2007 HUOA Leadership Study Tour
By David Tokuda, Kochinda Chojin Kai/Yaese City
 
            The moment I stepped onto the soil of Okinawa on September 27, 2007, I knew this would be the start of a journey I would always remember.  It’s ironic when I think about how unsure I was at first about whether I should participate in this leadership tour.  It was through my late grandmother’s encouragement to enhance my understanding and appreciation of the Okinawan culture that I decided to accept this opportunity.  In my family, grandma always had a way of knowing what to do, and I can definitely say she was right again.
 
            As soon as we arrived in Okinawa after a long day of traveling, we were greeted by officials from the OPG. To my surprise a few of my relatives also made the drive from Kochinda to welcome me.  This was the first sign of how warm and welcoming the people of Okinawa are. 
 
             Our itinerary on this tour was often times full from early mornings to late evenings. Since there were many interesting places we visited and events that we attended, it was difficult to narrow down what I liked best about this trip.  Here are a few highlights of the trip that made this a memorable experience.
 
            Before I decided to go on this leadership tour, I didn’t know much about the war in Okinawa.  Our leadership coordinator, Jane Serikaku, provided us with some information but, it didn’t mean much to me at the time.  On our fifth day in Okinawa we were scheduled to tour the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park.  I expected it to be similar to the park in Hiroshima which I visited while I lived there.  However, being at this Memorial Park felt a lot different because it made me realize the hardship that my family and other families must have experienced during the war.  As I walked through the museum and read about the casualties and suffering, I gained a better appreciation of the life we live today. 
 
            Another memorable moment was our visit with producer, director, and performer, Daiichi Hirata. We were scheduled to learn how to dance with the paranku and perform the hula that we had practiced before the trip.  What I didn’t expect was a special performance from the students at the community center.  The students were very talented and entertaining, but what impressed me the most was their enthusiasm and charisma.  These students expressed their passion and dedication to their culture through the art of Okinawan dance and music.  Whenever I reflect on that night at the community center, I still get goose bumps remembering the Uchinachu spirit that I felt at that performance.
           
               Homestay was a valuable experience that allowed me to spend quality time with my relatives in the town of Kochinda.  I had met my relatives on a few occasions in Hawaii, but other family members would always take the responsibility of entertaining them while they were in the islands.  From the very first day that my cousin and I arrived at their home until the last day that we left, my relatives showered us with their hospitality and generosity.  They treated us to many delicious meals, took us sightseeing, and generously gave us many gifts to take back to Hawaii.  Even though I couldn’t fully express myself at times because of the language barrier, just being there and spending time with them was a very heartwarming experience.  When I look back at how my grandparents and parents raised our family, I realize that many of these values that we were brought up with are a reflection of the culture of my family and others in Okinawa.
 
            I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the many individuals who made this leadership tour possible.  First of all I’d like to thank the staff at OPG for making this trip a wonderful experience.  Mr. Oshiro, thank you to your department and staff for allowing us to experience all the wonderful places and events of Okinawa.  Okuda san, thank you for all your hard work and planning throughout the entire trip.  I know you must have had many long, sleepless nights worrying about us.  Gabe, thank you for being such an awesome interpreter throughout the entire trip. I know being an interpreter is a tough job and we are all very appreciative of the patience that you had shown toward us.
 
            To our HUOA “adults”, Jane, Dave, and Laverne thank you very much for all the hard work and patience.  Jane thank you for always keeping us on time and for organizing this trip.  All of us really appreciate all the hard work that you put into this trip and for all that you do for the HUOA.  Dave thanks for hanging out with us “younger adults” and making this trip a memorable experience. The Okinawan community should feel very lucky to have such a great president.  Laverne, thank you for being so generous throughout the entire trip.  I know you will do an awesome job when the next leadership tour comes around in a few years.
 
            I am also very grateful to the members of Kochinda for giving me this opportunity to take this trip to Okinawa.  I really hope that many of you will have the opportunity to visit Okinawa and our town of Kochinda.  I felt very honored and privileged to experience the culture of Okinawa.
 
            Finally, I’d like to thank the rest of the members of the 2007 leadership tour.  This was a very special experience for me and it wouldn’t have been possible without all of you.  All of you have very special talents and I know many of you will become great leaders within your club or at the HUOA.  I know the bond and friendship that we created on this trip will last for many years to come. One Okinawan word that truly reflects this leadership tour group is “icharibachode”, which means, “once we meet we will be family for life”.  I considered you friends at the beginning of the trip and now consider you family.
 
Nifee deebiru
David Tokuda

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