Name: Miirantin
Duration: P00H04M16S
Description: A song inspired by the indigenous tradition of female hand tattoos prevalent in the Ryukyu islands until it was outlawed by the Japanese government in 1899 as another means of forced assimilation.

Miirantin

by Brandon Ufugusuku Ing

supported by

Yoshimasu Kamiya 神谷嘉益 An amazing, dynamic example of honoring your ancestral/cultural heritage and keeping an endangered, indigenous language alive.

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A song inspired by the indigenous tradition of female hand tattoos prevalent in the Ryukyu islands until it was outlawed by the Japanese government in 1899 as another means of forced assimilation.

lyrics

Kuru tu shiru nu sashinoo...
Uri bikee shitchoon.
Ufu nmee, tii kwakwachoomi?
Ura nkai nuu gana kacheesayaa.

Haikaraa du yatagayaa?
Ufu tchu nataru kutu yatan naa?

Hajikasaru kutu aibiran
Kwakwasanti kwimisoriyoo
Hajikasaru kutu neeyabiran
Wattaa yurukubi natooibiisaa.

Nmari tu nu chinaji yagayaa?
Nju ga kaminchu du yateesa yaa.

Chichibusaru kutu mandooshiga
Unju nkai unnukiyabira:

Hajikasaru kutu aibiran
Kwakwasanti kwimisoriyoo
Hajikasaru kutu neeyabiran
Wattaa yurukubi natooibiisaa.

Atta nkai sashitumirattanyaa.
Neen nairu madi.
Yusannee nama yatin woogai sattoshiga
Sujoo mishirana!

Hajikasaru kutu aibiran
Kwakwasanti kwimisoriyoo
Hajikasaru kutu neeyabiran
Wattaa yurukubi du yaibiisa.
-------------------------------
[ENGLISH TRANSLATION]

The black and white photo…
That’s all I know.
Great Grandma, are you hiding your hands?
There’s something drawn on the back, isn’t there?
Was it just for fashion?
Was it because you became an adult?

It’s not something to be ashamed of.
Please don’t hide it.
There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s become our pride.

Does it connect to your geneaology?
I’ve heard that you were kaminchu

Although there’s a lot of things I want to ask,
I want to let you know:

It’s not something to be ashamed of.
Please don’t hide it.
There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s become our pride.

It was prohibited by them
Until it disappeared.
Perhaps now, although we are still oppressed
Let’s show who we are.

It’s not something to be ashamed of.
Please don’t hide it.
There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s become our pride.

credits

released July 15, 2020

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about

Brandon Ufugusuku Ing Kaneohe, Hawaii

Trying to shed some light on indigenous Okinawan language and culture through music.

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