2007 HUOA Leadership Study
Tour
By Laura L.
Shinto, Okinawa City-Goeku
From the very first
meeting with the participants of the 2007 Leadership Tour till this very day the
multitude of experiences have impacted my life in various ways. Without a doubt I have been
enriched by the grace of new friendships and for that I am forever grateful.
Additionally, my perspective on
life is evolving on many levels...spiritually and emotionally. As new challenges and opportunities
emerge related to HUOA the experiences have an impact on the decisions I
make.
Upon signing up for
this tour I most certainly had expectations of becoming more knowledgeable about
Okinawa’s culture and history…on a journey which could be defined with a
definite beginning and an end. But
as you will discover as I have that
there is no “end” to it at all.
Our tour was
conceptually designed to cultivate enthusiasm and interest in the history and
culture. This in part was
accomplished by visits to the castle grounds and peace museums. At the castle
sites we trod on paths where ancestors have walked before us capturing snippets
of history. Entwined in the castle
visits we inevitably learned of a people who are true survivors and resilient in
order to overcome Japan’s envy of their prosperity. Visits to the peace monuments and
museums reflected the post war resiliency.
It has motivated us through the special honor of meeting with the
Governor of Okinawa who emphasized the importance of how instrumental we are as
bridges between Hawaii and Okinawa.
It has provided inspiration through opportunity to participate in
Okinawan crafts ( I made a cobalt blue glass vase and worked on bingata) and had
exposure to performing arts. My expectations have been fulfilled and
then some including other highlights such as cooking Okinawan cuisine,
participating with the renowned energetic Daiichi Hirata, and spending time with
Terukina Sensei and Tamagusuku Sensei.
I have a renewed appreciation for bittermelon and brown sugar for their
nutritional benefits. Further, the
musical experiences have heightened my interest in learning Okinawan songs and
dance and sharing Okinawa through this venue. I was elated to take up the
invitation from Tamagusuku Sensei because I not only learned a dance but had the
rare opportunity to don an exquisite kimono as part of that experience. All of these experiences were
truly delightful to all of my senses and to my soul.
And yes I have
countless pictures and a handful of souvenirs as proof that I was there. Unfortunately I don’t have a picture to
show you when it comes to seeing what the Okinawans see through their eyes, nor
is it possible to bottle or package what they feel for others or how they treat
others but I have brought back an Okinawan Heart as have the rest of my fellow
comrades. Through their kindnesses I have come to realize that the Okinawan
Heart is an attitude which celebrates life with reverence and embraces peace
with a reverence. This left
an indelible impression on me.
Inspite of a language barrier we still could feel the warmth and
sincerity from the government officials, the hotel employees, and the vendors…
each one enriched our lives a little bit more and nurtured our “Okinawan Heart”
a little bit more. I can only
express the “Heart” through paying forward to others the kindnesses extended to
me. Immersion with the Okinawans
have provided the experience of “Shinasaki” and “Ichariba Chode” . We always
knew the translation into English and now we FEEL it. This permeates through the thoughts and
actions of the people.
Let me share with
you further to illustrate how the trip has impacted my life through some of my
experiences. Here is my attempt to
capture it in pen and ink in depth and detail.
Quite expectedly
upon my return home I found myself on still another journey inspired by the
Okinawan Spirit which has indeed touched my heart. However, this journey has no “end”. The Peace Memorial Park has
impacted me spiritually and emotionally.
Okinawans experienced the atrocities of war yet their strong attitude
towards life is self evident. The
Cornerstone of Peace which is at the site of the last fight in the Battle of
Okinawa commemorates the 50th anniversary of the end of the Battle of
Okinawa. It is an example of how
they conceptually convey the spirit of peace to the world. It is a collection of large stone walls
shaped like folded screens configured in concentric arcs beginning from the
Flame of Peace as if to evoke the motion of waves…to send out waves of peace to
the world. The plates are inscribed
with the names of those who have fallen because of war regardless of nationality
whether soldiers or civilians (more civilians died than soldiers). It reflects the expression of hope for
peace for the souls who passed, serves as a prayer for eternal peace, and a
place to foster the reverence for peace and human life and a place to learn
about the tragedy of war. I have
come to embrace this mission of worldwide peace which is the underlying factor
embodied in the Okinawan Spirit. It
seems to be a natural thing to do once you visited this tranquil place. Entwined with this spirit is a special
kind of human resiliency as a response to the sufferings of war and rejecting
war while cherishing culture and peace.
This journey has no “end” but is meant to resonate for generations to
come.
Additionally, my
experience with Daichi Hirata was twofold, the first learning a dance and
participating in a performance and the second was to actually catch a snippet of
an entire musical play. This
was an honor on both counts and definitely surreal.
We were exhausted
when we arrived at the gym where we met Daiichi Hirata and his students, the
long day seeming longer than it was. As best I can recollect it was near 7 p.m.
and dinner was planned for around 9 pm.
Within moments after we arrived the students set out to demonstrate the
moves we needed to learn and of course we had a time limit to boot.
I observed how the
students moved so effortlessly.
It was self evident that this was a testament to their passion and
dedication to achieve this effortless movement. Besides they were so energetic, so
enthusiastic and so willing to share their knowledge. Physically and mentally exhausted we
struggled to keep up and tried our best to stay focused and to coordinate our
arms and legs. Before we knew it,
it was time to perform next to them side by side. So for a few brief moments we were
honorary cast members of a highly acclaimed director! What an honor! We suddenly felt rejuvenated by the music
coupled with the chance to participate!
Still on a “high”
of sorts from performing it was time for them to perform for us. An ethereal experience was to take place
in an ordinary gym. This gym would be magically transformed
into a heaven. Our clothes which
were now saturated with sweat and sticking to our bodies as if we had gone
swimming in them, our bodies glistening and our hair matted to our heads…we
welcomed the seats to rest our weary bodies to watch the special performance.
Armed with only a
few props and dressed in mere street clothes the performers took on their
roles. As soon as the first note
resounded we melted into the cast not wanting to miss any facial expression, not
wanting to miss any musical note, not wanting to miss any movement, not wanting
this experience to ever end. Audience and cast became one. We were totally immersed.
Clearly pulled into
the story we could feel the sadness of death…the excruciating pain of letting go
of a loved one and vice versa. Then
when death was imminent the angels hover.
They await the final transition when the spirit leaves the body and
becomes free. And finally a
relief if you will when the angels embrace one’s soul and the pain fades. We were all transported to
“heaven” through song. The emotions
were expressed wonderfully through song, facial expressions and choreography
transcending any language barrier and capturing all our faculties. We had become
enthralled by their extraordinary voices and moved to chicken skin level by the
ethereal songs. The choreography
and songs matched perfectly.
Individually movements were fluid and precise and collectively all
movements were seamless. I glanced
at my fellow comrades to find their eyes glued to the performers, their bodies
riveted to their seats, their minds mesmerized by the songs. We were not only paralyzed but were
hypnotized by that performance.
Breathless and
clearly wanting more when the performance ended (and we sadly didn’t want it to
end) our emotions were spilling out and our souls were turned inside out. All we could do to express our gratitude
was to give a standing ovation and clap our hands until they hurt. Now the unbearable sweltering heat, the
physical and mental exhaustion, the hunger pangs, and the thirst were long
forgotten and a renewed energy surged through our bodies. Having participated
amongst them and experienced the power of music made this truly
unforgettable.
Interestingly
enough as destiny would have it I was given an extraordinary “gift” to share a
visit to a tour member’s home in northern Okinawa (Kunigami). This was not any ordinary home, but
had been a refuge where her ancestors fled to 500 years ago to escape Japanese
occupation taking place in the southern part of the island. It was difficult to fathom the
concept of 500 years let alone to see one’s genealogy recorded in pen and ink
going back 14 generations. Someday
her name will be added to this list and it will go on for 14 more
generations. Someday one of her
descendants might be standing in the same spot looking back on 28 recorded
generations! Simply awesome! The
home and site preserved…pictures placed reverently in its place…the altar…they
kept the family together. They
refused to comply to the Japanese government…fought for what they believed was
right. This was indeed a part
of history. This is what it is all
about.
I stepped foot on
the grounds and into the house as an outsider, an intruder if you will, but
strangely enough as I rode away I felt a “kinship”. It was a feeling that I was looked
after not only by the spirits who resided in this haven but by the family that
welcomed me so warmly and graciously into their special home… and equally so
into their hearts.
Spiritually
something happened there for me.
Something great. It was as
if I had been given a great gift and in the natural order of events I felt
compelled to give back somehow to mankind.
I felt grounded as if I
found my own roots. Even though I had not located my own relatives…I knew in my
heart that we were all kin. It is
such a great feeling. This feeling
of kinship was simply an ethereal experience.
As I have observed,
human resiliency is entwined in shinasaki and the concept of ichariba
chode. This special kinship, an
attitude if you will, is to be celebrated.
It is expressed from one heart to another. It can’t be bottled, but only
experienced and paid forward to others.
Kinship has no parameters, no boundaries, no ethnicity, no color, no
prejudice. It is a spiritual
bond and an attitude. The
energy from this passion for kinship is the driving force for bridging Okinawa
and Hawaii and for bridging generation to generation.
Just weeks ago our
group took our first steps on Okinawan soil together simply as Okinawan
acquaintances …our minds clean slates…our hearts open. Upon return to Hawaii the many
hearts have naturally evolved into ONE HEART; deeply etched with the Okinawan
Spirit,Vision, Energy, and Kinship… the sum being greater than its parts. We must use our imagination, creativity,
resourcefulness and our enthusiasm to stimulate the next generations. This translates into a commitment to a
process which envisions a fusion of
Okinawa and Hawaii.
In closing a
mammoth thank you to the Okinawan Prefectural Government, HUOA, Jane Serikaku,
David Arakawa, and Laverne Higa-Nance, to my club Okinawa City-Goeku-Son, and to
my fellow comrades, whom I now consider my own kin Thank you all for being a part of the
enriching, insightful, colorful, and rewarding experiences. I am equally thankful for the
awesome comraderie which served as the perfect ingredient to such an enjoyable
journey…a most noteworthy open ended
journey…
Laura L.
Shinto
October 31,
2007