BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//PYVOBJECT//NONSGML Version 1//EN
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:events.uid.5447@www.discovernikkei.org
DTSTART:20170909T000000Z
DTEND:20170909T000000Z
DESCRIPTION:&ldquo\;Forgetting your native tongue means forgetting your nat
 ive country <em>(nmarijima nu kutuba wasshii nee kuni n wasshiin)</em>.&rd
 quo\; This Okinawan proverb became especially relevant after UNESCO design
 ated the six Ryūkyūan languages as endangered.\n\nOn September 9\, the O
 kinawa Association of America (OAA) -- a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization 
 whose mission is to preserve and promote the Okinawan culture in the great
 er Los Angeles area -- will present an event focusing on the Ryūkyūan la
 nguages with a special guest musician from Hawaiʻi.\n\nBased in Oʻahu\, 
 Brandon Akio Ing is an instructor of <em>Uchinaaguchi</em> (one of the nat
 ive languages of Okinawa) and a talented musician and songwriter. Since 20
 11\, he has been involved with various projects and events in Okinawa and 
 Hawaiʻi to revitalize the Ryūkyūan languages.\n\nThe event will be an i
 nterview-style presentation with live performances of Ing&rsquo\;s origina
 l songs as well as traditional folk songs. English translations will be pr
 ojected onto a screen to ensure that audience members can understand the s
 ongs&rsquo\; meanings and perhaps learn a little bit of Uchinaaguchi thems
 elves.\n\nIn addition to his involvement with the Young Okinawans of Hawai
 ʻi and cultural education group\, Ukwanshin Kabudan\, Ing is the creator 
 of the "Let's Sing Uchinaaguchi" animated series on YouTube. The short vid
 eos introduce simple Okinawan words and phrases through original songs (co
 mposed by Ing) and cute illustrations (created by an Okinawan from Brazil)
 . Four lessons are currently available on YouTube.\n\nIng recently release
 d an album of original music (plus one traditional song) written and sung 
 entirely in Uchinaaguchi. Titled "Tiichi" -- which translates to "one" -- 
 the CD incorporates various genres of music with lyrics that range from pl
 ayful ("Gachimayaa\," an Okinawan word describing somebody who eats a lot)
  to poignant (the loss of our native languages). The disc includes an inse
 rt with the lyrics in romaji and English translations\, making it a great 
 teaching tool.\n\n&ldquo\;Our Okinawa was originally its own country\; how
  sad are the memories of things that were lost\,&rdquo\; Ing laments in an
  original song titled &ldquo\;Shimakutuba&rdquo\; (translated from Uchinaa
 guchi to English for this article). &ldquo\;There&rsquo\;s still beautiful
  ocean and sky\, but we can&rsquo\;t lose anymore from now.&rdquo\;\n\nDes
 pite more and more young people in Okinawa and abroad taking an interest i
 n their culture and history\, the native languages continue to be at risk 
 because they aren&rsquo\;t being fully utilized in daily conversations. Th
 is motivated Ing to record his album. &ldquo\;[I wanted to] show Okinawans
  as well as non-Okinawans that the language does exist\, and that it can s
 till be used in a modern context.&rdquo\;\n\nHe finished the album in 2016
  and timed its release to coincide with the 6th Worldwide Uchinaanchu Fest
 ival\, a massive international &ldquo\;homecoming&rdquo\; for descendants 
 of Okinawan immigrants.&nbsp\;\n\nJoseph Kamiya\, the organizer for the Se
 ptember 9 event\, met Ing during an Okinawa study tour organized by the af
 orementioned Ukwanshin Kabudan group. &ldquo\;I was a huge fan of the &lsq
 uo\;Let&rsquo\;s Sing Uchinaaguchi&rsquo\; videos\, so I was really star-s
 truck\,&rdquo\; Kamiya admitted. &ldquo\;We need more artists like Brandon
  -- artists who create dynamic projects that capture your imagination\, mo
 tivate you to learn more\, and instill pride in our ancestral heritage.&rd
 quo\;\n\nThe September 9 event will take place at the Gardena Valley Japan
 ese Cultural Institute (GVJCI) Nisei Veterans Memorial Hall\, 1964 W. 162n
 d St.\, Gardena. Admission is $5 for OAA members\, $10 for the public\, an
 d free for children 10 and younger (funds will go toward the OAA&rsquo\;s 
 cultural and educational activities). Due to limited space\, priority seat
 ing will be given to those who RSVP by September 8: oaamensore@gmail.com\,
  310-532-1929. Visit oaamensore.org to preview Ing&rsquo\;s music.
DTSTAMP:20240419T224830Z
SUMMARY:Okinawan Identity and Our Languages: Talk/Concert feat. Brandon Ing
URL:/en/events/2017/09/09/okinawan-identity-and-our-languages-talkconcert/
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR