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Ukaji Deebiru Tamagusuku Ryu Benefit ••••••••••••••• Page 14 2011 Uchinanchu Taikai Caravan/Uchinaaguchi ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 15 www.huoa.org September/October 2010 Issue #128 Circulation 11,000 Making A Connection To The Homeland Reflections of the Virtual Leadership Study Tour By Courtney Takara n Friday, August 6, the first Virtual Leadership Study Tour was held at the Hawaii Okinawa Center. Twelve participants, representing Oeight clubs, stayed overnight at HOC to get a taste of Okinawa. Their itinerary was packed full of educational as well as hands-on activities allowing them to learn more about their homeland. The purpose of this event was to spark interest in the participants to actually go to Okinawa in the near future, then come back inspired to become a leader with their respective clubs and/or HUOA. Some of the highlights of the virtual tour included Mo-Ashibi (an informal get-together held at night, to enjoy fellowship, impromptu sharing of music and dancing, etc.) featuring the musical talents of Derek Ichiro Shiroma and a few members from his Urizun Minyo Group. The participants learned Leadership participants joyfully display their creativity in the painting of their own shisaa. how to Kachashi and sang vari- ous Okinawan Folk songs such to make this event a success, especially as “Tinsagunu Hana” and “Asadoya HUOA Virtual Leadership Study Tour Experience those from the Club Development and Yunta.” Throughout the evening By Raina Goo, Aza Gushikawa Doshi Kai Sustainment Committee and past leader- they heard testimonials and inter- aving relatives that are very much involved in the HUOA, I decided to help ship tour participants. Thank you also goes esting stories from past leadership them out and participate in the first HUOA Virtual Leadership Tour. I must out to all those who made monetary and/or participants. H admit that at first I was a little hesitant, but figured it wouldn’t hurt to just give in-kind donations! On Saturday, participants it a try. Arriving at the HOC Friday evening after work, I wasn’t sure how things learned to cook and made their Tour Participants: were going to turn out and sleeping over at the HOC didn’t seem like the most own lunch, including jushime, appealing way to spend the night. • Raina Goo – Aza Gushikawa Doshi Kai goya champuru, and andagi! They Much to my relief, after a little small talk at the table, I think everyone there • Doreen Miyasato – Aza Yogi Doshi Kai watched a video taking them on had the same feelings going into this event. We all tried to make the best of this • Donna Komagome – Ginowan Shijin Kai a virtual tour of Okinawa, which event. Of course a little food, awamori, and Orion beer helped us all enjoy our • Lauren Suekawa – Ginowan Shijin Kai stopped off at many of the impor- first night a little more. In fact, the whole sleepover portion of the event turned tant historical sites such as the into a night of very little sleep, since a lot of the group actually stayed up and • Ryan Namaka – Hawai‘i Shuri-Naha Club Peace Memorial, Shuri Castle, talked story for a good portion of the night. From there on out, time seemed to • Caroline Okazaki – Hawai‘i Shuri-Naha etc. Many of them were also very fly by faster than we thought. Club touched after watching a video We all learned something new and participated in various cultural activities • Jean Moku – Hui O Laulima about the history of Hawaii- that made us all feel an appreciation for not only being Okinawan, but also a • Ellen Shimabukuro – Hui O Laulima Okinawa ties and how it led to the feeling for what our ancestors had gone through to make our lives a little easier creation of HUOA. today. Even though I had visited Okinawa before, it was nice to go along with • Roy Hokama – Hui Okinawa Thank you to all the clubs who this virtual tour and learn a little more. It also reminded me of some of the places • Lloyd Sanborn – Hui Okinawa sent representatives to participate I had visited and left me wanting to visit Okinawa again in the future. All in all, I • Derek Kobayashi – Kochinda Chojin Kai in the Virtual Leadership Study think that this was a good experience. I had an opportunity to learn a little more • Denise Liu – Nakagusuku Sonjin Kai Tour. We would also like to thank about my culture and also get to know some awesome people involved in other all the volunteers who came out Okinawan clubs from different islands. Inside This Issue Making A Connection/HUOA Virtual Leadership Study Tour •••••••••••••• Page 1 President’s Message ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 2 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Honolulu, HI Permit No. 659 Mahalo to All Okinawan Festival Volunteers •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 3 Okinawan Festival Photo Contest ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 4 Uchinanchu Spotlight •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 5 Issei Garden: Kin Gardeners •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 6 Okinawa Prefectural Assemblymen Photos •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 7 Ikuyu Madin Donors/Ikuyu Madin SDD/Star Challenge ••••••••••••••• Pages 8 & 9 Hawaii’s Fastest Texter •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 10 Taste of Marukai/HOT Update ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 11 Overnight on U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 12 Club News •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 13 Ryufuuan Project/Ukaji Deebiru Tamagusuku Ryu Benefit ••••••••••••••• Page 14 2011 Uchinanchu Taikai Caravan/Uchinaaguchi ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 15 Hawaii United Okinawa Association 94-587 Ukee Street Waipahu, Hawaii 96797 HUOA Schedule of Events/HOT Schedule ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 16 2 Uchinanchu September/October 2010 President’s Message By Paul Komeiji UCHINANCHU Ippee Nifee Deebiru... Mahalo! Uchinanchu is our voice — the voice of the Hawaii United Okinawa Okage Sama De – Because of you, Association, its members, and the “home” we all built together, the Hawaii Okinawa Center. By sharing information and experiences, Uchinanchu keeps the past, present and future. us connected as a family, dedicated to preserving, sharing and perpetuating our Okinawan cultural heritage. uring the past couple of months, we’ve held events that have Every dollar donated — along with the valuable income from advertising exemplified this year’s theme of Okage Sama De – Because of you, - helps offset the cost of publishing Uchinanchu. HUOA sends a sincere the past, present and future. D ippee nifee deebiru to the following donors. Mahalo for keeping Uchinanchu This year, 12 potential HUOA leaders went on the fifth Leadership alive and thriving. Study Tour. As you may know, the Leadership Study Tour was based on the idea of developing “young” leaders for individual Club and HUOA Uchinanchu Donors July 16 to September 15, 2010. leadership roles in the future. By visiting Okinawa, one would gain a sense of his/her past and heritage, and then be inspired to help their Club and Herbert T. Asato Yukisada Oshiro HUOA perpetuate the culture for future generations. Yoshio Awakuni Mitsuru Owara Because of the current economic times, however, the cost of a Jane Fujii Edith E. Shimabuku trip to Okinawa may be unaffordable to many individuals. In order to accommodate as many people as we could, HUOA decided to create a Frederick Higa Linyei Shimabukuro virtual trip to Okinawa. You may be asking yourself, what is a virtual Fukuchi Higa Hideki Shiroma trip? With the help of many volunteers, including many past Leadership Karen Higashi Raymond & JoAnn Shito Study Tour participants, HUOA attempted to share the “essence” of the Anonymous Hanayo Suma Leadership Tour. With an overnight sleepover at HOC, the participants got a chance to meet and bond with members from other clubs while tasting Brian Isa Walter & Yoshie Taira Orion and awamori, listening to Okinawan music, kachashi dancing, Patsy Isagawa Misao Takara andagi dropping, cooking champuru, creating shiisa artworks, learning Miyoko Ishimaru Akira & Ruth Tamanaha about the Okinawa’s rich culture and history, and even learning the proper Alan Kamida Clifford & Elaine Tamanaha pronunciation of “Ippee Nihee Deebiru.” What an experience for the George Kamimura Stanley Tamashiro participants and the volunteers! Thank you to everyone who participated or volunteered. Masato Katekaru Richard K. Tome This year, we celebrated the 28th Okinawan Festival. As you may Miyoko Kitamura Sunny Tominaga know, the Okinawan Festival was developed when the first Leadership Tour Kunie Kiyabu Milton & Ethel Uehara participants returned from Okinawa. These individuals wanted a way to Julie K. Kobashigawa Randy Uyehara share the culture with the community, and, 28 festivals later, the Festival is going strong and continues to perpetuate the culture. Besides promoting Jane Koki Aaron Uyema the culture, the Festival brings together Uchinanchu and Uchinanchu at Apolonio & Emily Lasquete Katsuo Yamashiro Heart in Sharing Uchinanchu Aloha. Grover Miyasato James Yoshida Over the years, everyone has contributed to the success of the Festival. Lillian Nakagawa Evelyn Yoza Because of the helping hands of everyone, the Festival has been such a great event in the past and will continue to showcase the Okinawan culture and spirit in the future. Thank you to everyone for continuing to share the Uchinanchu spirit. Additionally, I would like to send a special thank you to Legacy Award recipient, Victor “Mr. Festival”
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