Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai Proudly Shows Inherited Tradition
Two Goodwill Ambassadors Newly Appointed
Member of Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai and guests dance Kachaashii together at the finale of the Spring Party.
Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai welcomes guests with Okinawan cuisine.
The Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai’s 2023 Spring Party was held on April 1 at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in the north part of the City of Chicago. With an amazing performance of Yasuhide Uezu, a special guest from Okinawa Prefecture, the members of the Kenjinkai entertained the audience with a variety of the traditional Okinawan music, dance and Karate performances.
One of the highlights of the party was handmade dishes of Okinawan cuisine. The Kenjinkai members welcomed the guests with plenty of Okinawan food and hospitality. Some of the guests were the members of Okinawa Kenjinkai in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia and Hawaii.
Linda Asato, President of the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai, welcomed all the participants and reported about the 7th World Uchinanchu Festival which was held in October, 2022. She said more than 30 members participated in the four-day-long Uchinanchu Festival and had great times joining parades and events.
The World Uchinanchu Festival has been held every five years, and Asato said, “So it’s good for you to start preparing for the next one because it’s very exciting. That will be the year 2027.”
New Uchinanchu Goodwill Ambassadors
Two new Uchinanchu Goodwill Ambassadors from Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai were appointed by Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki last November. One is Michiko Ishikawa, Treasurer of the Kenjinkai, and another is Yujiro Uza, Director of the Shidokan Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karatedo in Arlington Heights.
Ishikawa said, “I would like to introduce Okinawa’s health eating, so that we can live long life. My passion is cooking. I’ll invite you to my cooking class.”
Uza said, “I would like to show Chicago people my Okinawa karate techniques for self-defense. I’ll show you some performances today, so please enjoy.”
Goodwill Ambassador Ikuko Nichols
Ikuko Nichols (L) is honored to receive medal from Okinawa Governor and Service Award from Linda Asato, President of Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai for her decades of contributions.
Ikuko Nichols served as an Uchinanchu Goodwill Ambassador for 12 years. She has also dedicated herself to the Kenjinkai as an officer and facilitator for more than 30 years. It was Nichols who raised a fund to make a pair of Okinawan Shishi and brought them to Chicago.
After the new ambassadors were appointed, Nichols resigned from ambassadorship and left the job to the younger members.
Nichols was honored to receive a medal from Okinawa Governor Tamaki and Service Award from the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai.
Nichols greeted the audience and said, “I married a man, who was born and raised in Chicago, and came to Chicago directly from Okinawa. When I was unfamiliar with a locality, I was introduced to the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai. I immediately signed up for the membership.”
Now the Kenjinkai has connected with the third and fourth generation of Okinawan and seen increase in younger membership. “Two Uninanchu Goodwill Ambassadors were appointed, so we’ll see new ideas and activities. Please support the two Ambassadors,” Nichols said to the audience.
Greeting Remarks by Consul General Hiroshi Tajima
Consul General Hiroshi Tajima
In his greeting remarks, Hiroshi Tajima, Consul General of Japan in Chicago, who was wearing Okinawan shirt kariyushi, expressed his gratitude to attend the spring celebration party and welcomed special guest Yasuhide Uezu to Chicago.
He praised Ikuko Nichols’ great works as a Goodwill Ambassador and contributions to the Kenjinkai for decades. He also applauded hard works of the Kenjinkai members to host the Spring Party.
Consul General Tajima reminded the audience of the 50th anniversary of the reversion of Okinawa to Japan in 2022 and said, “It was an important opportunity to reflect on Okinawa’s history, learn from its ancestors, and reaffirm the value of Okinawa’s nature, culture, and other attractions.”
Consul General Tajima also talked about Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s words at the 50th anniversary saying, “He expressed his deepest respect for the Okinawan people and their tireless efforts in the development of Okinawa over the past 50 years.” He also said that Prime Minister Kisida mentioned that Okinawa had a special potential to be a hub for international exchange due to its geographic position as a gateway to Asia.
Consul General Tajima, who had seen the Chicago Kenjinkai's activity report online at the Okinawa Geino Chimudon EXPO 2022, said, “We hope that we will continue our cooperation at cultural events in the future.” He continued that the Consulate General of Japan in Chicago was pleased to provide any support to the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai as needed, and concluded his greetings saying, “Your efforts will further enhance the understanding of Okinawa and Japan and strengthen the bonds between the people of Japan and the United States.”
Inherited Okinawan Traditional Arts
On the stage, a variety of Okinawan traditional Arts were performed such as traditional dance of “Kagiyade Fu” and “Kai no Hotoma”, Sanshin Group’s music “Asadoya Yunta” and “Shimanchu no Takara”, Ukulele Group’s “Nada Sou Sou” and “Take Me Home Country Roads”, and Karate Performance and board breaking by Uza and his students.
And then special guest Yasuhide Uezu and Chicago ChimuDonDon Eisa Team performed a dance and taiko drumming piece of “Eisa.” Uezu’s swift movements and high jumps were incredible while the dance performance by the children of ChimuDonDon Team was very strong and beautifully united. The audience was impressed by the children’s proud face while they were dancing.
About Yasuhide Uezu
Yasuhide Uezu is the President of the Okinawan creative Eisa Team, “Legend of Dragon King.” This team evokes the heroic Ryukyu dance based on the ancient Ryukyu tradition and incorporates the new Ryukyu performing art, shishimai, drums, and flag dances, not only in Okinawa, but also overseas.
Uezu has visited the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai Performance Group for several times, and ChimuDonDon have collaborated with Uezu at Yuiden performance, Japan Festival and more.
Yasuhide Uezu (L) and Linda Asato
Interview with Yasuhide Uezu
Q: Uezu san, your high jumps and swift movements were overwhelming. How long have you worked on Eisa?
Uezu: I have been doing it for 21 years. I’m now 32 years old, so I’ve been doing Eisa for a half of my life.
I’ve been teaching Eisa to the children in Okinawa and hoping a number of children like me will increase more and more, so we can exchange with the children in the world through Okinawan culture. That’s why I’ve been leading performance of Eisa with Okinawan children.
Q: Did you choreograph today’s Eisa for the children?
Uezu: It was based on Minori Yamaki’s choreography. When I met Chicago Kenjinkai’s children, I thought that it would be better to add little more Okinawan tradition to the Chicago’s Eisa, so we remade it and brushed it up.
Q: While the children were beating taiko, the dance movements were quick and complicated, but every movement was well united. I saw their pride in their faces. How did you make it possible with the children?
Uezu: At first, I approached their minds to get together. I tried to communicate with them as much as possible. For examples, I played with the children in break times and had a lot of conversations while we are moving by a car. When I taught them, I always paid my attention to their minds what they were thinking about. So we could share the timing of stillness and motion while we danced together.
Although we had to overcome COVID-19 pandemic and other difficulties, I’m so grateful to share the Okinawan culture with the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai again.
Q: Thank you very much.