Garrett Kam: Breezes from Lands Below the Winds in the Ryukyus

BREEZES FROM LANDS BELOW THE WINDS IN THE RYUKYUS
Southeast Asian Influences in Okinawan Culture
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
3:30-4:30 pm
Tokioka Room, Moore Hall 319

Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Ryukyu Kingdom was the main trade link between East and Southeast Asia, even transporting goods from SouthAsia to China and Japan. The impact of these early contacts with Java, Thailand, Laos and Malaysia still
appear today in various aspects of Okinawan culture, especially textiles, dance, music and language.

This talk will cover the history of Ryukyuan contacts with the “Lands Below the Winds”, the places that the monsoon blew its ships down to. Through a variety of visual and audio examples, it will show how Okinawa absorbed and transformed cultural influences from Southeast Asia.

The presenter is Garrett Kam, who was born in Hawai’i and finished his M.A. Asian Studies at UHM. He has been living in Southeast Asia for over 20 years, especially on Java and Bali.

Sponsored by the Center for Japanese Studies (go COS!) and the Asian Studies Program through its Freeman Foundation Artist in Residence project.

[Nifee to Norman Kaneshiro sensei for the info!]