Category Archives: 2018

Meeting Chiaki Maehara – Director of Okinawa AMICUS Intl.

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One important means of strengthening ties between the Okinawan homeland and the Okinawan diaspora is through educational exchanges.  Chiaki Maehara, Director of Okinawa AMICUS, was in town networking with leaders of the Hawaii Uchinanchu community.

Standing: Chiaki Maehara – Director of Okinawa AMICUS with Gregg Takara – incoming WUB Hawaii President; Sitting Left to Right: Courtney Takara – HUOA 2018 President, Robert Arakaki, Cyrus Tamashiro, David Arakawa, Yuichiro Harry Masuda, Jo Ige – HUOA 2019 President, John Tasato, and Bob Nakasone

East-West Center grantee, Yuichiro Harry Masuda, wrote:

It was a great first step for AMICUS to make connection with Hawaiʻi Uchinanchu.

I hope AMICUS can build a connection with Hawaiʻi and send students to Hawaiian schools after their graduation from AMICUS. Or launch some educational program with students/people in Hawaiʻi.

I believe that AMICUS can also help Uchinanchus in Hawaiʻi in many ways, such as becoming a host school when Hawaiʻi students go to Okinawa for short stay program or becoming translating/interpreting volunteer when Hawaiʻi Uchinanchus make contacts with relatives in Okinawa, especially during the World Uchinanchu Festival period.

 

Okinawa AMICUS campus

 

Okinawa AMICUS educational philosophy is:

Developing global citizens who can think, learn and act independently
in a learning environment where students forge their own paths for the future.  Link

 

Okinawa AMICUS middle school students on outing

 

 

Gregg Takara Recognized

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Incoming WUB Hawaii President, Gregg Takara, has been making the news. Congratulations Gregg!

Meg Obenauf, Gregg Takara, Rhonda Griswold, and Alan Okamoto

The Trust for Public Land: Congratulations to our long-time Hawaiʻi Advisory Board member and environmental champion, Gregg Takara, on being honored with the Hawaii Community Foundation‘s Outstanding Professional Advisor in Philanthropy award! We are so grateful to have your guidance and support all these years.

 

Celebrating the acquisition of 2,900 acres for the Helemano Wilderness Recreation Area,

Mahalo to Governor David Ige, the State Forestry & Wildlife Div, Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, Representative Lei Learmont, the U.S.D.A. Forest Legacy Program, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Program, Kawailoa Wind Project and D.E. Shaw, the State Legacy Land Conservation Program, Dole Food Company, and Andres Albano Jr RL Est Devlopr and our own Hawaiian Islands Advisory Board (shout out to Gregg Takara) for making possible the purchase ($15.1 million!) and protection of nearly 2,900 acres of land in Central O`ahu, the Helemano Wilderness Recreation Area, for watershed protection, forest and habitat restoration, and recreation (camping, hiking, hunting).

Gregg Takara with Gov. David Ige

 

 

 

Gov. Denny Tamaki – WUB Network Honorary President

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WUB Network President Steve Sombrero and Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki

WUB Netwrok is happy and honored to announce that Mr. Denny Tamaki, Governor of Okinawa, has officially accepted to be WUB Network Honorary President.

On behalf of all WUB members, outgoing WUB Network  President, Steve Sombrero,  presented a letter of request to Governor Denny and he accepted it at the meeting.
Vice Governor, Mr. Tomikawa, also joined the meeting which made us even happier.

Governor Denny is very approachable and values WUB’s worldwide network.

Mariko Kuniyoshi
WUB Network, secretary
WUB Network website

 

Gov. Denny Tamaki meeting with WUB officers

Shaka!  WUB Network President Steve Sombrero and Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki

 

 

Summary of October 25 Meeting – Ballot Questions

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Prof. Colin Moore

We had a great speaker, UH Prof. Colin Moore, at the October General Membership meeting that provided insights supported by data. Thank you Robert Arakaki for securing Dr. Moore as our speaker.

With regard to the Constitutional Convention question, he handed out the “Citizens’ Jury Statement for the Constitutional Conventional Ballot Question” (see attached) that provides results of a new voter education process involving a small group of Hawai’i citizens conducted early fall, 2018. Results were 12 of 18 jury member supported holding the Con-Con and my observations are the opposition might have a larger media voice.

The statement could also provide a road map to improve the Constitutional Convention process and respond to concerns.

For more information on the voter education process:
http://www.publicpolicycenter.hawaii.edu/projects-programs/con-con-citizens-jury.html

With regard to the City Charter question on HART (Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation), the “yes” vote is intended to mean improving oversight and decision making. Many are concerned that this question is not being adequately explained and in jeopardy of not passing.

Be an informed voter and understand what each question means. And also remember a blank vote is a “no” vote. Visit: https://elections.hawaii.gov/voters/constitutional-and-charter-amendment-questions/

John Toguchi
President, WUB Hawai’i

WUB in South America – 2018

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Working the Net Together

In August 2018, a group of WUB Hawaii delegates traveled to Brazil to attend WUB Network’s 22 anniversary conference and to take part in the 118th anniversary of the arrival of immigrants from Okinawa to Brazil. Through these visits the worldwide network among Uchinanchus is strengthen through friendship and collaboration.  Below are some pictures of this visit.

L to R: Jin-kichi Uezu, John Tasato, Issamu Teruya, Julie Higa, and John Toguchi

At the Brazil Okinawa Festival, held at Villa Carrao, August 4 and 5, 2018, the Hawaii delegation got to meet with Jin-Kichi Uezu, President of WUB Okinawa, and Issamu Teruya, President of Cofema, distributor of construction materials and supplies.

 

L to R: Kenji Oshiro, John Tasato, and Yuichiro Harry Masuda

Goodwill Ambassador meeting.  At left is Kenji Oshiro, President of WUB Brazil and WUB Network’s next president (term begins 2019), John Tasato, and EWC grantee Harry Masuda.  Harry is wearing the distinctive Okinawa-inspired Bokunen Naka block-print shirt.

 

WUB Network Cake.  The golden ’22’ on the cake celebrates twenty-two years of WUB’s existence

The WUB Network meeting was held at Churrascaria Nova Pampa, a Brazilian BBQ restaurant.  WUB Brasil’s website

 

Steve Kishaba Sombrero with Carla Taba, President and owner of Invel Goen3

 

Carla Taba is President and owner of Invel’s subsidiary in Orlando, Brazil — Invel Goen3. The company sells products made from materials that increases circulation, combines Japanese technology and research with Brazilian fashion.  She is married to Mario Hirata. This is one of the companies WUB visited. Carla’s Linked in

 

Steve Kishaba Sombrero with Issamu Teruya and his wife.

Steve presenting Issamu Teruya and his wife with a plaque from WUB Network after our visit at Cofema.

CNPJ M.N TERUYA COMERCIAL DE FERRAMENTAS LTDA COFEMA ATACADISTA

 

 

Greeting Miyakojima Students

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In August 2018, a group of middle school and high school students from Miyakojima Island spent a few days in Hawaii to improve their English and learn about Hawaii and American culture.

East-West Center student Yuicihi Harry Masuda and I drove over to the Hawaii Tokai International College out in Kapolei to greet the students and give them a box of ono Leonard’s malasadas.

Robert Arakaki and Yuichi Harry Masuda with Miyakojima students. We gave them a box of ono Leonard’s malasadas.

The Ryukyu Kingdom (present day Okinawa prefecture) comprised many islands and multiple languages.  The Miyakoan language also Sumafutsu is a language distinct from Nihongo (the language of mainland Japan) and Uchinaaguchi (the language of Okinawa island).  Where the people of Okinawa island say “nifedebiru” for “thank you,” the people of Miyakojima say “tandigatandi.”  Since coming under Japanese administration, the indigenous language of Miyakojima has been slowly dying out.  Today most people in Miyakojima below the age of 60 do not speak Sumafutsu.

Originally from mainland Japan, Harry Masuda moved to Okinawa and learned about Okinawa’s distinctive culture and history.  When he attempted to speak to the Miyakojima students in their mother tongue, they waved their hands in embarrassment saying that they spoke Japanese.  This cultural and linguistic assimilation presents a serious challenge to the future of Uchinanchu identity in the Uchinanchu/Shimanchu homeland as well among the  worldwide Uchinanchu diaspora.

Note: “Uchinanchu” means “people of Uchina or Okinawa Island.”  “Shimanchu” means “island people” implying those who belong to the Ryukyus but not necessarily Okinawa Island.

See “Okinawa’s Endangered Languages” also published on the WUB Hawaii website.

 

 

Gov. Takeshi Onaga 1950-2018

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Gov. Onaga at 20th WUB Network Conference 2016  Credit: WUB Hawaii

Takeshi Onaga, the governor of Okinawa, passed away on 8 August 2018 from complications of pancreatic cancer.

He was born in 1950 in Naha into a  political family. His father, Josei, was mayor of Naha at the time of his birth. Although his mother discouraged him from following in his father’s footsteps, Onaga decided, while in elementary school, that he wanted to become a politician. When he studied at Hosei University in Tokyo, Onaga needed a passport from American-occupied Okinawa to enter mainland Japan.

Onaga was a rare conservative politician who stood up to the leaders of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. In 2014, he ran for the governorship on a platform that opposed the relocation of the Futenma Air Base to Henoko in northern Okinawa and called for the ending of American occupation of Okinawa. He won the governorship and in October 2015 Onaga revoked the land reclamation permit needed for construction in Henoko.

On 11 August 2018, 70,000 people attended a rally in Okinawa in honor of Governor Onaga’s memory and his struggle against the relocation of Futenma Air Station to Henoko in northern Okinawa.

Onaga enjoyed close ties with Hawaii and was a strong supporter of WUB Network. In a statement read at WUB Network’s 21st Conference, Governor Onaga expressed that “WUB’s engagement in business throughout the world holds immense significance in Okinawa.” (source) Governor Onaga was named Honorary Chair of the 20th WUB Network Conference held during the 2016 Taikai.

During the 2016 Taikai, Governor Onaga joined Hawaii’s Governor David Ige and WUB Network President Steve Kishaba Sombrero.

Gov. David Ige,  Steve Sombrero, and Gov. Takeshi Onaga at 2016 Taikai

 

References

Motoko Rich. 2018. “Okinawa governor criticized U.S. military base presence.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser/ New York Times

Shannon Tiezzi. 2015. “It’s Official: Okinawa Governor Withdraws Permission for US Base Construction.” The Diplomat.

Wu Li Jun.  “Celebrating 20 years of bonds built through business, the WUB vow to “Work the Net Together” at conference in Hawaii.” Ryukyu Shimpo, 3 September 2017.

 

 

Irei No Hi – June 24, 2018

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WHERE  Jikoen Hongwanji Buddhist Temple
1731 N. School Street  Honolulu HI

DATE      Sunday – June 24, 2018  9 AM

Open to the public

Irei no Hi – “the day to console the dead”

The Irei No Hi Memorial Service remembers all of those, American and Japanese soldiers and Okinawan civilians, who lost their lives during the Battle of Okinawa that raged from April through June 1945.

Over 240,000 lives were lost with Okinawan residents, among them children, accounting for half of the war victims.

On June 24, Jikoen Temple members will honor not only the victims of the Battle that ended 73 years ago but all of the victims of all wars.

Program

  • A report on how Okinawa changed their understanding of peace by Lisa Grandinetti, labor organizer for Aikea/Local 5, and by a member of Women’s Voices Women Speak.
  • Poetry reading by Aiko Yamashiro, UH Manoa instructor, and Delaina Thomas, M.F.A. in Poetry Writing from UC Irvine.
  • Hula to an Okinawan favorite “Hana” by Shelby Oshiro, Pete Doktor, and Chantel Ikehara.
  • Traditional Buddhist chant honoring the dead by the Rev. Shindo Nishiiyama.

For more information: 808-845-3422 or dok@riseup.net

Co-sponsors: Jikoen Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, Hawaii Okinawa Alliance, and Women’s Voice Women Speak.