Photo By Sgt. Michael Iams | Fireworks signal the end of the 5th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival at the Okinawa...... read more read more
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NAHA, Japan - The 5th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival began in downtown Naha Oct 13. Uchinanchu is Okinawan for “Okinawan people.” The four-day festival is held to bring together those of Okinawan descent now living in other places around the world.
“My mother is a World War II Okinawan survivor, and we are here to celebrate and learn more about her heritage and her culture,” said Kathy Rye, a military spouse from Austin, Texas.
An estimated 6,000 Okinawans made their way here for the festival, which formally kicked off at Okinawa Cellular Baseball Stadium in Naha.
“This is the first time I have attended this festival,” said Ben Castro, a retired gunnery sergeant from San Antonio whose wife is Okinawan. “It’s great to be able to experience my wife’s culture and see all the performances, especially the Eisa dancers.”
The festival opened with the introduction of more than 30 countries and regions as well as guest speakers, such as the governors of Okinawa, Hawaii and Mato Grosso, Brazil.
“I was impressed by the speeches that were given and the identities of the countries Okinawans were living in,” said Mina Oshiro, a volunteer staff worker at the festival. “It surprised me to know there were Okinawans all over the world and in places I’ve never heard of before.”
After the opening ceremony, live performances, such as singers and Eisa dancers made up of Okinawan participants from across the world, showcased Okinawan culture to the audience.
“Our favorite part about the festival is the Eisa dancers,” said Rye. “Hearing the beat of the drum and seeing the choreography of the dancers fills us with the spirit of Okinawa and makes us feel so energetic and happy.”
The festival also featured a dance and karate performance, an international friendship gateball tournament, karate and kobudo exchange exhibition and a world bazaar featuring delicacies from different parts of the world. Gateball is a mallet team sport similar to croquet. It is a fast-paced, non-contact, highly strategic team game, which can be played by anyone regardless of age or gender.
“My favorite part about the festival is the many people I get to meet that I would otherwise never have met,” said Oshiro. “It’s a great experience to meet new people and learn new cultures.”
The closing ceremony included remarks by many of the organizations and overseas participants followed by a live performance by Kazufumi Miyazawa, a Japanese rock band, Shokichi Kina, an Okinawan rock musician, Diamantes, an Okinawan Latin musician and Begin, a Japanese pop group.
“I love the Uchinanchu Festival, and it’s a great experience for my children,” said Rye. “I hope my children have a love of Okinawa like I do when my mom passed her experiences to me.”
| Date Taken: | 10.27.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2011 01:57 |
| Story ID: | 79069 |
| Location: | NAHA, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 324 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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