Dancing with the Dead: Memory, Performance in Everyday Life in Post-war Okinawa

"He discusses how people in Okinawa today, in their everyday lives, encounter and overcome their past suffering. He looks at many different things, such as storytellers or Okinawan traditional dance. By looking at those moments when past memories were recalled, Nelson shows that Okinawans are not simply passive victims, but that they creatively engage their memories and work to transform how they live. Okinawa is currently one of the prefectures of Japan. But Okinawa, previously called Ryukyu, was annexed by Japan in 1879, followed by other former Japanese colonial possessions, like Taiwan and Korea. Since then Okinawa has always been ‘subjected’ by mainland Japan and they have had to internalise the idea that they’re ‘behind’ and need to ‘catch up’ with mainland Japan. They have had to adopt Japanese customs and discard their own languages and traditions. I have simplified the history of Okinawa here, but the relationship between Okinawa and mainland Japan has not been equal historically. Okinawa was also one of the only major sites of land battles in Japan during the Pacific War [in World War II ], it was the site of much tragedy and suffering. Yes. During the war, Okinawa was sacrificed as a battle ground to protect mainland Japan and, after the war, Okinawa was again sacrificed and occupied by the Allies until 1971. In 1972, Okinawa again became part of Japan, but its poverty rate is the highest in the country and its education level is lower than mainland Japan. They still struggle economically and socially. There are lots of films and novels about the Battle of Okinawa, but not so many about contemporary Okinawans, how they feel about the past and how they live today. Those living in Okinawa today cannot simply forget the past. They are still suffering. We also see US military bases in Okinawa and the locals who are against them. We also sometimes see incidents between Okinawans and the American military living in Okinawa. For Okinawans the past is not simply something that happened in the past. The suffering continues. Probably for those from mainland Japan, they might have different perceptions of Okinawa. Okinawa is popular with tourists, as it has beautiful beaches and, recently, Okinawan culture and music have become popular in mainland Japan. So, sometimes for mainland Japanese, the Okinawan past is forgotten or overshadowed by its reputation as a tourist destination and that, too, can contribute to Okinawan suffering. “Those living in Okinawa today cannot simply forget the past. They are still suffering” The thing I like about this book is, first of all, it’s very beautifully written. And then his descriptions are very detailed, almost like reading a novel. After reading it, I felt as if I just finished watching a movie or something. That was also, I think, the power of this book. It really immerses readers in its stories. Yes. He also participated in the Okinawan dance festival for a couple years."