Category Archives: Contemporary

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki visits Hawaii

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Denny Tamaki, Governor of Okinawa, meets David Ige, Governor of Hawaii, on 22 March 2019

Okinawa governor, Denny Tamaki, came to Hawaii in March 2019 to meet with members of the local Uchinanchu community. In his meeting with Hawaii governor, David Ige, Tamaki expressed his keen interest in Hawaii’s success in reviving the Hawaiian language. By bringing back the language, the Hawaiian activists helped bring back and revitalize Hawaiian culture. Gov. Tamaki hopes that a similar revival in Uchinaaguchi can happen in Okinawa. Part of his itinerary included participating in Ukwanshin Kabudan’s Uchinanchu identity summit where he will meet with people working to revive the language and culture of Okinawa.

Gov. Tamaki also met with the members of WUB Hawaii at a breakfast meeting held at the East-West Center. He is a strong supporter of WUB and is the honorary president of WUB Network. The event was held at the East-West Center because EWC has partnered with WUB Hawaii in many important conference events — Uchinanchu Talk Story series.

Gov. Denny Tamaki with WUB founder, Bob Nakasone, on his left and East-West Center president, Richard Vuylsteke, and WUB Hawaii current president, Gregg Takara, to his right.

Gov. Tamaki’s visit illustrates how the strength and vitality of the Uchinanchu community worldwide is rooted in networking and relationship building. There is an Okinawan saying:

Shikinoo chui shiihii shiru kurasuru. – Let’s live helping each other in this world.


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

Contemporary Okinawan Artist – Bokunen Naka

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As in the past, Okinawa’s distinctive and vibrant artistic tradition continues to thrive.

When I first saw Harry Masuda’s shirt I did not give it much attention thinking it was just another Hawaiian aloha shirt, but when I took a closer look I realized that it was quite different in style and design.  His girl friend, Shiori Yamauchi, also studying at the East-West Center, had just bought the shirt at a museum in Okinawa.  It was only after asking more questions that I learned about Bokunen Naka and about Okinawa’s thriving contemporary artistic tradition.

EWC student Yuichiro Harry Masuda modeling a Bokunen Naka designed shirt

 

Close up of Bokunen Naka designed shirt made from wood block prints

Artist Bokunen Naka

Bokunen Naka was born on the island of Izena (Iheya) in 1953 – also the birthplace of King Sho En (1415).  As a child he always carried a sketchbook with him and made sketches of Okinawa’s creatures and landscape.  At the time he thought he would grow up to be a carpenter or fisherman.  One of his teachers recognized his talent and recommended he attend an art-based high school on the island of Okinawa.  Bokunen Naka gained recognition from his wood block prints.

He describes his wood block print:

Once the woodblock is finished, I spread black ink on the surface of the wood, and then press it against the paper. The black and white print is a mirror image of the carving in the wood. I then turn the paper over and paint in the colors on the back of the paper. This reverse coloring technique gives the process its name: uratesaishoku.

 

Iheya/Izena Island – birthplace of Bokunen Naka (1953) and King Sho En (1415)  source

 

Bokunen Art Museum in Mihama American Village, Chatan, Okinawa, Japan

 

“Daishoenkan” depicting Bokunen Naka’s impression of the world beneath the sea source

 

Bokunen Naka block print     Source

Recommended Readings

Bokunen Naka Official Website

Woodblock Artist Naka Bokunen – 10 years on

Iheya Island/Izena Island – Okinawa Island Guide

 

 

Jane Serikaku 1939-2018

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Jane Serikaku 1939-2018

Jane Fujie Serikaku, executive director of the Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA), passed away peacefully on July 6, 2018, surrounded by close family and friends.

A longtime leader in the Okinawan community, Jane was the HUOA’s first female president serving 1993-1994. She was appointed executive director of the HUOA in 2006 and served in that capacity until 2018.

Jane was an exemplary educator. While serving as principal at Iliahi Elementary School, she received the prestigious Milken Educator Award. Always a staunch supporter of education, she believed that the future of HUOA is dependent upon the youth and helped coordinate the Hawaii-Okinawa High School Student Exchange program for over 25 years. She also initiated the HUOA Leadership Study Tour giving young Okinawans from Hawaii an opportunity to visit their ancestral homeland and learn about Okinawan culture.

Jane was a second-generation (Nisei) Okinawan with ancestral ties to Nakagusuku Village. She was designated as an “Uchina Goodwill Ambassador” by the Okinawa Prefectural Government in 2006.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, August 9, 2018 at the Hawaii Okinawa Center. Visitation begins at 4:00 p.m. with memorial service at 6:00 p.m.

Me ka mahalo nui . . . . Nifeedeebiiru!

 

HUOA Press Release – Jane Serikaku

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.

 

Lei Diplomacy – 2018

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International Solidarity — Left to Right: Shin Oshiro, WUB Hawaii members Steve Miyashiro & Ed Kuba, and local retired high school teacher, Yoshiyasu Iha.

 

Ladies and Gents,

Just returned from Okinawa this morning from a successful trip to Kadena Air Base.

Our lei diplomacy event went very well and got good coverage in the two daily newspapers.

When we presented lei to the demonstrators, several ladies cried because of our show of support.  It gave the demonstrators publicity for their just protest against unfair militarization of Okinawa.  Our mission was accomplished!

Ryota Shimabukuro, the Ryukyu Shimpo‘s star reporter, forwarded the link for the article – click here.

Mahalo for your support, especially to the lei makers and lei money donors.

Aloha, Ed Kuba

 

 

April 30 – Community Talk Story

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Jikoen Hongwanji

Date:    30 April 2017 (Sunday)
Time     4:30 to 6:00 PM
Place:   Jikoen Hongwanji (1731 N. School St.)

From Surviving to Thriving

Sustaining Life past, present & future in Okinawa and Hawaii

Join in community conversation “yuntaku” sharing stories from the past, challenges today & hopes for the future.

For more info:
HOA (Hawai`i Okinawa Alliance)
dok@riseup.net

 

 

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