JAWing On – Life on Okinawa

For those of you who didn’t have Eisa performers in your neighborhood or didn’t get the chance to see the performance, there will be another chance this weekend. First on Gate 2 Street on Friday 26 August between 7 and 10 p.m., then at the Okinawa City Athletic Park on Saturday and Sunday 27 and 28 August.

Last week I was reading an article in one of the online English language Japanese newspapers on the philosophy of “bi” (pronounced bee). The article discussed the obsession with outer beauty and the numerous possible methods used in the quest to achieve perfect external beauty. This obsession with perfection in beauty seems to be one not only of Japan but of the world. I had heard somewhere that two years ago the number two graduating present for female high school seniors was plastic surgery. Personally, I prefer the Japanese philosophy of “wabi sabi”. This is not the green horseradish used on sushi (wasabi), but the philosophy of finding the beauty in imperfection. In Western terms the difference between the two philosophies could be described in does one see the glass half empty or half full. As I see it, proponents of “bi” are seeing the glass as half empty and are forever on a quest to improve on an imperfection. On the other hand, the proponents of “wabi sabi” are viewing the glass as half full and are replenished by exploring the character of what is already there including the imperfection.

This weekend is Obon time again. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Obon, it is the local tradition where family members make an annual pilgrimage to the home of the eldest surviving son of the eldest son of the eldest son on both sides of the family to pay respects to those who came before them. This provides a chance for all the members of the family to reconnect. Along with the tradition comes the rhythmic sounds of the neighborhood Eisa whose music and dancing accompanies the visiting spirits of the ancestors on their farewell journey of the third day. If you can, try to get the chance to see and hear one of the local neighborhood Eisa perform their uplifting performances.

Well here it is August already. True to the typical lifestyle on the island at this time of year, the first thing out of almost everyone’s mouth is how hot it is. It’s not that the actual heat is so bad, but the humidity can make life on Okinawa extremely unpleasant at this time of year. However, the sunny skies make spending some time at the beaches in the late afternoon can make life a little more bearable. So if you visit the island at this time of year and get the chance, go spend a few hours having a pleasant late afternoon on a West coast beach and watch one the colorful and relaxing sunsets.

(Click on image to view large size)

When one lives in one area for an extended period of time, the ability to objectively see the bad as well as the good characteristics of that area becomes more acute. One of the more pleasant aspects of Okinawan living is the handicrafts. This handcrafted cup (designed for awamori, but I use it for green tea) was created by a mainland Japanese artist, Soma Masakazu, who is enamored with Okinawa. The dragonfly design captured my imagination; and the art reminded me of the joy of watching the unique patterns of the creatures as they hunt down mosquitoes.

The Japanese equivalent of spring break is coming to an end. Golden Week is an annual week of vacation for almost all businesses in Japan. The week consists of several back to back holidays (including Children’s Day, Greenery Day, Constitution Day and something simply called “national holiday”). Golden Week reminds me of what February used to be like before George Washington’s Birthday and Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday were combined to form President’s Day. For many tourist industries, the week is similar to the unofficial start of the summer season. If you live in an area that kowtows to tourism, the roads are packed with looky-loos; the shopping areas are overflowing; and there are massive lines everywhere. For many people, the end of Golden Week signifies a return to the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life. (Until summer break in July that is!)

It was about thirty-two years ago when my father told us we were coming to a place I had ever even heard of. When he first said Japan, I thought about the “Godzilla” movies and the Olympics. I never expected the long-haired youths of the ’70s. Another aspect of Okinawa that I never realized was how international it is. Anyone who knows the history of the Ryukyu Islands is familiar with the trade industry of the area due to its key location. In modern times there are little pockets of internationality spread throughout the island. The most visibly westernized area is probably the popular tourist spot of Mihama. But to really get an idea of the mixture of cultures on the island all one has to do is walk down Gate 2 Street in Koza (now known as Okinawa City). The businesses on the street provide a glimpse of an international cornucopia of cultures including Okinawa, India, Taiwan, Indonesia, America, the Philippines, and mainland Japan. The side streets off of and parallel to Gate 2 Street boast businesses of additional cultural backgrounds as well. Mihama may be the “American Village,” but the Gate 2 Street area in Koza is still “International Ville.”

Coming from a foreign culture, one of the things a person gets accustomed to is the varying view of human relationships. Some people over here consider relationships a “human bank” concept. One makes deposits in a relationship in hopes of gaining a profitable return in the future. There is some merit in this idea. After all, if everyone only placed positive deposits in relationships there would be a lack of disharmony and disagreement in those relationships. In reality, however, few people agree one-hundred per cent on everything. Most relationships are based on common interests with friendly interaction (or positive deposits) having varying degrees of disagreement with unfriendly interaction (or negative deposits) in side areas of interest. While taking sociology classes in college, I even once learned it took approximately twelve or thirteen positive images to erase the affects of one negative image. If this is true than relationships, according to the “human bank”, theory are the balance of positive and negative deposits between individuals in everyday life. Even if a person builds up a large account of positive deposits it only takes a few negative deposits to wipe out the account (or lack of trust). And if a person builds up a large negative balance (lack of trust), it would be extremely difficult to make enough positive deposits to end up with a balanced account (or the benefit of doubt) in the relationship. And it would be almost impossible to end up with a positive account (or trust).

Recently an old custom has begun to reemerge in our neighborhood. For the past several weeks I have heard various vendors peddling their goods through a speaker as they drive through the area. The services range from hot sweet potatoes to recyclable goods pick-up to mesh screen repair. Thirty years ago this almost non intrusive means of peddling services and goods was common place. In fact one of the services offered was the exchange of used recyclable newspapers for toilet paper. I remember housewives running to the truck with their stacks of papers not unlike American children who had been anticipating the local ice cream truck. This means of block to block sales is much more pleasant than the door to door sales method. The peddlers usually softly announce their service over a microphone in melodic rhythms. If someone wants to partake in the service being offered, they go to the street and wave the vendor down. This way no unwanted interruption of the day occurs. I am pleased to see this style of sales still remains active on the island.