Shimakutuba (Words to Our Soul)

by Brandon Ufugusuku Ing

supported by

Yoshimasu Kamiya 神谷嘉益 The stripped down version that appears on his EP, "Tiichi," has become one of my all-time favorite songs, so this "full band" version was awesome and how I imagine the song being played in an arena setting!

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about

There is an Okinawan proverb that says "nmarijima nu kutuba washiinee, kunin washiyun." To forget the language of your homeland is to forget your homeland.
This is a different version of the song "Shimakutuba" originally released in 2016, on the album Tiichi.

lyrics

Wattaa Uchinaa ya mutukara kuni du yataru.
Ushinataru mun nu umui ya ippee nachikasanu.
Naada churasaru umi tu tin nu ashiga,
Kuri kara naafin ushinati naransaa yaa.

Shimakutuba washiinee, kunin washiyun.
Kuni washiinee uyan washiyun.

Nama wattaa ya shikee nu ama-kuma nkai wukutu
wattaa ya samajama irun na kutuba du hanasuru.
Mutukara nu shima nu kutuba washiti naransaa.
Kutuba neen nainee, wattaa ya shimanchu aran naindoo.

Shimakutuba washiinee, kunin washiyun.
Kuni washiinee uyan washiyun.

Faafuji ya utatooru uta ushinararan.
Uya nu yushigutu ya washiraran

Shimakutuba washiinee, kunin washiyun.
Kuni washiinee uyan washiyun.

Wattaa shima ya mutukara kuni du yataru.

[ENGLISH TRANSLATION]
Our Okinawa was originally it’s own country.
How sad are the memories of things that were lost.
There’s still beautiful ocean and sky,
But we can’t lose anymore from now.

If we forget our language, we forget our land.
If we forget our land, we forget our parents.

Now we live in various parts of the world,
So we speak different languages.
We can’t forget the language of our homeland.
If we lose our language, we will cease to be shimanchu

[chorus]

I don’t want to lose the songs that our ancestors sing
I don’t want to forget the things our parents taught us.

[chorus]

Our homeland was originally it’s own country

credits

released August 7, 2020
cover art: Norman Kaneshiro; cover design: Caro Higa

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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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