The pride of Okinawans
On August 31, 2019, the first day of the Labor Day holiday, the Okinawa Association of North America (OAA) held a grand 110th anniversary ceremony at the Ken Nakaoka Community Center in Gardena, with about 200 participants. This ceremony was originally intended as a prelude to the performance of Okinawan band BEGIN, which was scheduled to be held the following September 1 at the Performing Arts Center in neighboring Redondo Beach. Unfortunately, the visas did not arrive in time, and BEGIN's performance was postponed. Although there was no event to mark the 110th anniversary, the ceremony was attended not only by OAA members, but also by representatives of Okinawan associations from all over the United States, including Las Vegas, Chicago, Arizona, and San Diego, as well as from as far away as Okinawa Prefecture, including Takako Yamashiro, Director of Culture and Sports of Okinawa Prefecture, and Vice-Chairman of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly, Noboru Akamine, head of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly's North American Delegation, and a total of 14 prefectural assembly members, who appealed to the strength of the bond between Uchinanchu.
The ceremony began at 6:00 p.m. and began with a screening of a video summarizing the history of the Okinawa Kenjinkai of North America and its active activities up to the present. This was followed by an opening speech by Yoshihiro Toume, the 110th Anniversary Executive Committee Chair. Toume asked all attendees to observe a moment of silence in respect for the ancestors involved in the founding of the Kenjinkai.
Then the names of the guests who had come from Okinawa and all over the United States were read out, and each one stepped forward and waved. Other guests in attendance included Consul-General of Japan in Los Angeles, Deputy Consul-General Matsuo Hiroki, Mayor Tasha Saada of Gardena, where the Okinawa Association of North America is headquartered, and California Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, who said, "I'm a third-generation Japanese-American born and raised in Okinawa. I'm proud to be an Uchinanchu, just like you all."
Bonds that transcend generations and oceans
Eddie Kamiya, president of the Okinawa Prefectural Association of North America, gave the following speech: "This morning, I visited Evergreen Cemetery with the rest of the delegation and held a memorial service. Many of the gravestones had Okinawan surnames engraved on them, which are familiar to us. I would like to pay tribute to their efforts in running this Okinawa Prefectural Association in America, and celebrate the 110th anniversary with all of you gathered here together with the spirits of our ancestors. I also hope to ensure that this bond is passed on to the next generation so that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren can celebrate the 200th anniversary."
While Chairman Kamiya emphasized the bond between generations, Director General Yamashiro and Delegation Leader Akamine, who attended from Okinawa Prefecture, also mentioned in their speeches the bond between Uchinanchu across the sea. Okinawans living in America who were involved in the early days of the OAA continued to send relief supplies to their homeland, Okinawa, the only site of a ground battle in Japan, during the difficult period of postwar reconstruction for them after World War II. They expressed their gratitude to the members gathered at the venue. They also said that even now, after many years away from Okinawa and now living in America, the people of Okinawa respect the OAA members who continue to pass on Okinawa's traditional performing arts and Uchinaaguchi (the Ryukyuan language) to new generations through their Kenjinkai.
Kindness and toughness
The ceremony then moved on to the awarding of the Kenjinkai members. First, the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture presented the Senior Citizens Award to centenarian Letty Shimabukuro and 90-year-old Dorothy Teruko Awakuni. Next, eight members were presented with the Distinguished Service Award for their outstanding contributions to the Kenjinkai's activities, including Kimiko Goya, Katsuko Teruya, Keiko Yonamine, Nomatsu Miyagi, David Shinjo, Haruo Ishihara, Yasumasa Nitta, and Naomi Endo. Finally, President Kamiya presented a letter of appreciation to Joey Kamiya and Amy Oshiro for their volunteer work, which is essential to the Kenjinkai.
I have many opportunities to interview other prefectural associations. If you ask me what makes the Okinawa Prefectural Association different from other prefectural associations, one of them is that we show respect for the elderly through various events and awards like this one. And what stands out above all else is the depth of the ranks of people involved in the performing arts. Every time I participate in an Okinawa Prefectural Association event, I am shown that Okinawa is a magnificent "island of song and dance." At this ceremony, after the toast, Ryukyu dance, folk songs, Ryukyu Kokusai Taiko, and even a karate demonstration were performed, and the venue was filled with excitement. The ceremony ended with a kachashi, which everyone participated in. Chairman Kamiya himself went up to the stage and led the way, dancing while calling out, "Don't be embarrassed," and the members joined the dance circle one after another. Whether they are in difficult times, painful times, or happy times, they dance and sing to transform their experiences into energy for tomorrow. It was a ceremony where you could really feel the kindness and toughness of the Okinawan people.
After the ceremony, we asked Executive Committee Chairman Tomi for a comment. He replied, "Through the preparations for this ceremony, we were able to see that the number of volunteers is increasing and that the younger generation of members is growing," and that the event had given a positive response to the succession of the generations.
© 2019 Keiko Fukuda
