People often ask me if I’m Hawaiian. Others guess that I’m Asian, but they’re not sure exactly what country my family’s from. So what am I? I’m Japanese! Well, half actually. Even more accurately, I’m half Okinawan.
You may know Okinawa from such places as (insert Troy McClure voiceover): Karate Kid 2 (Mr. Miyagi is from Okinawa), The Okinawan Diet (longest living in the WORLD, yo!) and my personal favorite, Flo Rida’s current hit, I Cry:
0:34 mark (“I got fans in Okinawa”)
Okinawa is a tiny island south of Japan. For many years it was an American territory, and there have been American bases on the island for years since World War II (see more about the Battle of Okinawa here). My grandparents lived through the war, my parents met because of said military presence years later, and here I am today.
Today I wanted to go back a couple of years to a trip that I took with my family to see our family and most important: my grandma.
My Baachan (grandma in Japanese) in her fresh-to-death glasses
My Baachan has been the most influential person in my life. Everything she taught us as kids has shaped who I am. Her horror stories of war, in particular– from having to navigate around dead bodies as a child to being gassed in a cave — are unbelievable and unforgettable. The fact that she is such a kind, forgiving, loving and generous person despite living through all of that is incredible to me. She always taught us to treat others well– and to be a good person in general– when she easily could have chosen to be bitter. When my parents met my dad was an American Marine. She could have shunned him based on that alone, and you couldn’t have blamed her. But she and my grandfather accepted him. I admire them both for that.
My Baachan’s home
My grandma is actually one of not too many Okinawan elders left who speak Okinawan Hogen, which used to be the exclusive language but was phased out in favor of Japanese. It was fascinating to me as a kid (and even now) to hear her and her friends and the older generation of our families speak it. It’s really unfortunate that Hogen developed a stigma– I picked up a book on it and thought about learning it once, but was discouraged. Assimilation for the lose (totally not a phrase but I’m going to make it work in this case).
My grandfather and his brothers built the house, above, that my grandma lived in with him both while he was still alive and after he passed away. Then, a few years ago, the government decided they wanted to expand the road. So the house was demolished.
We used to chase mini frogs in the garden of the hospital next door and cut up little kumquats that we gathered from trees. I loved running after cicadas and catching them with a net and running down the street to the neighborhood shop where we would buy little treats for 10 yen (10 cents). My cousins, sister and I used to bring Japanese comics that we would buy from the used books store to my grandma’s house and lay on the floor in the sweltering humidity, fairly certain that we were going to die from the heat. My Baachan used to give us money for individual ice creams, and we would open them excitedly, because the base had a paper slip that would tell you if you’d won another free cone.
I was so thankful to be able to see that house one last time.
We did some really fun things on the trip, too, though. So don’t worry– this isn’t a depressing story! My family all went up north to take a drive, see the aquarium (one of the largest in the world), and have a short stay at a hotel.
My cousins, sister, and Baachan at the hotel we stayed at– looking out at the insane blue water
I don’t know about your family– but when mine travel together, we all sleep together in one giant room. On the tatami (straw mat) and on beds. It might be weird by American standards, but is actually totally normal for us.
Some big-ass whale sharks. The tank is huge and also houses a ton of fish and sting rays too.
We also went to Okinawa World, which is amazing (mostly that it is called World considering Okinawa is only 3 hours tip to tip long). It’s really touristy but my grandma insists that we go every time (and I will admit, I like it). The above photo are dancers dressed in traditional dancing garb. I used to do drumming when I was a kid too– with much smaller drums and different outfits. The big drums make this amazing boom sound, and it always excites me to hear them played.
Okinawan mascot… guy? Girl? Elph nymph person? With a sign that says “Men-so-re” which means welcome in Hogen.
Snake education
One of the craziest things about Okinawa World is that when I was a kid, they used to have a mongoose vs. cobra show where the crowd would gather and watch them fight to the death. Yes, I know, totally inhumane. Luckily they realized that (possibly after the pressure from animal rights activists), and now it’s an educational show. And instead of making the animals fight to the death, they now make them do…
This.
They have a swim-off. I’m really not sure if it’s better or worse, but I can tell you that it really spares no dignity for the mongoose. The snake just kind of glides through and the mongoose dog/mongoose/whatever-paddles until it reaches the finish line.
We also spent time getting the skin roasted right off of our bodies (the sun in Okinawa is much hotter due to it being so close to the equator), shopping, eating, and just hanging out in general.
My cousin also happens to be in a couple of anime theme song cover bands, which is as awesome as it sounds (and I say that in total sincerity), because they all dress up in anime clothes and rock out (I can’t decide is rock out is the appropriate phrase, but it works) on stage. She was great, though. When I asked her how she learned to sing, she told me it’s because of all the years she spent practicing at karaoke.
These photos were all taken when I had no idea what the heck I was doing with a camera (and was actually even focusing the lens manually). Someday I’d like to go back to take more comprehensive photos now that I have things together a little more photography-wise.
For now, I hope you enjoyed the little tour. I want to leave you with one more gem, taken from a trip a few years prior to this one. In case you still had any doubts that I am, in fact, Japanese.
DON’T JUDGE ME IT’S A JAPANESE RIGHT OF PASSAGE:
My Baachan was adamant that this happen.
When you’re twenty, you’re officially considered a woman and they put your in a kimono and hike your hair up to heights only known by Marge Simpson. My grandma kept telling me that I would be glad that I did it. And you know, even though I think it is hilarious in a lot of ways, I think I really am glad I did too.
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Have you ever been to Okinawa? Where is your family from? What are the funny/interesting/weird things that happen in your culture?
