OKINAWA AND IT'S SURROUNDING ISLANDS

THE RYUKYU ISLANDS

I was stationed on the rock, from 1986 until 1990. I have numerous photographs and movies of my experiences there. In the next coming months I will be showing you numerous areas of the island. Including my experiences of the people and the culture. From little known facts, to discussing the history of the islands, your input would be greatly appreciated.

Keith Brooks

Ie Heya Island

This is a piece of Paradise. In order to access the island, one must take a ferry from Nago to Ie Heya. On this island, you will find paradise. Prestine beaches, excellent snorkeling, and the friendliest people. However, since one is a foreigner, it gets out quickly that you are on the island. You are therefore watched wherever you go.

I was invited by a gentleman of the island to eat at his house. I subsequently came back many months later to visit him. He was shocked that I came back. He was a fisherman on the island. I related the message that my step father's family are lobstermen. He liked that idea. So the entire meal we talked about fishing.

The men working on the ferry had a party and invited me to come. There was the first time in my life I ate raw goat meat. It was extremly delicious with a soy sauce base. In my four years on Okinawa I went to Ie Heya 3 times. I wish I could go back.

Interesting facts about Ie Heya. Since there are only two villages. The school department sends the children to live on the mainland of Okinawa for high school. It was a strange sight for me since, I had not seen any teen agers in the area. Only small children.

Secondly, I noticed a cave on the island. I found out at a later time that this cave the oldest remains of humans, in the Japanese society, were found. Thus, this is the cave that the Japanese people believe were the first humans of the Japanese race.

In the coming months I will show you that cave, and other areas of Ie Heya. Truly Paradise.

Okinawa

Okinawa has long since been an island that has been through alot. War, until the 1970's had been a constant presence. China and Japan feuded over the islands for centuries. During WWII, Japan and America burned, bombed and barraged the island. Almost destroying it. 1/3 of the Okinawans died. Today, many of the WWII caves, war sites and others items can still be seen. Bombs can be found in the jungle, bullets and uniforms can be found in caves. At the site of the "Cave of The Virgins" a cave dedicated to school children, who killed themselves instead of being captured by US Soldiers, a sign reads "May Peace Prevail on Earth." I will show the cave and the sign in the upcoming months. It is at this cave several years ago, the Empororer (then the crown prince) laid flowers in memorial of the school children. At which time, several protestors threw molatov cocktails of the now Emporer. Tensions and hatred run strong on WWII still after all these years.

Then America possessed the islands until around 1972. During this time Okinawa was a haven for GI's escaping the terrors of the Vietnam War.

Since the turnover to Japan, Okinawans have struggled to show their different culture. It can be seen wherever you go throughout Okinawa.

Below you will see four pictures of castles, or former villages, that were built like forts, to protect the village. Many Okinawans are named after these villages. They are great and grand. I will bring more in the coming months.

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