Episode 3... part 2!
What is the future of hajichi? How does a shifting culture and identity of the Ryukyuan / Okinawan diaspora affect a practice such as this?
Join co-host Mariko with returning guest speakers Co Lewis and June Owatari as they continue the discussion on the Ryukyuan practice of Hajichi, or traditional Ryukyuan hand tattoo. Looking to the present day revival practices of hajichi, we will talk about the future of this beautiful practice, how it has adapted or changed, and what hajichi might look like in the future. ... and of course, we’ll end with our Okinawa fun fact of the day.
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Show Notes:
Courtesan and Actor Hajichi: Furness, William Henry. Life in the Luchu Islands (Japan). United States, University of Pennsylvania, 1899. 'To distinguish from workers; only “two large dots on the first phalanx of the middle fingers of both hands”
At 04:40, June uses the example of hijabi women to illustrate Western orientalist myths of non-Western customs being barbaric and oppressive. We want to clarify that neither June nor Co support this way of thinking.
Amami Island: Ryukyu (Loochoo) Islands. United States, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, 1944
Male Tattooing from Basil Hall
Thoughts on Tattoos of the Southern Islands by Kazuo Ohara
GUEST SPEAKER & MUSIC CREDITS
June Owatari (they/them):
Website: jlowatari.com
Instagram: instagram.com/juniejuniejune
Mastadon: mastodon.design/@juniejuniejune
Co Lewis (she /her):
Shimanchu Hajichi Revival website: hajichirevival.wixsite.com/shimanchuhajichi
Shimanchu Hajichi Revival Instagram: instagram.com/shimanchuhajichi
Email: hajichirevival@gmail.com
And nifee deebiru to Brandon Ufugusuku Ing for the music for the fun fact!
Bandcamp: https://brandoning.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/brandoningmusic
Oki Phrase of the Day / Oki Fun Fact of the Day:
PRODUCTION
Huge thank you to Emma Anderson and Joseph Kamiya for audio editing and mastering.
DONATIONS
Donations to Ichariba Choodee are very much appreciated!
CONTACT US
Would you like to share your thoughts or own stories about hajichi? Feel free to email us at shimanchupodcast@gmail.com