Hawaii establishes September 27 as Pigs from the Sea Day in commemoration of 1948 gesture
On September 27 Hawaii Governor David Ige (center) and persons of Okinawan descent attend the Pigs from the Sea Day Proclamation ceremony on the 70th anniversary of the event. (Photograph courtesy of Judy Chin)
October 8, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Hanae Higa Gushiken
On September 27 (local time) in the Governor’s Ceremonial Room of the Hawaii State Capitol Building in Honolulu, the 70th anniversary of the happening known as Pigs from the Sea was commemorated.
Officials of the Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA) attended the ceremony, as did descendents of the seven Okinawan men from Hawaii who set sail on the USS Owen to bring pigs to their kin in Okinawa in 1948. Representing these descendents, 3rd generation Okinawan Lilian Horio received the Pigs from the Sea Day Proclamation from Hawaii Governor David Ige.
It established September 27 as “Pigs from the Sea Day.”
During the Pacific War, Uchinanchu in Hawaii who served in the military or acted as interpreters in the Battle of Okinawa saw the food shortage being suffered back home.
As soon as they returned to Hawaii, they started relief work for Okinawa.
Hawaiian Uchinanchu came together and contributed 50,000 dollars toward the purchase of 550 pigs to send to Okinawa.
The pigs were delivered on September 27, 1948 at White Beach in Katsurenheshikiya, Uruma City, and distributed fairly.
After four years the pigs had been bred to produce 10,000 pigs.
This gesture greatly contributed to reviving Okinawa’s pig farming industry and eliminating the food shortage.
At the ceremony Governor Ige voiced his hope to pass down this story to coming generations, as he said it embodies the spirit of yuimaaru between Hawaii and Okinawa.
He also declared September 27 as Pigs from the Sea Day.
Translator’s note:
The aforementioned proclamation describes the practice of yuimaaru as “the act of being part of something greater than yourself, giving comfort to others with a warm heart.”
(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)
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