Documentary for Shimakutuba Revitalization
Mirokuyu Yenu Umiitachi
Shimakutuba Documentary
The documentary centers around the bold efforts of Okinawa Hands-On to maintain interest in Ryukyu culture, history and in particular language in the face of the relentless march toward modernization and urbanization. At the heart of the program are the interviews in which students, teachers, elders, artists and academics share their contrasting and sometimes controversial views on the need for Uchinanchu to maintain strong ties with their roots via Shimakutuba, their common language.
Interspersed with the interviews are traditional and historically important Okinawan songs performed in Shimakutuba on stage by the members of Hands-On’s incredibly talented Youth Club. Viewers will come away with a deeper understanding of the plight of Shimakutuba as a living language and the struggle of Okinawans to maintain their unique identity in the midst of Japanese hegemony and bombardment by American pop-culture. Uchinanchu around the world will be inspired to communicate in their native language and reconnect with their roots. |
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Updates
We would like to introduce one of our documentary interviewees, professor Shigehisa Karimata.
Karimata-sensei talks about “Chimugukuru,” the Okinawan soul, and about some of the challenges associated with preserving Ryukyu languages. Karimata-sensei explains the importance of protecting minority languages and stresses that we cannot afford to let the minor languages of the Ryukyu islands pass into antiquity. Karimata-sensei, ippee nifwee deebiru! (Shimakutuba in Roman Aplhabet is below) Documentary nkai nu shutsuen itadachooru Ryuukyuu Daigaku nu Karimata Shigehisa Kyooju nu shoukwai yaibiin. Karimata shinshii ya nama ushinaari kakitooru uchinaa nu fuujuku, bunka kara uchinaanchu nu chaaga narathicharu chimugukuru, Ryuukyuu shogo hozon keishou-shi ichuru wiinji chimugakai sariishini chiithi ufanashi-shi kwimisoochan. Karimata shinshii ya minority gengo nkai nu tayousei ga ippe-teeshichi n diru kutu iyattooi, chunuchaa ga minority gengo,hougen ni chiithi mukanshin diru kutu nuru shimakutuba ga uturuthi ichuru magisaru mondai nu tiichi ndiru kutu imisoochan. Karimata shinshii gokyouryoku ippe-nifwee deebiru. (June 28th, 2018) |
Haisai Everyone! We’d like to give you on our documentary. Today we would like to introduce Ms.Tsuyako Shimabukuro, the leader of Deigo Musume, a legendary Okinawan traditional folk music group. The group is renowned for singing “Kanpou nu Kweenukusaa, which means "people who survived the bombardment in the Battle of Okinawa.” Ms.Tsuyako Shimabukuro also plays an important role in demonstrating leadership as the chief of a ward and encourages every person in her community of Chatan Town Eguchi Ward to become involved. In her interview, she gets to the core of the importance of Okinawan local dialects of Shimakutuba.
(Shimakutuba in Roman Alphabet is below) Haisai Gusuuyoo, Chuu wuganabira. Kunkeen watta Okinawa Hands-On ga seisaku so-ru documentary nu shinchoku un nuki yabira. Uchinaa ikusa atunu chunu ichizama tu ichimabui nu ariyoo ippe-kumirattoru uta uchinaa daihyou suru Deigo Musume san nu fumetsu nu minyoo kyoku "Kanpoo nu kweenukusaa." unu Deigo musume san nu kajitui sooru Shimabukuro Tsuyako-san goshoukai sabira. Wattaga sonkei sooru Shimabukuro Tsuyako sanoo utanu kajitui bikeeya aibiran, Chatan-cho Eguchiku nu jichikwaichou tushi Chuishiijii nu yenishi hirugiru katudoun sooibiin. Shimabukuro Tsuyako-san nu uhanashi nu tuikee uti Uchinanchu nu identity tushi nama aru shimakutuba nukuchi ichuru teeshichi sani chiiti katati kwimisheebiitan. (May 21st, 2018) |
We interviewed Professor Tomoko Arakaki of Okinawa Christian University for our documentary. She tells us how the image of Shimakutuba has changed in negative ways and how important it is to reform that image as well as recognize the value of Shimakutuba, the language of the Ryukyu people. (Shimakutuba in Roman Alphabet is below)
Documentary nu hanashi nu tuikee nu naaka uti Okinawa Christian University nu Arakaki Tomoko Shinshii ya, shimakutuba nu inshou nu chanugutu shi kawati, mata namanu shimakutuba nu chigatooru mikata keeti unu kachi wakairu kutu nu teeshichi sani chiiti katati kwimi sheebitan. (May 1, 2018) |
Haisai everyone! We interviewed an energetic fisherman in Yomitan, Mr.Susumu Fukuji. He speaks Tokeshi Kutuba in Yomitan, which was passed on from his parents. He tells us about the importance of communication using proper language in different situations and gives a message to the next generation. He uses Shimakutuba with other fishermen and says it is easier for them to communicate in Shimakutuba with each other.
(Shimakutuba in Roman Alphabet is below) Haisai! Yuntanzauti kurashigata sooru Fukuji Susumu-sanun kai interview sabitan. Futauya kara ukichijyaru Tokeshi-kutuba katairu Fukuji sanoo nama banji nu uminchu yaibiin. Fukuji sanoo kutuba nu chikaiishi tuka, kutuba kawasukutunu teeshichisa, urikara chiginu shideenu chunuchaan kai kutuba katati kwimisoochyan. naman genba uti yusunu uminchunu chaa tu shimakutubashi katatoon dinu kutu yaibiin. (April 23, 2018) |