#uchinanchu

Books:

Alegal: Biopolitics and the Unintelligibility of Okinawan Life by Annmaria Shimabuku

Beachheads: War, Peace, and Tourism in Postwar Okinawa by Gerald Figal

Cold War Encounters in US-Occupied Okinawa by Mirei Koikari

Dancing with the Dead: Memory, Performance, and Everyday Life in Postwar Okinawa (Asia-Pacific: Culture, Politics, and Society)

Descent into Hell: Civilian Memories of the Battle of Okinawa by Ryukyu Shimpo

Ecopsychology of Border Islands of Okinawa by Tatsuhiro Nakajima

Heritage Politics: Shuri Castle and Okinawa's Incorporation into Modern Japan, 1879–2000 by Tze May Loo

Identity and Resistance in Okinawa by Matthew Allen

In the Woods of Memory by Shun Medoruma

Islands of Protest by Steve Rabson, Carolyn Anne Morley, Amy C. Franks, Shi Lin Loh, Aimee Mizuno, Takuma Sminkey, Kyoko Selden, Alisa Freedman, Victoria Young, Masaki Kinjo, Jon Holt, Robert Tierney

Island Sustainability by Hiroshi Kazaku

Liminality of the Japanese Empire: Border Crossings from Okinawa to Colonial Taiwan by Hiroko Matsuda

Essays on Okinawa Problems (2000) Ota Masahide

Odori by Darcy Tamayose

Resistant Islands by Satoko Oka Norimatsu

Rethinking Postwar Okinawa: Beyond American Occupation

shima (Poems) by Sho Yamagushiku

The Boundaries of ‘the Japanese’: Volume 1: Okinawa 1818-1972 - Inclusion and Exclusion (Japanese Society Series) by Eiji Oguma

The Girl with the White Flag by Tomiko Higa

The Night Parade by Jami Lin Nakamura

Transpacific Antiracism: Afro-Asian Solidarity in 20th-Century Black America, Japan, and Okinawa by Yuichiro Onishi

The Ryukyu Kingdom: Cornerstone of East Asia (2017) by Akamine Mamoru

YouTube Channels:

https://www.youtube.com/@WYUAOkinawa

ワンダフルオキナワ

琉球大学附属図書館

阿波根あずさの沖縄観光チャンネル

おきなわちゃんねるsupported by沖楽

Podcasts:

iYASASA RADIO イヤササレディオ

Ichariba Choodee

Not Just Gay

Hajichi Resources:

🌺 Limited Edition Alert: Uchinanchu Power Unleashed! 🌺

Today marks the release of a bold and unforgettable T-shirt design—crafted with heart, heritage, and unstoppable energy. This isn’t just a shirt. It’s a statement. A symbol. A celebration of Uchinanchu pride.

🔥 Only 200 numbered pieces available worldwide. Once they’re gone, they’re gone for good.

💥 Designed for those who carry the spirit of Okinawa in their soul.

Be one of the few to own this exclusive piece of wearable power.

👉 Claim yours before they vanish into legend.

It is not only a T Shirt It is a complete work of art with intrinsic meaning.

let's look at the work in detail

The main subject is a striking dragon that curls across the chest and extends onto the right shoulder.

The dragon has golden horns, a fierce open mouth with a red interior, and a serpentine body with intricate gold and blue scales. Its design is dynamic and energetic.

Surrounding the dragon and the flowers are soft, watercolor splatters in shades of teal, orange, and yellow, giving the impression of clouds or mist. A plume of white vapor rises from the dragon's mouth, adding to the ethereal quality of the artwork.

The overall style is a beautiful fusion of traditional motifs with a modern, artistic flair.

What is Uchinanchu !

Uchinanchu is a term from the Okinawan dialect that refers to native Okinawans—those born and raised in Okinawa or descended from Okinawan ancestors.

It’s more than just a label; it represents a distinct cultural identity separate from mainland Japanese, shaped by Okinawa’s unique history, language, and traditions.

🌏 Over the past century, many Uchinanchu emigrated to places like Hawai‘i, Brazil, and Peru, forming vibrant communities abroad. Despite the distance, they’ve maintained strong ties to their heritage. Every five years, Okinawa hosts the Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival, a massive homecoming event that celebrates this global diaspora and reinforces the pride and unity of Okinawan culture.

In essence, being Uchinanchu means carrying the spirit of Okinawa—its resilience, warmth, and deep-rooted sense of community—wherever life may lead.

Ready to purchase please contact us

Enjoy Kagu !

Lee A. Tonouchi Special to Da Hawai‘i Herald

My great grandma who wuz born in Okinawa in 1885 had traditional Okinawan hand tattoos known as hajichi. Esteemed Okinawan cultural expert, Eric Wada of da eju-ma-cational group Ukwanshin Kabudan wen do field research on what motivated Okinawan women for get their hajichi. Wada Shinshï (teacher) shares “hajichi was around and in use from pre-contact times so there is no written documentation of exactly when and how it started, however through oral and documented information, it evolved into a woman’s right of passage to adulthood and had many other spiritual connections, such as genealogy, cosmology and social status.”

Growing up my great grandma felt ashamed of her tattoos cuz in Okinawa, Okinawans wuz coming for be made for feel ashamed of everyting Okinawan. When she came Hawai‘i to work plantation, my great grandma wuz so self-conscious that she made my grandma promise that when she ma-ke time, she wanted to be put in da casket with gloves on.

But how could something that wuz once one mark of great cultural pride transform into one mark of shame? Wada Shinshï explains, “hajichi was banned and discouraged after the illegal annexation and overthrow of the Ryükyü Kingdom in 1879, which resulted in implementation of assimilation programs by the Japanese government, which brainwashed the native people to be ashamed of their ‘savage’ cultural practices and assimilate to the modern and ‘civilized’ Japanese culture.”

For da past several decades dis art form for Okinawan women had been dying out to da point where I noticed that most of my younger friends in Okinawa had nevah even seen hajichi before. Das how rare it wuz.

Interestingly, in da past couple few years seems like get one revival going on. Wada Shinshï shares his mana‘o on dis phenomenon: “I am happily cautious about the hajichi resurgence and optimistic because things that have been put to sleep can come back. There will be individuals who just want to do it as a fad or without such deep connections, and that is their choice, but for the most part, I see more interest in reviving the tradition connected to the deeper spirituality and identity.”

Below get tree young Local Uchinänchu women and their hajichi stories.

Imo I don't think they should even be called yakuza, if you're beating up on marines Im not bothered by it. I encourage it

Haisai, gusuuyoo. I hope everyone is safe and doing well. I teamed up with Nami Oshiro, a fantastic Shimanchu American artist based in Virginia, to create the first three items in an ongoing effort to raise funds for independent Shimakutuba practitioners and projects.

Many Shimanchu creators and educators are doing the work on their own time and out of their own pockets, so I'm hoping that this (and future fundraisers) can be a small show of support and gratitude.

This 3" sticker, 2.25" button, and 1.25" acrylic pin set features a Ramones logo-inspired design with an open-mouth shiisaa symbolizing the sharing of good things, i.e. our indigenous languages. There are several distinct languages throughout the Ryūkyū Islands (all of which are endangered), so we decided to go with the six regions recognized by UNESCO: Amami, Kunjan (Kunigami), Uchinaa (Okinawa), Myaaku (Miyako), Yaima (Yaeyama), Dunan (Yonaguni).

Please visit the Ko‑fi shop today! All proceeds (minus item production costs and shipping fees) will be donated to individuals/groups and I'll post receipts once the donations are made.

P.S. I'm still selling items through the Shimanchu Dushi-nu-chaa Online Sale, if you're interested in combining shipping.

Shiisaa illustration by Nami Oshiro

🔥 Arcanine Shisa 🔥

I couldn't end AAPI Month without making some art to celebrate! I designed these shisa after the Pokemon, arcanine. I love my Uchinanchu heritage.