Cultural Explorer
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| Children's Masks For Sale at Esai Festival |
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| Another Food Vendor at Esai Fest |
Drive defensively - that is my motto - and live to gripe another day!
Visitors
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
License Plates
by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer
Now, I'm not saying there is a double standard in force with regard to traffic laws and situations, but it is relatively easy for local law enforcement officers to tell the difference between citizens of Okinawa and all other orientals. They can even tell which Okinawan women are married to Americans or people of some other nationality.
That is because the island has a two-tier license system. Okinawans, excluding those married to non-Okinawans - have a distinctive yellow license plate. Americans and other foreign drivers have their vehicles tagged with white plates. Some wags speculate that if a yellow plate and a white plate mix it up, the white plate is likely to lose. I don't know that is the case, but I am smart enough to be extra-extra careful when driving in a foreign country!
Drive defensively - that is my motto - and live to gripe another day!
Cultural Explorer
Drive defensively - that is my motto - and live to gripe another day!
Monday, September 13, 2010
More on the Esai Drum Festival
by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer
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| Fair Food (Octopus Balls on the right!) |
The food vendors were interesting to watch. They worked over long hot tables, cooking and then keeping food warm until it sold. Some of it looked delicious, but I have learned not to eat late in the evening, particularly things with which I am unfamiliar. Hot packaged noodles seem to be a big draw, as well as oriental delicacies like fish, squid, and octopus. Lots of people were walking around with bits of meat on sticks that looked good. There was also an abundance of corn-on-the-cob. (I love hot corn-on-the-cob, but, alas, it does not love me!)
Attached are more pictures from last night's festival.
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| Fishing for Goldfish with Rice Paper Nets |
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Eisa Festival
by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer
My friend Murphy and I went to the the finale of Okinawa's big Eisa Festival tonight. The weather was muggy, but the experience was well worth the sweat.
This annual event is held on a soccer field just outside of Kadena's Gate 2. It used to be an all-island competition between each community's Esai group, but now is more or less just a showcase for their talents. We watched three groups perform tonight, each lasting about half an hour. This was the third and final night of the event. It concluded with a fireworks show, the likes of which probably hasn't been seen over Okinawa since the Americans came ashore in 1945!
The Eisa drummers and dancers are all young people - high school or college-aged. Each group has its own distinctive colors and costumes. There are also guys running through the performers wearing striped outfits and pointed straw hats. Murphy referred to these guys as "tricksters," much like the Navajo kokopellis. At one point they were pulling little children from the audience and letting them dance with the performers.
The nearest American equivalent that I can come up with for the Eisa groups would be high school and college drill teams. They bang their drums in unison and are highly choreographed.
There were many people there in traditional dress, including the performers. Many young ladies - and some of their mothers and grandmothers - were wearing beautiful kimonos, and some of the young men were wearing traditional garb as well.
There was a country fair type of event surrounding the soccer field where vendors sold food and drinks. The foods were mostly oriental fare, but Colonel Sanders has a spot staked out also. Murphy pointed out one delicacy to me that he said was "octopus balls!" Yummy!
There were also game booths and the like. We watched a large group of people scooping little goldfish out of a water-filled boat. The little nets that they purchased to scoop the goldfish were made of rice paper and would quickly begin to dissolve when they got wet - so it was a skilled activity that was also a race against time.
The other thing that I really enjoyed, besides the drum shows, the country fair, and the fireworks, was the crowd surging on the field as the event ended. It was mayhem, and it was fun! The crowd was mostly Okinawan, but quite a few Americans turned out for the event as well.
This evening was well spent. Enjoy the photos! More will follow in the coming days because I took plenty!
Cultural Explorer
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| Trickster - Complete with Bette Davis Eyes! |
This annual event is held on a soccer field just outside of Kadena's Gate 2. It used to be an all-island competition between each community's Esai group, but now is more or less just a showcase for their talents. We watched three groups perform tonight, each lasting about half an hour. This was the third and final night of the event. It concluded with a fireworks show, the likes of which probably hasn't been seen over Okinawa since the Americans came ashore in 1945!
The Eisa drummers and dancers are all young people - high school or college-aged. Each group has its own distinctive colors and costumes. There are also guys running through the performers wearing striped outfits and pointed straw hats. Murphy referred to these guys as "tricksters," much like the Navajo kokopellis. At one point they were pulling little children from the audience and letting them dance with the performers.
The nearest American equivalent that I can come up with for the Eisa groups would be high school and college drill teams. They bang their drums in unison and are highly choreographed.
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| Finger-Lickin' Goodness Just 300 Yen! |
There were many people there in traditional dress, including the performers. Many young ladies - and some of their mothers and grandmothers - were wearing beautiful kimonos, and some of the young men were wearing traditional garb as well.
There was a country fair type of event surrounding the soccer field where vendors sold food and drinks. The foods were mostly oriental fare, but Colonel Sanders has a spot staked out also. Murphy pointed out one delicacy to me that he said was "octopus balls!" Yummy!
There were also game booths and the like. We watched a large group of people scooping little goldfish out of a water-filled boat. The little nets that they purchased to scoop the goldfish were made of rice paper and would quickly begin to dissolve when they got wet - so it was a skilled activity that was also a race against time.
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| We're Number One, Hey! We're Number one! |
This evening was well spent. Enjoy the photos! More will follow in the coming days because I took plenty!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Gunners Fitness Center
by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer
Although mercifully I do not seem to be putting on any weight, I have been horribly remiss in going to the gym since arriving on Okinawa. I did a couple of short strolls on the treadmill while I was in temporary housing at the Shogun Inn, but have ignored exercise altogether since moving into my apartment. Oh, I've had good intentions, but there have always been other demands on my time that saved me the sweat of serious exercise.
Today I finally ran out of excuses and headed over to Camp Foster. Foster is a relatively small Marine Corps facility that is literally within walking distance of where I live. I have gone there to shop at the PX, the commissary, and to use their "hot spot" food court for my early Internet needs. Today I finally sucked it up and went looking for the gym.
Gunners Fitness Center is a large exercise complex located behind Camp Foster's enormous field house. Not knowing exactly where I was heading, I roamed through the field house first, where I met a kind lady who was watching some wrestling instruction. She took me through the field house and out back to the fitness center. A second kind lady, this one in the fitness center, gave me a towel - and I was ready to get serious on my old nemesis, the treadmill.
The marines know how to do things right. The treadmills were equipped with television screens. I watched a bit on crime profilers, listened to my iPod, and marched on the machine for an embarrassingly short period of time. (I didn't realize how negatively my hiatus from exercising had impacted me.) Tomorrow I will hit it again, and hopefully do better.
After burning off six or seven calories, I headed to the commissary (base grocery store) and bought a few supplies for this week. I am now patiently waiting on a crock pot full of chicken breast, soup, and rice to rise to the occasion of my supper - and several suppers later in the week.
It's a beautiful day on Okinawa!
Cultural Explorer
Although mercifully I do not seem to be putting on any weight, I have been horribly remiss in going to the gym since arriving on Okinawa. I did a couple of short strolls on the treadmill while I was in temporary housing at the Shogun Inn, but have ignored exercise altogether since moving into my apartment. Oh, I've had good intentions, but there have always been other demands on my time that saved me the sweat of serious exercise.
Today I finally ran out of excuses and headed over to Camp Foster. Foster is a relatively small Marine Corps facility that is literally within walking distance of where I live. I have gone there to shop at the PX, the commissary, and to use their "hot spot" food court for my early Internet needs. Today I finally sucked it up and went looking for the gym.
Gunners Fitness Center is a large exercise complex located behind Camp Foster's enormous field house. Not knowing exactly where I was heading, I roamed through the field house first, where I met a kind lady who was watching some wrestling instruction. She took me through the field house and out back to the fitness center. A second kind lady, this one in the fitness center, gave me a towel - and I was ready to get serious on my old nemesis, the treadmill.
The marines know how to do things right. The treadmills were equipped with television screens. I watched a bit on crime profilers, listened to my iPod, and marched on the machine for an embarrassingly short period of time. (I didn't realize how negatively my hiatus from exercising had impacted me.) Tomorrow I will hit it again, and hopefully do better.
After burning off six or seven calories, I headed to the commissary (base grocery store) and bought a few supplies for this week. I am now patiently waiting on a crock pot full of chicken breast, soup, and rice to rise to the occasion of my supper - and several suppers later in the week.
It's a beautiful day on Okinawa!
Friday, September 10, 2010
A Winter Trip
by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer
Two friends and I began the process today of planning a trip over the Christmas break. We agreed on four places that we would like visit, and then each of us made a priority list that rated the four in order of our preferences. My priorities were Thailand, followed by Taiwan, Korea, and Tokyo. (I have been to Tokyo before, albeit forty years ago, and I suspect that during two years on Okinawa I will have other opportunities to get there.) Next week we will meet with a travel planner on base to make a final selection and set up the details of our winter break. We are looking at being gone four or five days total, including Christmas Day or New Year's.
The last time that I was in this part of Asia, I didn't really have the time or resources to get out and see much. That is something that I plan to do differently this time around! Expect to see some great photos in January!
Cultural Explorer
Two friends and I began the process today of planning a trip over the Christmas break. We agreed on four places that we would like visit, and then each of us made a priority list that rated the four in order of our preferences. My priorities were Thailand, followed by Taiwan, Korea, and Tokyo. (I have been to Tokyo before, albeit forty years ago, and I suspect that during two years on Okinawa I will have other opportunities to get there.) Next week we will meet with a travel planner on base to make a final selection and set up the details of our winter break. We are looking at being gone four or five days total, including Christmas Day or New Year's.
The last time that I was in this part of Asia, I didn't really have the time or resources to get out and see much. That is something that I plan to do differently this time around! Expect to see some great photos in January!
Cultural Overlays
by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer
Modern Okinawa is a product of several cultures, with the three most prominent being a unique blend of native Okinawans, Japanese, and American military. And while the American influence on Okinawa is limited to the sixty-five years after the end of World War II, a relatively small portion of the island's history, the impact that American servicemen and their families have had here is substantial.
The post-war Japanese have brought in big amounts of cash, and built some beautiful hotels - but it is the Americans who have had the biggest impact on the island. Thousands of Okinawans work on the military bases, and thousands of others have jobs in the community that rely on American spending.
A friend of mine recently asked me why we still have troops on Okinawa, and I didn't have the answer to that question. (There undoubtedly is an answer, but that bit of knowledge is well above my pay grade.) Of this, however, I am certain: if all of the troops and their families were to suddenly leave, Okinawa would suffer an economic depression so severe that it would impact Japan and much of Asia. If Americans serve no other purpose in this part of the world, they are a key component of the economy of Okinawa.
Americans also have a large cultural footprint on this island. Young people like to get out and have fun, a fact that has resulted in a sprawling bar scene around the major bases. And again, the bars employ many people and become major identity factors in the neighborhoods. Today the bar culture seems far less pronounced that it was forty years ago - but it still exists.
Young Okinawans listen to American music and are knowledgeable of American cultural icons. They wear tee-shirts featuring American celebrities, eat American fast food, and zip across intersections on skateboards. Sometimes our influence is positive, sometimes it isn't. When a young marine drinks too much and gets into some trouble, a few voices are raised among the local nationals proclaiming that it is time for the Americans to leave - but only a few voices. Most recognize the impact that the Americans have on the local economy, and some even appreciate having an counterweight to the Japanese influences.
Cultural Footnote: Today, as I was leaving the base, I passed a large group of little American kids practicing soccer. One of the young mothers on the edge of the group was wearing a tee-shirt that said,"Beer. It's not just for breakfast anymore!" Okinawa is changing, and so is the world!
Cultural Explorer
Modern Okinawa is a product of several cultures, with the three most prominent being a unique blend of native Okinawans, Japanese, and American military. And while the American influence on Okinawa is limited to the sixty-five years after the end of World War II, a relatively small portion of the island's history, the impact that American servicemen and their families have had here is substantial.
The post-war Japanese have brought in big amounts of cash, and built some beautiful hotels - but it is the Americans who have had the biggest impact on the island. Thousands of Okinawans work on the military bases, and thousands of others have jobs in the community that rely on American spending.
A friend of mine recently asked me why we still have troops on Okinawa, and I didn't have the answer to that question. (There undoubtedly is an answer, but that bit of knowledge is well above my pay grade.) Of this, however, I am certain: if all of the troops and their families were to suddenly leave, Okinawa would suffer an economic depression so severe that it would impact Japan and much of Asia. If Americans serve no other purpose in this part of the world, they are a key component of the economy of Okinawa.
Americans also have a large cultural footprint on this island. Young people like to get out and have fun, a fact that has resulted in a sprawling bar scene around the major bases. And again, the bars employ many people and become major identity factors in the neighborhoods. Today the bar culture seems far less pronounced that it was forty years ago - but it still exists.
Young Okinawans listen to American music and are knowledgeable of American cultural icons. They wear tee-shirts featuring American celebrities, eat American fast food, and zip across intersections on skateboards. Sometimes our influence is positive, sometimes it isn't. When a young marine drinks too much and gets into some trouble, a few voices are raised among the local nationals proclaiming that it is time for the Americans to leave - but only a few voices. Most recognize the impact that the Americans have on the local economy, and some even appreciate having an counterweight to the Japanese influences.
Cultural Footnote: Today, as I was leaving the base, I passed a large group of little American kids practicing soccer. One of the young mothers on the edge of the group was wearing a tee-shirt that said,"Beer. It's not just for breakfast anymore!" Okinawa is changing, and so is the world!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Electioneering, Okinawan Style
by Pa Rock
Cultural Explorer
There is an impending election of some sort in my neighborhood. The past two evenings I have been entertained by the sounds of a young lady barking campaign promises in Okinawan through a loudspeaker on a car. Coming home from work tonight the vehicle drove past me, and a lovely lady sitting in the backseat waved a white gloved-hand at me. When I ignored her, she began waving insistently, so I finally relented and waved back - an act of contrition that seemed to appease her. (I don't look like the typical Okinawan voter, at least I don't think that I do, so I'm at a loss to explain her vehemence in soliciting my acknowledgement of her presence.)
There are also numerous photographs of candidates going up on all of the local light poles.
I remember Okinawan electioneering from the last time I was here - cars with bullhorns, candidates standing on flatbed trucks at busy intersections harassing anyone within earshot, and photo posters going up everywhere like out-of-control blooming Okinawan weeds! If there has been a significant change in the process over the last forty years, it is that more women seem to be running for office. That is a good thing - but the white gloves are a bit much!
Cultural Explorer
There is an impending election of some sort in my neighborhood. The past two evenings I have been entertained by the sounds of a young lady barking campaign promises in Okinawan through a loudspeaker on a car. Coming home from work tonight the vehicle drove past me, and a lovely lady sitting in the backseat waved a white gloved-hand at me. When I ignored her, she began waving insistently, so I finally relented and waved back - an act of contrition that seemed to appease her. (I don't look like the typical Okinawan voter, at least I don't think that I do, so I'm at a loss to explain her vehemence in soliciting my acknowledgement of her presence.)
There are also numerous photographs of candidates going up on all of the local light poles.
I remember Okinawan electioneering from the last time I was here - cars with bullhorns, candidates standing on flatbed trucks at busy intersections harassing anyone within earshot, and photo posters going up everywhere like out-of-control blooming Okinawan weeds! If there has been a significant change in the process over the last forty years, it is that more women seem to be running for office. That is a good thing - but the white gloves are a bit much!
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