Its image is charming and strange.
Since I traveled Okinawa for the first time in 20 years and
am reading the history of Okinawa, I became to understand little it.
This time, I would like to tell you the surprise obtained in
contact with people of Okinawa.
中世において密貿易の琉球は現在の軍事基地沖縄になったが、魅惑的ではあるが、えたいの知れない島とも映る。
しかし、沖縄を２０年ぶりに旅行し、沖縄史を読み返す内に見えて来たものがあります。
今回は、沖縄の人々に接して得た驚きを皆さんに伝えたいと思います。
＜ Fishing port ＞
At seven o’clock in morning, although I walked a fishing
port, there were only big warehouses in the wharf, and few people.
On several boats that had been tied on the pier, men were
preparing a diving.
There was not ambience
of a fishing port.
朝7時頃、漁港を散策しましたが、埠頭には大きな倉庫群があるだけで人影はほとんどありません。
接岸の何隻かではダイビングの準備をしており、漁港のイメージはなかった。
＜ a situation in the warehouse ＞
Because I wondered, gained agreement with entering the
warehouses.
When I went into one of the warehouses, in it had been
filled with cisterns of farmed sea grapes (seaweed).
The delicacies have been cultivated in the rich seawater that
was pumped.
不思議に思い,了解を得て倉庫の一つに入ると、一面、海ぶどうの養殖槽が並んでいた。
豊かな海水を汲み上げ、珍味の栽培を行っていたのです。
I had a conversation with fishermen in the fishing port.
I: “I heard that Okinawa has dropped out of the most
long-lived prefecture. Since the meat diet increased, are you also metabolic
syndrome? ”
Fisherman: “In order to maintain skin in the severe sunlight
of Okinawa, pork is required.”
I: ”I came here about 20 years ago. In those days, here
was grassland as far as I could see. However, many shops and hotels are currently
crammed here. This area developed, didn't it?”
Fisherman: ” Although it developed, most of business or
enterprises has been practiced by people of mainland, and people of Okinawa are
few.”
They told real intention with smiling.
漁港で漁師との会話。
私：「沖縄県は長寿の座を明け渡したそうですね。肉食が増えた為、メタボ気味ですよね。」
漁師：「沖縄のきびしい日差しの中、肌を維持するには、豚肉が必要なのだよ。」
私：「２０年前、ここに来たことがあるのですが。一面、草はらだったのがショップやホテルが立ち並ぶようになり、発展しましたね。」
漁師：「発展したけれど、商売や事業のほとんどは本土からの人で沖縄の人は少ない。」
彼らは笑顔で本音を語ってくれた。
＜ houses near the fishing port ＞
Most houses in Okinawa were made of concrete as this photo.
Last time, I had felt an uncomfortable feeling in the scenery that disregarded tradition.
After the war, in consideration of the typhoon, people
imitated the lodgings of the U.S. Forces and have built the houses while paying
big expenses.
沖縄の家は、この写真のようにほとんどコンクリート製でした。
前回,私はこの伝統を無視した家並みに違和感を持っていた。
戦後、人々は台風を考慮し、米軍の宿舎を真似て、高額の出費ながら建てるようになったのです。
＜ grave ＞
People's most conservative senses appear in the style of
grave.
This grave is the style of China.
墓には、人々の最も保守的な側面が現れます。
この墓は中国風です。
I had a conversation with a young woman.
I: “A
long time ago, how was your name pronounced?”
Woman:
“It has not changed from of old.”
The
next day, she revealed to me.
Woman:
“since I asked parents, for the first time I knew that it has changed into a
reading of Japan's mainland from the dialect of Okinawa at Meiji Period.
For
her, knowing it may be unhappy.
On
many occasions, Okinawa has been thrown into disorder concerning whether people
select independence or protection from China or Japan.
Okinawa
has had an antipathy to the rule of Japan so much.
若い女性との会話。
私：「あなたの名前を昔はどのように発音したのですか？」
女性：「昔から変わりませんよ。」
次の日、その女性が私に打ち明けました。
女性：「親に聞いたら、明治の頃に沖縄の方言から本土の読みに変えたことを知りました。」
彼女がそれを知ることは不幸かもしれません。
沖縄は幾たびも、日本に従属か独立か、はたまた中国の保護下かで、激しく内部で紛糾しました。
沖縄は、それほど日本の扱いに反感を持っていたのです。
＜ A U.S. base, the greatest air force base in the
Far East, red shows U.S. bases. ＞
Please refer to it.
What has made Okinawa?
In ancient times, Okinawa was close to Japan along many
islands following on Kyushu.
Before long, when the ocean-going ship developed, Okinawa
became close to huge China
Since China and Japan in eastern Asia has restricted the
trade, Ryukyu has played an active part in marine trade.
The West has come to invade Asia on southern routes.
Okinawa that has been a small national land and the
deficient in industry escaped large-scale invasion but wasn't able to attain
independence.
Always, Okinawa was forced to accept a role of the port of
call and a stopping point by China, Japan, and the West.
Okinawa also has found a way into it.
And Okinawa is an important point of military base in the
Far East now.
This time, this series of Okinawa is finished.
Thank you for reading this for long.
何が沖縄を作ったのか？
古くは、沖縄は九州から島伝いで日本に近かった。
やがて外洋船が発達すると、巨大中国が近くになった。
アジア東端の中国と日本は貿易を制限したので、琉球が海上交易を担った。
そのうち欧米が南周りでアジア各地に侵攻して来た。
国土が小さく産業に乏しい沖縄は大規模な侵略を逃れたが独立も出来なかった。
いつも中国や日本、欧米の寄港地・中継地としての役割を押し付けられ、また活路を見出して来た。
そして現在は、極東軍事の要となっている。
今回で、沖縄紀行を終わります。
連載を長らく読んでいただきありがとうございました。
