Okinawa cultural festival in Peru features eisa and sanshin performances

Okinawa cultural festival in Peru features eisa and sanshin performances

Okinawan Association of Peru members representing Nishihara Town sport blue happi coats at the Okinawan festival’s parade on February 7.


February 9, 2016 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Yoshiki Nagahama

The Okinawan Association of Peru hosted an Okinawan festival and sports competition between municipalities at the association’s sports fields in Lima, Peru, on February 7. The festival grounds were decked out in Okinawan décor, food stalls sold pigs’ feet and sata andagi, and there were eisa and sanshin performances on the festival stage. Participants even took the stage to demonstrate Ryukyu dance, sing Okinawan folk songs, or perform songs written by Okinawan musical groups.

About 500 marchers from 17 municipalities within Okinawa making up the Okinawan Association of Peru put on a parade at the festival. Marchers representing each municipality wore happi coats, and hoisted flags and placards proclaiming their native region. Coinciding with the parade, participants in the sports competition played sports such as soccer and gateball.

Vice-governor of Okinawa and leader of the Okinawa Prefectural South America Caravan Mitsuo Ageda visited Peru and came to the festival. He spoke at an information session about the 6th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival, and requested that those gathered attend the worldwide festival. At the opening ceremony for the sports competition he repeated this request.

(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)

Go to Japanese


　


Previous Article:
Next Article:

[Similar Articles]