
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.
Listen to us on:
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or... click the link below to listen!
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.
Hajichi in Okinawa and Tattoos in Taiwan / 特別企画展 沖縄のハジチ、台湾原住民族のタトゥー「歴史と今」
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
“Women of the Sacred Grove: Divine Priestesses of Okinawa,” by Susan Sered
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:
JAMP YouTube Elizabeth Miki Brina - Speak, Okinawa
Akemi Johnson - Night in the American Village
'Finding Each Other Again' Form
In Search of Incarcerated Okinawans: A Conversation on Decolonizing Japanese America
PRODUCTION
Huge thank you to Emma Anderson and Joseph Kamiya for audio editing and mastering.
DONATIONS
Donations to Ichariba Choodee are very much appreciated!
Support for the podcast can be made through Kofi!
CONTACT US
Would you like to share your thoughts or own stories about hajichi? Feel free to email us at shimanchupodcast@gmail.com