A Capella singing of an Okinawa minyô
2. Rehearsal Scene
Announcer: These two women, caring a lot of things in their hands are going into a three floor building in the downtown of Ishigaki Island.A man: Ok, Let's begin!
Announcer: Yeah! This is a rehearsal room for minyô and dance. For a long time, Ishigaki people have said, "If you can't play shamisen, you aren't a grown-up man!" So many men can play shamisen skillfully. The instruments for Okinawa minyô have their origins in China. In Okinawa, "shamisen" is called "sanshin." Sanshin's shape looks similar to mainland's shamisen, but the sanshin uses the snake skin instead of the cat skin. Also, the length of sanshin's neck is a little shorter than samisen's. In addition to the sanshin, ryukyû-kokyû (or kûcyo, bowed instrument: fiddle), yoko-bue (transverse flute), suzu (bells), taiko (drums), and other percussion instruments are used for minyô performances.
A man: Well...so many people are involved, of course. Women dance and play koto, and men play shamisen and taiko. Most of our people, especially from their 30s and older, actively participate in performing minyô. We are proud to be in a part of our musical heritage.
3. Momozato Bushi (momo = peach, zato < sato=countryside, bushi < fushi =tune, air, melody), performed by the Society for the Preservation of Yaeyama Classical Folk music (Yaeyama Koten-Minyô Hozon-Kai).
Text: rough translation from the Japanese subtitles (not from the original "Okinawan dialect")
1. Momozato is the village of happiness.
Thanks to Karadake [Mt. Kara] there, we are healthy and wealthy
Yô-satiyâ Shî-yon-nâ (vocables)2. From the top of Karadake, I saw our farming fields
The chestnuts and rice ripen beautifully
Yô-satiyâ Shî-yon-nâ (vocables)
A man: I believe that the Ishigaki Island is, among Okinawa's many islands, one of the best places for farming. We have large fields for making rice. That's why there are so many working songs and festival songs to hope a rich harvest.
4. Performing Arts of the Ishigaki Island, by Hiratoku Public Hall: Society for the Preservation of Classical Folk Performing Arts (Hiratoku Kôminkan, Dentô Geinô Hozon-kai)
There are many festivals and rituals that include performing arts. The
following are just a few brief excerpts.
(1) Bô-jutsu (bô = rod, stick, bar, pole, staff, club; jyutsu = practical art, technique)
Symbolistic representation of the fighting between samurai warriors
and farmers.
The one who has a shield is a farmer.
(2) Shishi-mai (shishi = lion, mai = dance)
Different from the lion dance in the main island, this lion dance is similar to its Chinese counterpart. In Okinawa, the lion has been seen as the "king of all animals." People believed that if they can manipulate this strongest animal, they can conquer any kind of suffering and difficulty in their lives.
5. Akanma Bushi (aka=red, uma ("nma" in the title)=horse)
Women: dance as couriers from the god
Men: play instruments
Text: rough translation from the Japanese subtitles
Oh, how happy this day today is!
How delightful a golden day!
6. Conclusion (by the announcer):
It is safe to say that Yaeyama Island's music culture is the "sanshin
culture." The sanshin will be loved by many people, and this musical tradition
will be inherited from one generation to another forever.