Such atrocities inflicted on the Chinese during World War II by the Nihonjins (Japanese for Japanese) were so horrible that a friend of mine admitted to me that her father, of Chinese descent, refused to buy a Japanese-made car for years and they always had to buy American cars, until recently. I have to say, despite the sensitive nature of this, while this conversation transposed, it had a very light heart about it. And it's also important to recognize the fact that my friend is Chinese and I'm Japanese. Let's not even get started on what went down with the Koreans under Japanese rule.
Goodness, thank GOD history is history for my generation or I'd possibly be friendless! Well, if this were true, this is how I'd attempt to empathize with all people who's ancestors were viciously attacked by my Japanese ancestors during their tyrannical rage over most Asian countries...
I'm half Okinawan (Uchinanchu) and because of Japan taking over Okinawa, what was once known as the Ryukyu Kingdom, it means that I'm just full Japanese (Naichi in Okinawan/Nihonjin). However, the Okinawan culture bears a close resemblance to the Chinese culture since they were once a hub of trade for nearby Asian countries. The relationship is apparent in the dress, colors and even the language as seen below.
Dress
Traditional bingatas and dance
(I'm sure it has a name, but I don't know it off the top of my head.)
(I'm sure it has a name, but I don't know it off the top of my head.)
LanguageUchinaguchi, the Uchinanchu language, is very different from the Japanese dialect. For instance, "thank you" in Uchinaguchi is nifee deebiru, and in Japanese it's doomo arigatoo. And let's just say that I know as much Nihongo (Japanese) as I do Uchinaguchi, which is, sadly, not a lot.
FOOD
Here's a little menu I picked up from the website for the annual Okinawan Festival in Hawaii called Okinawan "Soul Food," which is da truth. I used to attend this festival every year with my family. I have a great Polaroid in a bingata complete with hat, and I miss the food!!
Pig’s Feet Soup (It doesn't taste like it sounds - it's delish!)
In Uchinaaguchi (Okinawan language), it’s called ashi-ti-bichi. Pig’s feet and spareribs are cooked in a soup stock and garnished with konbu (seaweed), daikon (radish), togan (squash) and mustard cabbage — and served with hot rice.
Okinawan Plate
If you love Okinawan food, you’ll love this plate: delicious shoyu (soy saucce) pork, rice and champuru — a mixture of stir-fried vegetables and agedofu (deep-fried tofu) — served with andamisu (pork and miso mixture) and hot rice.
Tumai Kuru
Tumai kuru is the purple sweet potato that found its way to Hawaii from China by way of Okinawa. In Okinawa, it was a staple food which sustained the people through good times and bad. During Okinawa’s harsh typhoons, the potato remained protected underground. The tumai kuru served at the Festival will be steamed, making for a healthy snack.
Andagi
The andagi, or Okinawan doughnut, is an all-around Festival favorite. Basic doughnut ingredients, such as sugar, flour, milk and eggs, are mixed into a batter and deep-fried in hot oil. The hand “dropping” of evenly rounded scoops of batter into the hot oil is a show in itself.
Andadog
The Okinawan version of the corndog. The andadog is a hotdog on a stick that is dipped into andagi batter and deep fried.
Nmu muchi (This is my personal favorite...it's nothing but sweet stickiness goodness called nmu muchi)
Howard Higa’s popular recipe is a mixture of mochiko flour, yam and sugar deep-fried in bite-size portions. Four nmu muchi to a stick.
FYI: This is the most I've ever written about ancestry, so bookmark it print it out or memorize it because it'll probably never happen again.
FOOD
Here's a little menu I picked up from the website for the annual Okinawan Festival in Hawaii called Okinawan "Soul Food," which is da truth. I used to attend this festival every year with my family. I have a great Polaroid in a bingata complete with hat, and I miss the food!!
Pig’s Feet Soup (It doesn't taste like it sounds - it's delish!)
In Uchinaaguchi (Okinawan language), it’s called ashi-ti-bichi. Pig’s feet and spareribs are cooked in a soup stock and garnished with konbu (seaweed), daikon (radish), togan (squash) and mustard cabbage — and served with hot rice.
Okinawan Plate
If you love Okinawan food, you’ll love this plate: delicious shoyu (soy saucce) pork, rice and champuru — a mixture of stir-fried vegetables and agedofu (deep-fried tofu) — served with andamisu (pork and miso mixture) and hot rice.
Tumai Kuru
Tumai kuru is the purple sweet potato that found its way to Hawaii from China by way of Okinawa. In Okinawa, it was a staple food which sustained the people through good times and bad. During Okinawa’s harsh typhoons, the potato remained protected underground. The tumai kuru served at the Festival will be steamed, making for a healthy snack.
Andagi
The andagi, or Okinawan doughnut, is an all-around Festival favorite. Basic doughnut ingredients, such as sugar, flour, milk and eggs, are mixed into a batter and deep-fried in hot oil. The hand “dropping” of evenly rounded scoops of batter into the hot oil is a show in itself.
Andadog
The Okinawan version of the corndog. The andadog is a hotdog on a stick that is dipped into andagi batter and deep fried.
Nmu muchi (This is my personal favorite...it's nothing but sweet stickiness goodness called nmu muchi)
Howard Higa’s popular recipe is a mixture of mochiko flour, yam and sugar deep-fried in bite-size portions. Four nmu muchi to a stick.
FYI: This is the most I've ever written about ancestry, so bookmark it print it out or memorize it because it'll probably never happen again.
