Pages
Hai Sai! Welcome to my Blog.
Hello, my name is Tom Corrao and I am the blogger behind the Okinawaology Blog. I created this blog to share and discuss all things Okinawan. I’m also the Public Relations Officer and Minkan Taishi to the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai. My experience with Okinawa is derived from the time I spent there during the 1980's and 90's (10 years) when serving in the United States Air Force. I've also been married to an Okinawan woman for 30 years now and have been immersed in many things Okinawan through both friends and family. I do not claim to be all knowing about everything Okinawan but I try hard and study the history and culture. I welcome everyone that is interested in Okinawa and hope that I can provide useful information to those uchinanchu that may be curious about their culture and heritage. I also welcome those who are not of Okinawan heritage but have experienced, or are experiencing, the islands culture while stationed there with the United States Military. Comments are welcomed and will be published as long as they are in good taste and on track with the purpose of this blog. My hope with this blog is to bring Uchinanchu people around the world a little closer to their cultural roots by expressing information that has started to fade in light of a more modern world. We should never forget our culture or the people who came before us and through the Blog my intentions are to meld the old with the new and implant knowledge that will help maintain the traditions and culture of an island people.

Sunday, February 28, 2010
Practicing Hayashi - The Joyous calls of Okinawan Music
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Okinawa - Part of the Pacific Rim of Fire
Friday, February 26, 2010
The Fabric of Their Lives
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sabani in Okinawa. Clues to Okinawa's past?
Whether the sabani is a "canoe" or not is debatable. On the pro side of the argument, it clearly evolved from a dugout canoe. The bottom is a massive cedar dugout, to which one side strake is added on each side (plus small partial strakes to raise the freeboard at the bow and stern. Note the sabani on the right really resemble a canoe where as the ones on the bottom are much more complex in design an much larger than a canoe in many instances. If you search the marinas of Okinawa you will come across sabani still being used as fishing vessels as in this picture taken in Naha.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Okinawans innocents caught between Japanese and American Forces
44th Annual Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai New Year Celebration
Okay, Got to go now, there's lots of work to get accomplished in a short amount of time! Thanks for visiting the blog today.
Here is a book previously recommended
to our membership by Sally Nelson. I've
heard it is a good read.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
OKINAWA KENJINKAI PRACTICE EVERY SATURDAY AT MITSUWA MARKETPLACE
Friday, February 19, 2010
Going on Vacation in Okinawa?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Scuba Diving Okinawa and the Disappearing Coral Reef
for The Okinawa Ocean Culture & Environment Action Network (Okinawa O.C.E.A.N.) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of Okinawa's marine environment. Their mission is accomplished through education, direct action, public awareness campaigns, and by cooperating with other organizations with similar goals. They will be able to tell you how you can help clean up Okinawa's oceans.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Beni Imo an Okinawan Superfood
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Traditional Culture Being Preserved Through Modern Perspectives of Okinawan Heritage.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Volunteers Needed to Help Save Okinawan Culture
Friday, February 12, 2010
Intercultural Marriage
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Study of Centenarians in Okinawa
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Yoneko "June" Cabel Sanshin Sensei
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Secret to Losing Weight Getting Healthy and Living a Long Life
Monday, February 8, 2010
Bad Habits Are Hard to Break When it Comes to Playing Sanshin
Names of the notes
On the low string: 合 = “ai” 乙 = “otsu” 老 = “rou”
On the middle string: 四 = “shi” 上 = “jou” 中 = “chuu” 尺 = “shaku”
On the high string: 工 = “kou” 五 = “go” 六 = “roku” 七 = “shichi”
Some day I hope this all clicks in my head.
Must Keep Moving!

Sunday, February 7, 2010
Okay time to get more serious about this Blog
