Loochoo nu Kwa Podcast

The University of Hawaiʻi, Hilo campus has been designated as the National Indigenous Language Center, and offers a graduate program in Indigenous Language Revitalization and Education through Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, the Hawaiian Language College.  Koutaro Yūji is the first student from Uchinā to receive his MA degree in the program and is continuing his studies to receive his PhD for Indigenous language revitalization and education.  Ka Haka ʻUla has become and essential resource for Indigenous language revitalization, as they share, connect and support many Indigenous communities form around the globe.  It has put Hawaiʻi on the map as the center for language revitalization work.  In this podcast, we talk with Koutaro about his experience and his continuing journey for renormalizing Uchināguchi.  

How do we open our eyes to be more connected to identity and to be able to take the responsibility to keep the connection to our ancestors, land, culture and language.  Sometimes it takes going away from the ancestral land to look from the outside.  Rinna is a student of Okinawa Christian University who is currently studying in Honolulu.  She hopes to deepen her understanding of Okinawa and help encourage others to decolonize and become empowered to reclaim true Ryūkyūan identity.

In many places, especially in Indigenous communities, Columbus Day or Discovererʻs Day is being replaced with Indigenous Peoplesʻ Day.  If we look at the background of "Columbus Day" or "Discovererʻs Day", if we really know and understand our histories, we can see that the observance is really a colonial erasure of Indigenous people, history and knowledge.  Letʻs look at who are the real discoverers as we look at who we are as Indigenous people.

Lots of discussion lately on social media on the topic of "Shimanchu".  We need to look at our identity and in how it is connected to our ancestral world view as indigenous people of Loochoo.  Our ancestors, like other indigenous people, didnʻt have a word for being indigenous because they understood who they were and didnt have people question where they came from.  When we begin to discuss and look at our true origins and what is connecte that makes us who we are we can revitalize our cultural identity with that connection to our ancestors and spiritual relationship tht is essential to who we are as indigenous children of Loochoo.

The youth riots in Okinawa on Thursday night sparked immediate condemnation from local communities and racial and hate speeches from mainland Japanese towards the youths who participated in the rare type of uprising.  For the country of Japan as a whole, this incident is almost unheard of, which made it hit national news in Japan.   While Japanese newspapers filled headlines with subtle accusations and stories lacking facts, Okinawa media have been quick to question the police authorities who have not been releasing information about the incident or the cause.
As continued subjugation of Loochoo/Okinawa continues, so does the drop out rates, less than standard educational scores, increased single parent families, increase in local crime, economy that is forced to be dependent on hosting US and Japanese military. and democratic voice being stifled by the Japanese governments heavy hand for itʻs colonial agendas.
This discussion looks at Thursdays incident with a lens that sees underlying disparities that have built up throughout Okinawaʻs history from the illegal annexation and overthrow of 1879, to the banning of local languages, assimilation policies, WWII and American occupation, and the "reversion" back to Japanese control.  These connect to the similarities of other colonized indigenous communities as we see and realize parallels in which we can also find strength and empowerment when we support each other, and in Okinawaʻs situation, help to open their eyes and minds to looking at the underlying problems which have festered and led to this kind of incident.......not to be condemned, but to begin asking questions, assessing, and finding ways to face the problems instead of ignoring or forcing handicaps to be in line with the norm.  This is a very difficult discussion, but I believe itʻs one that needs to be continued.  
Ippee Nifeedeebiru for listening.

In this episode I talk with Ryan Ueunten whose journey to connect and take on the responsibility to help take care of the place he lives in while supporting and honoring the host people and culture of Hawaiʻi.  Ryan exemplifies the Okinawan values of our ancestors through his work and continued learning. 

"Njoo nu naaka, chaa natoibiigaya? "  "How is your relationships?"  
"Naaka" is the Uchinaaguchi word for "relationships".  However, how much do we recognize or understand "relashionships" when it comes to who we are as indigenous Shimanchu?  How broad is our lens and what does it include?
In relating to the relationships ad responsibilities we have inherited, this episode shares somethings to think about to help to broaden the perspective of "Relationships/ Naaka" to help strengthen that foundation of who we are.

These days we are surrounded and impacted by convenience.  How much do we understand and see our Loochooan/Okinawan identity?  By looking and listening...being more sensitive and connected to our ancestral lens and indigenous perspective, we can see and understand deeper about who we are and where we come from.  We just need to re-establish that indigenous perspective to see and hear through our ancestorsʻ eyes and ears.

Looking at Irei no Hi for us today and what it means.  The Memorial Day in Okinawa is observed each year on June 23.  We remember and pray for all victims of the war, especially our ancestors who were brutally sacrificed and whose memories live on today.  Survivors have shared their stories, but what is being done to make sure that these things never happen again?  Do we separate ourselves as diaspora or from the history and just take it in as a story?  The war continues in Okinawa with the US military occupation, Japanʻs continual forcing of the US and Japanese military burden, and discrimination.

Exciting and interesting discussion with Tatsuki Kohatsu who is a student from Okinawa studying at the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa.  He talks about his experiences during his interviews for research when working on his Masters thesis and also talks about the essential connection to place as Shimanchu.  He is one of the young up and coming warriors who is reclaiming voice for Okinawa.