Okinawans in Hawaii

The Okinawans in Hawaii (Okinawan: ハワイぬ沖縄人, Hawai nu uchinānchu) are a Ryukyuan ethnic group, numbering anywhere between 45,000-50,000 people, or 3% of Hawaii’s total population.[2]

Okinawans in Hawaii
Total population
45,000-50,000[1]
Languages
English, Pidgin, Okinawan, Japanese
Related ethnic groups
Ryukyuan people, Japanese in Hawaii, Japanese people, Japanese Americans, Ryukyuan Americans

History

The economic situation of Okinawa worsened following Japanese annexation of the Ryukyu Kingdom.[3] As a result, there was a growing demand for legalizing emigration among Okinawans. In 1899, the first wave of Okinawan migrants arrived in Hawaii, led by emigration activist Kyuzo Toyama.[2][4] Hawaii was the chosen destination due to its sugar plantations.[5]

Kyuzo Toyama would lead a second wave of migrants in 1903. He also stayed in Hawaii for 6 months to investigate the working conditions of these laborers.[4] Upon Kyuzo Toyama returning home on his second trip, he became an emigration agent and was responsible for sending many more Okinawans to Hawaii, along with other places such as Brazil.[4]

Identity

Many Okinawans in Hawaii view themselves to be a distinct group from the Japanese.[6] Okinawans also have their own organizations such as the Hawaii United Okinawa Association, which has over 40,000 members.[7]

In the past, the Japanese in Hawaii would often discriminate against Okinawans, referring to them as "pig-eater" or "hairy" due to their cultural and physical differences.[8]

Notable people

References
  1. https://manoa.hawaii.edu/okinawa/wordpress/?page_id=78
  2. "Center for Okinawan Studies". Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  3. Clayton, Bruce D. (2004). Shotokan's Secret: The Hidden Truth Behind Karate's Fighting Origins. Black Belt Communications. ISBN 978-0-89750-144-6.
  4. "The Century of Emigration". rca.open.ed.jp. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
  5. tracy (2017-09-26). "Hawaii's rainbow of cultures and how they got to the Islands". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
  6. Matsumoto, Y. Scott. "Okinawa Migrants to Hawaii" (PDF). Semantics Scholar. p. 1.
  7. "Hawaii United Okinawa Association". huoa.org. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
  8. "The Okinawas, a Japanese Minority Group" (PDF). University of Hawaii at Manoa. March 15, 1944. p. 5.


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