Living on Okinawa
Customs and Beliefs of the Locals
Living on Okinawa can be a great experience, you just have to get out and learn about the practices and customs. Okinawa, the principle island of the Okinawa Prefectures is referred to as the, “Keystone of the Pacific”. The climate compares to the Unites States southeastern coastal areas. The name Okinawa means, “Rope in the sea”. It is a fairly good description of this long stretch of islands between mainland Japan and Taiwan. Okinawa consists of forty-one inhabited islands. Okinawa is also a major tourist destination. Okinawa’s customs and environment are beautiful and appealing to all.
Okinawan’s are benevolent and genuinely peaceful people. The society and customs have survived thousands of years. One of the most prominent custom or Okinawa is bowing. Bowing is an Okinawan greeting, having the same meaning as shaking hands in America. It shows respect; the deeper the bow the more the respect. One would not bow to a shopkeeper when making a purchase. Another sign of respect is how you address Okinawans. When addressing an Okinawan, custom dictates using his or her last name and the suffix “san”. So if you have someone with the name Sakura Uchima; she would be called Uchima-san. This goes for both male and female.
Okinawan’s customs deal with matters of respect and courtesy. First, you must show respect for the elderly. They believe that the older generations have an exhausted place in the Okinawan society. Second, you should never walk into an Okinawan home, shrines, or temples wearing shoes. You also do not tip at off base restaurants, hotels, or bars; when you are on base you do as Americans do “tip”.
One of the most delightful Okinawan custom is gift giving. Okinawan’s exchange presents between friends and neighbors on seasonal occasions, journeys, moves, and at the beginning of the New Year. When receiving gifts, it is customary to give one in return. If you give a gift to an Okinawan, he or she will feel obligated to give in return.
Okinawan’s also celebrate the life’s of their ancestors. They take a week off and all local businesses are closed that week. It is celebrated the thirteenth trough the sixteenth of August. This holiday is called Obon. At this time, they visit the graves of the ancestors welcoming the spirits home. A makeshift alter is prepared at the home of the eldest son; that is where they communicate with their ancestors.
Japan lasted from 1185-1603. During that time Japan had emperors, shoguns, daimyos, samurai, and peasants who were all apart of a social class, and all together it was called the Samurai Society. The emperor was just a figurehead for the shogun. The shogun was a powerful military leader that ruled in the emperor’s name. Daimyo were powerful landlords. The daimyo often led armies of samurai. These samurai were trained professional warriors who served daimyo and shoguns. The samurai had to follow a certain code of rules for samurai called Bushido. One of their rules included to always have self-discipline to become a good samurai. The samurai warriors wore light armor, helmets (usually shaped like an animal), and had two swords around their waist. Their armor had a lot of detail and color to it, like their unique helmets. After the samurai comes the peasants, which included farmers and fishermen. They usually always work, then pay takes to the shogun. They usually gave the shogun what they earned from working like food or crops. What made their jobs a bit difficult was their topography. Japan’s topography included many mountains, undersea volcanoes, and barely any flat land to farm on. The Japanese didn’t only work they also practiced their religion. For example, they practiced Confucianism, Buddhism (...
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” This quote by Helen Keller sums up the book Persepolis perfectly. Margi went through many hardships but in the end it strengthened her character and she was able to embrace the world in a better way. Margi is like a baby. The first time they try and take their first steps they topple over in a few seconds but each time they fall they learn and soon enough they are running as happily as can be. The events Margi experiences throughout the graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi helps her be able to deal with life`s hardship in .
Because it was the last major battle of WWII, the battle of Okinawa used lessons learned and TTP’s from all previous battles with the Japanese to successfully employ combined striking power of the services and techniques of amphibious operations. Operation Iceberg was the official Okinawa campaign name. Because of its strategic importance to both the Japanese and the American’s, the Thirty-second Japanese Army commanded by General Mitsuri Ushijima, was ordered to defend Okinawa at all cost. The Japanese forces would change their typical tactics of strong defensive positions at the beaches and water’s edge as seen in the other pacific battles notable the battle of Iwo Jima. Instead they used burial tombs as forts so the Americans would have to bring the fight to them.
The story Persepolis uses the medium of graphic novel and the perspective of a child to convey her message. The events of Persepolis are very dark and in some
Thirdly, the Clash of Civilizations is a theory by Samuel Huntington, which shows that the conflicts that North Korea and South Korea faces in the modern era are caused by differences. On one hand, the war was considered the clash of civilizations at one of two levels: the micro-level. It is when adjacent groups along the fault lines between civilizations struggle violently, over the control of territory and each other. It is clear that North and South Korea fought a gruesome war, and allies of both countries were involved (Huntington 29). The death toll had reached over 54,000, and this is a clear example of how two neighboring civilizations with different ideologies can clash with each other (CNN). On the other hand, there is a macro-level,
In 2015, the headlines of most newspapers and magazines have been about civil rights controversies and concerns. A prominent organization affiliated with these civil rights issues is Black Lives Matter. Also known as BLM, Black Lives Matter was founded in the summer of 2013 and stimulated by the shooting of a black suspect, Trayvon Martin, by a white neighborhood watch, George Zimmerman. BLM uses social media to campaign against violence toward African-Americans. Protests are frequently arranged around inequality, racial profiling, and the killings of black people by law enforcement by the United States criminal justice system. This movement is inspired by the African-American civil rights movement which was created to end racial segregation
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of an oppressive regime on the child Marjane Satrapi as depicted the graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.
This organization was created by Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi in 2012 after George Zimmerman was acquitted for the killing of Trayvon Martin. The Black Lives Matter movement originally started as a hashtag used on social media. Thousands of people used this hashtag to discuss issues in the African American community and to bring to light the ways in which African Americans were being oppressed by the government. By using social media the hashtag spread quickly and as the word got out, the Black Lives Matter movement started to hold peaceful protests around the country. Their main goal is to rebuild the black liberation movement and to ensure that all black voices are heard, especially voices that have been silenced in the past such as African American women and the LGBT community. They believe that state violence directly suppresses African Americans from progressing. This is why they want to end state violence to help African Americans achieve basic human rights and dignity which in turn will benefit society as a whole. Black Lives Matter does not only promote justice and equality for blacks but they also work to recognize the contributions African Americans have made recently and throughout
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Japan is a very homogenous society made up of about 98% ethnic Japanese. They tend to put a lot of emphasis on family and communities, and value the group more than the individual (Aliasis, 2013). The social hierarchy important and members of the society are expected to conform. One way is showing respect for one’s elders, for example the oldest member of a group is served first and their drinks are poured for them (AngloINFO, 2014). This mentality is common in the business world as well. Promotions are usually based on seniority and people often work at one company their entire lives. This way of life brings satisfaction and pride to the people (Aliasis, 2013). When greeting others it is customary to bow, although the Japanese are familiar with our ways and would expect us to want to shake hands rather than bow (Bazzel, 2013; Angloinfo, 2014). Also, being too direct about what one is really thinking is not socially acceptable. The Japanese use subtle language and rely heavily on non-verbal forms of communication (Aliasis, 2013).
Thirdly, the Clash of Civilizations is a theory by Samuel Huntington, which shows that the conflicts that North Korea and South Korea faces in the modern era are caused by differences. On one hand, the war was considered the clash of civilizations at one of two levels: the micro-level. It is when adjacent groups along the fault lines between civilizations struggle violently, over the control of territory and each other. It is clear that North and South Korea fought a gruesome war, and allies of both countries were involved (Huntington). The death toll had reached over 54,000, and this is a clear example of how two neighboring civilizations with different ideologies can clash with each other (CNN). On the other
Japan is a large island off to the east of China it is a great country that has a rich culture. The Japanese religion is based off of two main beliefs, the belief in Shinto and Buddhism many Japanese people believe consider themselves both. The Japanese people were known to be around as early as 4,500 B.C. They have constructed their government style to a constitutional monarchy where they do in fact have an emperor, but he has limited power within the country. The main power of the country is held by the Prime Minister of Japan. Japan is made up of many islands that extend along the Pacific coast of Asia. The land area is made up of a lot of forest and mountainous area that cannot be used for agricultural, industrial or residential use. Japan also has one of the largest and growing economies in the world. They are growing every day and it is all because the people of Japan work very hard in order for their economy to flourish as it has.
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To greet the other, people greet each other by bowing only! A bow can range from a small nod of the head to a deep bend at the