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UID:events.uid.5813@www.discovernikkei.org
DTSTART:20181025T000000Z
DTEND:20181025T000000Z
DESCRIPTION:In celebration of the 2nd Annual World Uchinaanchu Day (WUD)\, 
 the Okinawa Association of America (OAA) will have a special program at th
 eir monthly Nuchaashii Potluck Gathering on <strong>Thursday\, October 25\
 , 7 - 9 PM\, at the OAA Center in Gardena\, California.</strong>\n\nIn con
 trast to last year’s WUD festivities – which were organized by a group
  of professional musicians and dancers from Okinawa – this year’s eve
 nt will be a more casual evening with family\, friends\, and fellow Okinaw
 ans (and Okinawans-at-heart). Because this is a smaller event\, <strong>RS
 VP is requested by October 24\, 2018: <a href="mailto:oaamensore@gmail.com
 ">oaamensore@gmail.com</a>\, 310-532-1929\, <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/
 tDl94cKDcOJX5Z7i1" target="_blank">reserve online</a></strong>\n<strong>\n
 “Let us set off\, to the five continents we will call home.”</strong> 
 The program will include a short talk about <strong>Kyūzō Tōyama (1868 
 - 1910)</strong>. Historically known as the father of Okinawan immigration
 \, Tōyama believed that sending people to work in Hawai‘i and the Ameri
 cas would help alleviate Okinawa’s economic struggles. Despite resistanc
 e from the Japanese government\, Tōyama succeeded and the first group of 
 Okinawans arrived in Hawai‘i in January 1900. This year marks Tōyama’
 s 150th birthday.\n\nThere will also be <strong>group sharing that focuses
  on Okinawan music.</strong> Music has played a significant role throughou
 t Okinawan history: from the spiritual and harvest-based rituals and celeb
 rations to the modern musicians embracing their ancestral heritage and ins
 piring younger generations to do the same. And for Okinawan immigrants and
  descendants across the world\, music has been instrumental in discovering
  their roots and forming their identities.\n\nThe organizers invite attend
 ees to think about this prompt: <strong>“Is there a traditional or moder
 n Okinawan song that moves you\, brings back fond memories\, or made an im
 pact on you?"</strong> Please bring songs on a CD\, DVD\, or USB flash dri
 ve (mp3 or wav file). Karaoke and acoustic performances are also welcome (
 sanshin\, guitar\, or karaoke music can be provided if advanced notice is 
 given).\n<strong>\nAbout World Uchinaanchu Day</strong>\n\nAt the closing 
 ceremony of the <strong>2016 Worldwide Uchinaanchu Festival</strong> – a
  massive\, global “homecoming” for the descendants of Okinawan immigra
 nts – the late Okinawa Prefecture Governor Takeshi Onaga announced that 
 October 30 would henceforth be declared as World Uchinaanchu Day (WUD). Th
 e idea was proposed by Andres Higa and Tadashi Andres Ysa Urbina\, third-g
 eneration Okinawan descendants from Argentina and Peru\, respectively.\n\n
 Higa and Urbina took to the stage with a powerful message: <strong>“We h
 ave gratitude for our ancestors in our hearts. We have love for all those 
 we meet in our hearts. We have love for our ancestral home in our hearts.
 ”</strong> The speech – spoken in Japanese with a large screen display
 ing English\, Portuguese\, and Spanish translations – was received with 
 loud cheers from the audience. <strong>“[Today] Uchinaanchu of the world
  have gathered once again\, and once again our hearts have become one. Let
  us celebrate the fact that we are all Uchinaanchu.”</strong>\n<strong>\
 nAbout the OAA Monthly Potluck</strong>\n<strong> </strong>\n<strong></str
 ong>The organization’s reoccurring Nuchaashii Potluck Gathering began in
  January 2017 and has since established an intergenerational group of regu
 lars. It has become a community-based event with attendees sharing delicio
 us food (homemade and store-bought) as well as personal experiences and op
 inions based on each month’s presentation. Two regulars recently discove
 red that they might be distant relatives. The potluck is held on the last 
 Thursday of every month (unless otherwise noted).\n\nThe OAA Center is loc
 ated at <strong>16500 South Western Avenue\, Gardena 90247</strong>. For m
 ore information or to place a reservation\, please contact the office (wee
 kdays\, 10 AM - 4 PM): <strong>310-532-1929\, </strong><a href="mailto:oaa
 mensore@gmail.com"><strong>oaamensore@gmail.com</strong></a>
DTSTAMP:20240418T141147Z
SUMMARY:World Uchinaanchu (Okinawan) Day Potluck
URL:/en/events/2018/10/25/world-uchinaanchu-okinawan-day-potluck/
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