Month: September 2017

Hi Edubloggers,

 

This post is to clarify on why all of my previous written posts have vanished. So our class is cleaning up our blogs by dividing them up into categories to make it easier for people to browse and find what they are looking for specifically. By the best, it should all be categorized and back on my blog tomorrow.

 

Bye,

 

chad

Hi Edubloggers,

Ok, this is very off since Obon finished about three weeks ago, but this is a good way to prepare for next year! These are things needed in the dance and translations of some of the items found at a Bon dance.

1. やぐら (Yagura): The tower in the middle of the circle where people dance around and performers go up to perform. Most yaguras are built by the Hongwanji missions but one group called the Honolulu Fukushima wheels in their own Yagura.
2. ちょちん (Chochin): Colorful lanterns strung on the Yagura to symbolize Amida Buddha’s wisdom
3. 福祉祭り(Fukushima Matsuri): Oahu’s seven bon dance clubs provide dancers and musicians to temples that need help throwing their bon dances. The Honolulu Fukushima Bon Dance Club even brings its own yagura, which is mounted on wheels so it can be towed from one dance to another.
4. ちょば (Choba): A fundraiser group set up by the Hongwanji-ha that sells

5.  うた (Uta) Live music is typically supplemented by commercial recordings from Japan. Japanese folk music is emphasized at some dances. Others mix classics with more contemporary compositions, such as “Pokemon Ondo,” inspired by the Pokemon craze.

6. グラインド(Grindz): Standard fare includes traditional Japanese and American food such as shave ice, saimin, barbecued meat sticks, hot dogs, hamburgers and the hole-less Okinawan doughnuts known as andagi. Any calories burned up dancing can be replaced immediately.

7. 浴衣とハッピー（Yukata and Happi): This is the traditional bon dancer attire. The yukata is a light summer kimono, worn by men or women. The hapi is a short jacket, also unisex. Proper dress is encouraged, though not generally required, for the dancers.

8.  手ぬぐい(Tenugui): Small towels bought at the Choba fundraiser as a prop or to wipe your sweat.

9. うちわ (uchiwa): Small hand-held fans used as props, dances, or just to cool the dancer down.

10. へ絵師 (heeshi): At Okinawan bon dances, the drummers encourage the dancers by shouting meaningless words at them. These call-outs are called heeshi. In some cases, the dancers yell back. “Ha‘i‘ya,” the drummers might yell. “Ha‘i‘ya‘i‘ya‘sa‘sa,” the dancers will yell back.

11. 幽霊(Yuurei): They are in attendance. Bon dances are all about honoring your ancestors and letting them you’re having a good time in this life. So be sure to smile.

So these are some of the supplemental phrases when dancing. Also, don’t be afraid, just get in the circle and mimic the dance senseis or teachers. They are usually the ones in the innermost circle around the Yagura wearing a yukata.

Sayonara,

Hmschad

 

Hi Edubloggers,

 

Welcome back to another long, elongated post! This is a special post since the Fall Okinawan obon is in like a week. Yep, I will be talking about Okinawan Folk and Bon culture!

 

 

Okay so if you happen to be in the dust, Okinawa is a small island south of Japan. The Okinawan consider themselves completely different from Japanese. Their music is different, their language is different, and their clothing is different. According to Okinawans, they are still pondering the real origin of it’s culture is. Iha Fuyū argued that the name of Eisa was related to wesa omoro (Okinawa: ゑさおもろ), a phrase appearing in Volume 14 of the Omoro Sōshi (16th–17th centuries).

 

However, this theory is no longer supported. It is more likely that the name derived from an exclamation used in the original song of Eisa, the “Mamauya Ninbuchi” (Okinawan: 継親念仏). The standardization of the written form was relatively new. Meiji era newspaper articles used various forms including yensaa (Okinawan: イェンサー), yaisaa (Okinawan: ヤイサー), and ensaa (Okinawan: エンサー). The

 

Okinawan festivals include Bon Dances which became a fusion in Hawaii alongside the Recorded songs, Fukushima Taiko, and taiko with two bachi. One of the styles include Eisa (エイサー) which include 20-30 thirty drum dancers in the inner one or two circles in the yagura or tower. However like a orchestra, you cannot have just one type of instrument, which it is accompanied with singing, the Shamisen (三味 ) , which is a three stringed instrument played by plucking the string, and the call and answer yells called Kakegoe(掛け声.) An example for Kakegoe is if the singer yells He-I-ya (ヘ-イ-ヤ）the dancers might yell ha-i-ya-i-sa-sa (ハ-イ-ヤ-イ-ヤ-サ-サ.) In Okinawa, there are three different types of Taiko Drums. The odaiko, Shime, and paranku.

• The Odaiko is very similar to a Zen Buddhist drum or traditional Taiko Drum. However, both are very heavy due to the wood very heavy. In this case however, the wood is very light making it able to sling on your shoulders and do strong motions, like a katsugi okedo or sling drum.
• The shime is very similar to a shime you would find in Kabuki or Noh Drama. The Antique black lacquer shell, bright orange rope, and high itch really represent the acute sound for time-keeping a piece. The drum is also played while dancing but can be turned while hitting the drum due to it’s lightness.
• The Paranku, translating to hand drum is the smallest drum of the family. It makes a solid, muffled sound making it the least used drum in Omatsuri but used in slower dances.