawai‘i’ 10/2/16, 2-3pm at EWC Gallery

Sunday, October 2, 2:00–3:00 p.m. Illustrated talk: “Okinawans in Hawai‘i” by Joyce Chinen, Director UH Mānoa Center for Okinawan Studies and Professor of Sociology, UH West O‘ahu. Free and open to the public; no reservations; general seating. East-West Center Gallery … Continue reading

Posted in Announcement, Culture, History, International, Lecture | 2 Comments

‘AYANUJI: Okinawa’s Traditional Culture Past and Present’ – EWC (Honolulu) Gallery 9/25/16 – 1/8/17

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‘Ōshima Hikki’ – Account of an 18th-Century Ryukyuan Ship

Rodney Inefuku’s latest post, “Okinawan and Japanese Boats” (8/6/16), prompted me to google Okinawan boats, and in the process I stumbled on one of the best sites on both Okinawan history and Okinawan karate — Ryukyu Bugei. The owner is … Continue reading

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Okinawan and Japanese Boats

I was always curious how Okinawans used to travel about Okinawa island during the old days. There was a road built by one of the Okinawan kings, which ran from Naha to Nago city past Nago through Taira village and … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, History, Images, International, Japan, Op-ed, Photos | 2 Comments

US Military Bases on Okinawa: Is Anybody Listening?

Fellow Okinawans near and far, The question is often asked, “When will all this end?” But nobody listens. Look at the Japanese gov’t, the American gov’t, our Honolulu City Council. No one seems to take to heart the plight of … Continue reading

Posted in Battle of Okinawa, Government, Hawaii, History, International, Japan, Op-ed, Politics, Protest | 1 Comment

Resolution 15-322, CD1 Deferred

Folks, Got word that Resolution 15-322, CD1 has been deferred by the Honolulu City Council. Obviously, the city council members do not have an appreciation for the pain that the Okinawan people have been experiencing the past 72 years. Is … Continue reading

Posted in Battle of Okinawa, Hawaii, History, Japan, Memorial, Op-ed, Photos, Politics, Protest, Resolution, Video, World War II | 2 Comments

Lecture on ‘Father of Okinawan Studies’ on 5/23/16 at U of HI

COS Lecture Series: “Ifa Fuyu in Context — Ryukyuan History and World War II Meeting in South Okinawa” Featuring M. Ishida, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Hawaii at Manoa Dr. Ishida, a memberr of the Center for Okinawan Studies, is … Continue reading

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Uema Ayano’s ‘Imi Shijiku’ and Thoughts of Ancient Okinawan Ships

I have been listening to a beautiful Okinawan song, “Imi Shijiku” by Ayano Uema (see the video below), for some time. I love the beautiful sound of her sanshin (3-string instrument). I didn’t know what the title and the verses … Continue reading

Posted in Biography, Haneji, History, Images, Japan, Minyo, Singer, Uema Ayano | 2 Comments

Okinawan Tribute Ships

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Vote for Stamp to Honor WWII Nisei Soldiers – Deadline March 19, 2016

Message from Eric Wada Please vote for a stamp to honor our WWII 442nd Infantry and MIS soldiers. Three men in my family served in either the 442/100th during WWII. Click on niseistamp.org to vote. 100,000 online votes are needed … Continue reading

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Ukwanshin Events for March 2016

From: Ukwanshin Kabudan Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2016 2:19 PM Subject: Upcoming major events Gusuuyo Chuuganabira! Just a reminder to join us for our 3 big events coming up next week Registration is still open for the 2nd LooChoo Identity … Continue reading

Posted in Announcement, Concert, Conference, Culture, Entertainment, History, International, Language, Music, Shimakutuba, Singer, Uchinaaguchi | Leave a comment

‘On Stormy Seas: War, Geopolitics, and Identity Formation in Okinawa’ 3/18/16 at University of Hawaii

Click image to view the large PDF file. COS Lecture Series “On Stormy Seas: War, Geopolitics, and Identity Formation in Okinawa” by Kyle Kajihiro, PhD Student in Geography Department, March 18, 2016, 3:00-4:30pm, Tokioka Room, Moore (Rm 319).

Posted in Announcement, Culture, Higher Education, History, International, Politics, World War II | 1 Comment

COS Lecture 2/26/16: ‘Preserving and Presenting Uchinanchu Identity in the Diaspora: The Evolution of Okinawan Clubs in Hawaʻi and Brazil’

The Center for Okinawan Studies (University of Hawaii at Manoa) Lecture Series presents “Preserving and Presenting Uchinanchu Identity in the Diaspora: The Evolution of Okinawan Clubs in Hawaʻi and Brazil” by Dr. Robert K. Arakaki on 26 Feb. 2016, 3:00-4:30pm, … Continue reading

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Aya Ezawa’s Study Unit on Okinawan Identity

The following bibliography is from Aya Ezawa’s “Okinawa: Beyond the Ethnic Other” (Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Swarthmore College, 2002-2003), a study unit “focusing on the identity struggles of Okinawans. They show how and why it has been difficult for … Continue reading

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Goju-ryu Leader and Scholar Seeks Assistance in Writing a Book

Updated 1/10/16 Nuno Oliveira of Lisbon, Portugal, is writing a book, Chojun Miyagi1 and the History of Goju-Ryu, and needs assistance with the kanji of some masters’ names. If you can help or know of someone who could, please contact … Continue reading

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Constructing ‘Japanese Identity’ Among Okinawan Students 11/20/15

Posted in Announcement, Culture, History, International, Japan, Language, Lecture | 1 Comment

Center for Okinawan Studies UHM Spring 2016 Courses

Center for Okinawan Studies University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Spring 2016 Courses ASAN 320O Asian Nation Studies: Okinawa: Multidisciplinary examination of major Asian countries; cultural, social, economic, and political lives of their peoples. (O) Okinawa Prerequisite: 201 and 202, or … Continue reading

Posted in Announcement, Class, Culture, Dance, Education, Higher Education, History, International, Language, Music | 1 Comment

Connection Between Hawaii’s Local-Style Restaurants and Oroku, Okinawa

In 2002-2003, Michiko Kodama-Nishimoto and Warren Nishimoto of the Center for Oral History, Social Science Research Institute, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, conducted eleven interviews that were compiled in The Oroku, Okinawa Connection: Local-Style Restaurants in Hawai‘i and published in February … Continue reading

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Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown – Okinawa

Received a tip about this program from my brother-in-law, Phil, via email on 19 Oct. 2015. The tip originated in an email from his friend, Gary, on the same date. The program, “Okinawa: The Japan You Might Not Know,” aired … Continue reading

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Photos from Governor Ige’s Trip to Okinawa and Guangdong Oct. 2015

Photos and captions from Governor David Ige’s Facebook page. For a video briefing of the trip, click here. Photos from Okinawa

Posted in Commerce, Culture, Education, Government, History, Images, International, Memorial, Photos, Politics, Technology, Travel | Leave a comment

Gov. Ige’s Briefing on Trip to Okinawa and Guangdong (10/15/15)

(Apologies for the poor quality of the video. As of 10/16/16, this is the best quality available online for embedding. -Editor, Liuchiuan) Governor’s Office News Release Governor Ige returns from successful business, diplomatic mission to Japan, China HONOLULU – Gov. … Continue reading

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Two Amazing Okinawans Who Helped Change the World

Two Okinawans who helped change the world were born not only the same year and the same month, but almost on the same day. Kyuzo Toyama, known as the “Father of Okinawan Immigration,” was born on November 9, 1868, in … Continue reading

Posted in Emigration, History, International, Karate | Leave a comment

WWII Civilian Detainment Camp Deaths in Okinawa

Excerpts from “Over 3,000 Okinawans Died in U.S. Camps at End of War” (Kyodo/Japan Times, 9/7/15): At least 3,000 civilians died in 1945 and 1946 in camps set up by the U.S. military in Okinawa, according to a survey shedding … Continue reading

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Oral History of U.S. Marines and Okinawan Civilians in the Battle of Okinawa

Laura Homan Lacey’s Stay off the Skyline: The Sixth Marine Division on Okinawa — An Oral History (Potomac Books, 2007) is unique in that she compiles stories told by the veterans. The section on the Okinawan people is especially chilling. … Continue reading

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4th Worldwide Youth Uchinanchu Festival – Manila Sep 10-15, 2015

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‘Sugar/Islands: Finding Okinawa in Hawaii’ – JANM Exhibit July 11-Sep. 6, 2015

Exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum, July 11-Sep. 6, 2015: “Incorporating paintings by Laura Kina and photographs by Emily Hanako Momohara, Sugar/Islands: Finding Okinawa in Hawai‘i is a unique examination of worker migration and settlement from the islands of … Continue reading

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Fumiko Nashiro’s Story of the Battle of Okinawa

The following excerpts are from Tomomi Tomita’s “Ex-nurse Recalls Battle of Okinawa, Aims to Share Misery of War,” Japan Times,1 Kyodo, 21 April 2015: Fumiko Nashiro, 87, vividly remembers the leader of the nurse corps she belonged to during the … Continue reading

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An Architectural Designer’s View of Okinawa and Okinawans

The following excerpts are from Rachel Preston Prinz‘s “Okinawa: One Island and the Three Cultures that Call Her Home,” Archinia, 2015.1 This article was brought to our attention by Bobby Shimabukuro of Portland, Oregon. Prinz is an architectural designer, and … Continue reading

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Okinawa Memorial Day Service at Hawaii Okinawa Center 6/23/15 at 5:30pm

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