Okinawa Soul: Traditional Concert in Gardena

On Sunday, April 22, experience the sights, sounds, and spirit of the Ryūkyū Islands at the Gardena Buddhist Church in Gardena. Titled “Minyō no Yūbe (An Evening of Folk Music),” this biennial concert showcases local instructors and students who play the sanshin, a traditional 3-stringed lute that is synonymous with Okinawan music.

Traditional songs from the Ryūkyū Islands range from festive to melancholy, and are mostly sung in the endangered Ryūkyūan languages (and occasionally in Japanese). The event will also feature special performances by traditional dance group, Miyagi Ryū Nosho Kai Miyagi Nosho Ryūbu Dōjō.

Minyō no Yūbe is organized by the North America Branch of the Ryūkyū Minyō Kyōkai with support from the Okinawa Association of America (OAA)’s Geinō-bu Performing Arts Committee. While the earliest Okinawan performances in Los Angeles date back to the 1900s, the OAA Geinō-bu was formed in 1987 by shin-issei (post-war Okinawan immigrants) who wished to actively preserve and perpetuate the traditional performing arts for future generations. The committee is currently comprised of traditional music and dance groups who perform at various events throughout the greater L.A. area.

The Gardena Buddhist Church is located at 1517 166th Street, Gardena 90247. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. and the show begins at 1 p.m. Tickets are $25 general admission (includes bento lunch and bottled water) and can be purchased through the OAA office (weekdays, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; oaamensore@gmail.com or 310-532-1929) or directly from performers.

Participating groups: Uezu Yoko Ryukyu Minyo Kenkyusho, Ishihara Haruo Ryukyu Minyo Kenkyusho, Kochi Yuki Ryukyu Minyo Kenkyusho (San Diego), Ryukyu Minyo Aikoh-kai, Nishikawa Atsuko Ryukyu Minyo Kenkyusho (San Diego), Kinjo Masanobu Ryukyu Minyo Kenkyusho (San Diego), Hanashiro Emiko Ryukyu Minyo Kenkyusho, Maekawa-ryu Kaneshiro Akiko Ryukyu Minyo Kenkyusho (Utah), Maekawa-ryu Scofield Hatsuko Ryukyu Minyo Kenkyusho (Utah)