Wow, it’s already that time of year? This year HUOA‘s Okinawan Festival, its 27th year, will take place on September 5th and 6th. As always, it’s a great place to learn more about the Okinawan culture (you’ll still need to check-out Karakui.com for your pop culture fix, tho 😛 ) and other neat stuff like the food booths and local entertainment. Both days are filled with awesome line-ups and the bon dance on Saturday night is always a winner.
More info at the festival website: Okinawan Festival.
Hey Richie! Stop by the Capital Campaign Tent. I’m launching a new exhibit on the Battle of Okinawa. We’ll also be folding paper cranes to send a message of peace from Hawaii to the Okinawa Peace Museum. The CC Tent will also be the location for the 2009 Okinawan Showdown that pits andagi vs. sanshin vs. awamori vs. shisaa vs. hanagasa. 🙂 st
@Sharit: Nifee for the info, Shari! I haven’t decided if I’ll go to the festival this year but if I do, it’ll probably be on Sunday.
[…] } We’re just about two weeks away from the 27th annual Okinawan Festival held in Honolulu, Hawaii, and like every year the event features several guest artists/groups from […]
BTW, Richie, I don’t suppose you know anything about the special guest Sachi? I think she sang min’yo.. but I think I missed if anyone said her surname or anything else about who she is, where she’s from. She’s not on the program by herself… but anyway, she was quite good, and so I’m just curious to find out more about her, maybe find her on YouTube or iTunes.
@toranosuke: I didn’t have a chance to go to this year’s festival but I heard about Sachi from an interview she did on KZOO Radio from a newspaper article.
I’m *thinking* it’s Saachi (formerly of the O-pop group Tink Tink). Here’s a link to a picture of her on my Posterous blog: http://richiety.posterous.com/its-been-awhile-since-i-last-j (she’s in the background wearing a 3/4 t-shirt and playing taiko).
[Update] Yup, it’s her, Saachi Sachiyama, formerly of Tink Tink.
Awesome. Thanks for the info & link!!
@toranosuke: The Honolulu Advertiser mentions Saachi in their Okinawan Festival article: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090906/NEWS23/909060355/-1/RSS02?source=rss_localnews
Hi Richie: Sachi Sakihama just loves Hawaii and it was very interesting to speak with her and learn that she is in the process of learning Hawaiian music so because she wants create a fusion of Hawaiian and Okinawan music in the near future.
@Jon: Nifee deebitan for the info! I’m sure many people who had a chance to see her perform at the festival will be first in line to buy her record. 🙂
Hi Richie,
Sachi performed while my group was setting up and the crowd so happy with her singing…. she was so nice enough to help my group with the Miyagi Keiko dancers at Lanakila senior center and other places!…. she mentioned that her dream was to perform at the Okinawan festival so we’re glad her wish came true!….. Not sure when she is planning on comming back however, I invited her to come back to help me with my recital, hopfully in Mid 2011 after I take my students for their Yuushu sho testing… will need your help too! Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu!!
@ichiro: Haisai!!! Sachi got a lot of exposure by performing at the festival and it’s awesome that her wish came true. 😀 It’ll be nice to see her again tho I’m sure she’ll be busy w/ family stuff when she’s in Okinawa but hopefully she’ll have time to record an album. Anytime you need help let me know.
Hope to see you again soon. 🙂
Karakui 
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