10 THE TIMES TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014 community Okinawans must use their languages or risk

losing their identity Making up for lost time: Okinawa International FOREIGN AGENDA Island, however, people would say University something like, “Khanu tuu ja nai da ni students prepare Patrick Heinrich waruka bagaranun.” This is actually no for a Ryukyuan longer a variant of Japanese (just try dance and music now some “Okinawan dialect”? making sense of it with a Japanese performance. Did you hear it on the popular grammar guide and dictionary!); this is With the last NHK drama “Churasan,” per- an utterance in another language. speakers of the haps? Well, actually, what you Still, both Yonaguni and Japanese can Ryukyuan Kget to hear on TV or from younger Oki- be said to belong to the same language languages dying nawans is not a dialect of Okinawan at family, Japonic. The relationship out, an identity is all but a type of Japanese — namely, between them is similar to that between vanishing too. Okinawan Japanese. languages of the Slavic, Romance or PATRICK HEINRICH In fact, Okinawan proper is a lan- Germanic families. The variance guage distinct both from Japanese and between the and world around this time. Nation building his brings us — finally — to the choices in language, identity and cul- the other five Ryukyuan languages: Japanese, by the way, may be best com- is the imagination of a community that topic of this column: language ture; 10) stop the adaptation of Amami, Kunigami, Miyako, Yaeyama pared to that between English and was nonexistent before, and it has revitalization. Ryukyuan identities and behaviors and Yonaguni. Since Japanese has German. always coincided with the spread of one Some people might at first toward those of the Japanese mainland; replaced these languages in almost all Since this is not the Bilingual page dominant language at the expense of Tthink that the loss of endangered lan- 11) contribute to communal happiness contexts in daily life, all six languages but the Community section, let’s talk others — French in France, Italian in guages is no big deal. They may even see and welfare; 12) recognize Japan’s cul- are highly endangered today. Only older about how communities in Okinawa Italy, Japanese in Japan (incidentally, it as constituting some sort of “progress.” tural diversity and promote intercultural people speak them, and they speak Prefecture and the of the names of these languages were Upon reflection, however, they might tolerance. them rarely. Kagoshima are affected by the endan- invented at the same time). In the case note that it is always weaker, dominated Note that, despite their level of endan- The six Ryukyuan tongues are there- germent of their cultural-heritage lan- of Japan, non-Japanese-speaking peo- communities that experience language germent and their much smaller size in fore listed in the “UNESCO Atlas of the guages. Put simply, communities are ples of the Japanese nation at the time endangerment: Ryukyuans and Ainu in comparison to Japanese, only Ryukyuan World’s Languages in Danger of Disap- bound by the borders of their languages included the Ainu and Ryukyuans, as Japan, the Scots and the Welsh in Brit- languages can bring these benefits to pearing” compiled by the U.N.’s culture because communication is required for well as the Ogasawara and Hachijo ain, the Bretons and Gallo in France, the local Ryukyuan communities. and educational agency. UNESCO sup- sharing the same set of values, ideas, islanders. Friulians and Sicilians in Italy, the Sorbs ports language revitalization because stories, humor, proverbs, collective From the late 19th century, all other and the Frisians in Germany, and so on. he link between language revi- languages constitute intangible heritage memories and other experiences that Experts on endangered languages are talization and the gains it brings culture. In Okinawa’s case, according to give rise to identities. In other words, all in agreement that language endan- to communities is an important UNESCO, all Ryukyuan languages and distinct languages give rise to distinct The Ryukyuan germent is a sign of domination of a one for local communities and the cultures expressed through these identities. majority over a minority. Today, endan- Tfor the scholars studying them. “Indige- languages are on course for extinction One of my native languages, for exam- languages comprise gered languages can often serve to nous Languages — Value to the Com- by 2050. ple, is German, and I feel German now adjust such a relationship between munity” is the topic of an international Japanese was officially introduced in and then (like during the World Cup!), 750 local dialects, majority and minority. Language revi- symposium jointly organized by the Okinawa in 1880. Prior to that, it had but I’ve never felt Danish or Dutch or talization is never attempted for the sake Foundation for Endangered Languages only been used for writing and diplo- any other sort of “West-Germanian.” I so you’d better forget of language alone: Language is used to and the Ryukyuan Heritage Language macy by the court of the independent simply don’t know what it’s like to “be bring value to the community. Society in Okinawa from Sept. 17 to 20 Ryukyu Kingdom. The first Protestant Dutch” or “be Danish,” and that has all ideas about the It is not surprising, then, that endan- in Ginowan, southern Okinawa. More missionary in Okinawa, Bernard Jean much to do with the fact that I speak gered languages are being revitalized than 40 participants from around the Bettelheim, was unaware that Okinawan neither Dutch nor Danish. ‘Okinawan dialect’ around the world, from Welsh and world will meet there to discuss how en- was a language distinct from Japanese. In a similar vein, if you don’t speak a Breton to Sicilian and Sorbian. These dangered languages can bring new ben- While staying in Okinawa between 1846 Ryukyuan language, you will not know — they are wildly languages have all been put to new uses efits to the communities speaking them. and 1854, Bettelheim penned a gram- what it’s like to be part of a Ryukyuan in an attempt to safeguard them and More information on this symposium mar guide to the language he heard language-speaking community. Hence, off the mark. All 750 bring new value to these communities. can be found at www.ryukyuans.org and around him, only to later find out that it with the ongoing disappearance of the Consider the example of the www.ogmios.org. was not Japanese after all. He had stud- Ryukyuan languages, an identity is van- dialects are mutually Ryukyuan languages. During its annual Readers interested in the topic but ied the “wrong” language and hence ishing as well. When I interviewed lan- symposium in March, the Ryukyuan unable to travel to Okinawa in Septem- had to rename his grammar guide after guage revitalization activist Shinako unintelligible with Heritage Language Society identified ber might consider attending a sympo- Japan was opened to the outside world Oyakawa last year, she stressed that “It’s the following 12 benefits of revitalizing sium organized by Linguapax Asia on and Bettelheim was exposed to not only about language — it’s about the Japanese. the Ryukyuan languages. Sept. 13 at Tokyo’s Gakushuin Univer- Japanese. way we want to live.” Language revitalization would: sity on the topic of “Endangered Lan- The Ryukyuan languages comprise languages of Japan were actively sup- 1) transmit and promote a deeper guages Networking — Values and 750 local dialects, so you had better for- et’s go back to the beginning: Japa- pressed, stigmatized and banned from reflection of the Ryukyus in Ryukyuan Benefits for the Future” (see www.lin- get all ideas about the so-called Oki- nese began to be spread in the specific contexts (school, the bureau- languages; 2) restore Ryukyuan self- guapax-asia.org). nawan dialect, or Okinawa-ben — they during the process cracy, writing, the media, etc.) in order esteem and confidence; 3) promote The similarity of the topics is no coin- are wildly off the mark. All 750 dialects of being absorbed into the Meiji to stifle any kind of identity that might Ryukyuan perspectives on language, cidence: Language really matters for are mutually unintelligible with Japa- LJapanese state between 1872 and 1879. challenge the idea of “being Japanese.” history and culture in education; communities and is vital to their nese. This is not surprising given the fact The Ryukyuan court had been forcibly As a result, Japan’s indigenous minority 4) restore cohesion between the genera- wellbeing. that Japanese and the Ryukyuan lan- dissolved and the last king, Sho Tai, languages all became endangered. tions, present and past; 5) familiarize guages separated before the sixth exiled to Tokyo. Japanese was spread in Language endangerment happens all the younger generations with Ryukyuan Patrick Heinrich is an associate professor century. the islands not only for purposes of com- over the world, not only in Japan. heritage culture; 6) maintain, strengthen at the Department of East Asian and Consider an example of their distinc- munication between Ryukyuans and According to UNESCO, for example, 13 and apply Ryukyuan cultural heritage; African Mediterranean Studies at Ca’Foscari tiveness. If you wanted to say in Japa- mainland Japanese, but also with the languages are endangered in Germany, 7) contemporize Ryukyuan language University in Venice. Foreign Agenda offers nese, “That person may be home now,” aim of making Ryukyuans “Japanese.” 26 in France, 11 in the U.K. and eight in and make it relevant for the future; a forum for opinion. Your comments and you would say something like, “Ano hito This process — called nation building Japan (Ainu, Hachijo and six Ryukyuan 8) regain control over Ryukyuan self- story ideas: [email protected] ima uchi ni iru daro¯.” On Yonaguni — was taking place across the modern languages). image and education; 9) maintain

to resulting in fun, challenging interactions my sleep to fabricate some of my stories, lives are more fulfilling, more exciting You’re up next: that might revive the experience for you, to keep on writing, to try to get some lan- and more interesting than they really are William Bradbury’s assuming that’s what you want. guages on me, and to try to figure out and it allows them to stay nestled in recent article on Second: You’re in Tokyo. Yeah, it’s a what to do about the university I had to their padded box and avoid the reality of his expat blues concrete jungle, and while there’s a lot to leave, because if I have no papers, I will dealing with people who don’t want to inspired Japan do it definitely leaves a lot to be desired . . . have about zero chances to get anywhere help them, have no interest in being Times columnist but that’s not all there is to Japan! Unless in life. friends with them based on their per- Jake Adelstein to you are solely interested in Tokyo (and KHAOS CUALDAWATH ceived “exotic” nature, or being in an respond through there’s nothing wrong with that), perhaps environment in which they have to com- the medium of spending an extended period of time in The commenters (so far) are missing the pete for jobs on their own merits rather song. Some online comments in response to another part of Japan could similarly reju- point, but that’s no surprise. There is a dif- than on their novelty value. HIDEO ISHIDA William Bradbury’s Aug. 5 Foreign venate your enthusiasm for Japan. Osaka ference between experiential growth and If you’ve ever noticed how many mun- Agenda column, titled “After the romance is still pretty big and fairly different, and personal growth. Most of the commenters dane and untalented foreigners manage of expat life fades, the dream lives on”: then there are places like Fukuoka or are assuming that the author lives in a to get on Japanese TV for nothing more Kumamoto that are reasonably sized but bubble and has no contact outside of a than making fools of themselves, then my home] becomes true after a while. “Well, I’m sure that I could be an AV star / “It becomes hard to tell if it’s the world definitely different in tone and pace. limited range of people and places. you’re seeing the fact that one can be a It sounds a bit like you’re having the If I could get out of this place.” that’s changed or the viewfinder It really depends on what you want. If That is not what this is all about. It’s big fish in a small pond merely by being “quarter-life crisis.” I managed to skip through which I see it. I go back to the you went to Tokyo to be in a different about the sense that life in Japan feels like foreign. That’s just one reflection of the that by going to work for a Japanese Now Hiro is a real estate manga-ka / same bars in Shibuya that I went to place but hold on to the safety net of a dream — an avoidance of the real world limits the author is experiencing in terms company as a seishain [regular company Who never had time for a wife / And he’s years ago and see all the same faces. The like-minded, English-speaking people, and the potential for personal growth that of personal growth: The bar is often so low employee] straight out of college — with talking with Moroni who’s still at Sony / wild and wacky bartender now seems then perhaps that’s run its course and it’s comes along with it. Those who are objec- that it’s trivial to hop over it. Most people the whole employment for life thing. And probably will be for life. like a faded actor as he keeps up the time to find something else. But if you tifying life and seeing it as a series of peo- aren’t going to understand that, because I didn’t have time to ponder my place in same shtick night after night. still want to experience Japan and Tokyo ple and places to be encountered (which they’re too busy convincing themselves society because I was too busy working. And the hostess is practicing pouring “I see a younger version of myself in has worn out its welcome with you, largely includes those who have never that the trappings of success are equiva- However, it is a very well-written green tea / As the businessmen get the fresh-faced young travelers and feel a maybe it’d be worth looking for a differ- actually spent a very long time abroad) lent to psychological growth. essay and gave me some food for drunk real slow / Yes, they’re sharing a sense of guilt over what exactly I’m doing ent place to try before you leave. aren’t going to understand this. ORCHID64 thought. Mostly, it also inspired me to drink they call loneliness / But it’s better here. Tokyo, a city once so full of endless PHU Life in Japan offers certain challenges, rewrite “Piano Man” with a Japanese than drinking Jinro. possibilities and connections, seems so but it also creates a situation for foreign- So much of what Orchid64 says here is setting and proper doses of ennui. isolating and restrictive after a few years.” Strange, how the ones complaining and ers in particular in which they are out- off-base, I don’t even know where to start. Sing us a song, you’re the karaoke man / Good grief. After reading that passage having these problems are those who got side of the culture. You will never be I spent five years in Japan. Not that “Karaoke Man” (The Expat Blues) Sing us a song that’s manic / Well we’re I was under the assumption you were all the opportunities at their hands. integrated. You will never be regarded as long, but relationships were built with It’s nine o’clock on a Thursday / The reg- all in the mood for anything / And at turning 40 and having a midlife crisis, Sorry, but as a person who lost all of his an insider. You will always be placed in a local people that will last a lifetime. No, ular crowd is all here / There’s an old least this isn’t Gaspanic. not in your mid 20s. There’s no such opportunities to learn and to progress as special box and no matter how hard you I’m not delusional. As time went by, most man sitting next to me / Making love to thing as going sideways when you’re that a young person should be able to, just be- try to get out of it, the natives will stuff people I encountered, whether they be his Asahi Super Dry beer. It’s a pretty good crowd for a Thursday / young. It’s all education and experience. cause of those nasty money issues, like you back into it. parents of my students or the guy at the And the manager gives me a nudge / The best advice I ever got was to set losing the family home, having no jobs It is not an act of cruelty, but simply a local izakaya [pub/restaurant], acted little He says, “Son, can you sing me a memo- ’Cause he knows that it’s me they’ve aside all my worries about the future until available for years, having to support my reflection of the mentality the Japanese different with me than they did with any- ry / I’m not really sure it’s popular at been coming to see / To forget about the at least age 30. Your 20s are for exploring struggling family, somehow I can’t mus- possess based on their geography, his- one else. They opened up, and so did I. bars / But it’s sad and it’s sweet / And I boss they begrudge. yourself and the world around you. Take ter sympathy for the writer of the article. tory, education, and current mentality. Don’t believe me? That’s your prerog- knew it complete / And I think it’s by the a trip back to that watering hole in I would be doing many, many things Being in that box is often a comfortable ative. But I’ll never buy the “impossible Southern All Stars.” And the laser disc player sounds like a Shibuya when you’re 45 and then see how (killing and such things are the only place as Japanese people can be so kind to integrate” schtick. That’s loser talk. matsuri / And the microphone smells much has changed! things I would not do) to be able to get to and polite, but it also means there are Sing us a song, you’re the karaoke man / like red wine / As they sip their beer and MARK GARRETT Japan, and get just one chance to meet certain personal growth challenges that SCOTTYP Sing us a song tonight / Well we’re all in yell in my ear— / “Can you sing ‘You Are just one of the people I admire there. come from living in a world in which you the mood for a melody / And you’ve got My Sunshine’?” I get two major impressions out of this. I aspire to write; I can’t help loving the are the equivalent of a kindly treated There is some truth in that people us feeling alright. One or both might be completely off- style and genre elements of modern Jap- puppy that people look after and speak to can overstay their time in Japan without Sing us a song, you’re the karaoke man / base, but I figured it’s worth putting anese storytelling, I want to be able to in a particular fashion. It’s a nice place to learning much and just treading Now Taro at the bar is a friend of mine / Sing us a song, you old dude / Well them down, just in case. study Japanese, and my dream would be live — truly, nice — but it’s also limiting. water. But I think you can travel thou- He gets me my mizuwari for free / And we’re all in the mood for ‘My Way’ / And First: I get the impression you’re isolated to write novels, or be a partner of a The author is coming to terms with sands of miles and still stay stuck where he’s quick with a joke or to light up your you’ve got us feeling so goood. (more than normal in Tokyo) due to hang- manga-ka [artist] and write stories, cre- something few people are ever aware of you are. Because expats tend to stay smoke / But there’s someplace that he’d ing out mostly at gaijin [foreigner] haunts ate universes for him/her, but sadly while living in Japan because they sub- in Japan for a short time, there is a rather be. JAKE ADELSTEIN and/or due to a lack of language skills. If I have to work most of my time just to scribe to the fantasy that the author strange sense of being left behind if that’s the case, the latter is harder to fix, but keep on surviving and supporting those encounters when he talks to people you’re here for the long term. Sume- He says, “Akira, I believe this is killing Comments: [email protected] the former can be easily solved, in addition who I love. And I still miss some hours of back home. It makes them feel like their bamiyako [wherever I lay my hat, that’s me” / As a smile ran away from his face /

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