Many Ways to Support Loochoo Culture & Community
Loochoo culture comes in multiple shapes and forms – and there are many ways for you to get involved.
Loochoo Nation initially will be focused on the Hawaiʻi diaspora and Uchinā, but our efforts will expand to the neighbor Okinawan islands as well as the Okinawan diaspora across the globe, especially in areas of higher Okinawan populations, such as Brazil and Peru.
Please contact us and let us know who else we might add to this list!
Activists
Ukwanshin Kabudan (see Organizations below).
Artists
Adele Yamashiro.
Yukie Shiroma is a Okinawan dance instructor at UH Manoa.
Businesses Supporting Loochoo Culture
Cultural Practitioners
Hui Okinawa Kobudo Taiko.
Emma Smith is a Ryukyu Chado (Okinawan tea ceremony) practitioner.
Educators
Brandon Ing, a shimakutuba (Okinawan language) and sanshin instructor.
Leaders
Organizations
Ukwanshin Kabudan, a Ryukyu/Okinawa performing arts troupe based in Hawaii, is a haven for Loochoo heritage. It preserves the centuries-old tradition of music and dance from Okinawa. The distinct and beautiful performances capture the identity of the culture while sharing goodwill and understanding with people around the globe. Ukwanshin Kabudan also are the leaders of the Loochoo Identity Summit, a three-day gathering in Hawaii that brings people of Ryukyuan descent and Ryukyuan enthusiasts together to ponder and discuss various themes relating to Ryukyuan identity and indigeneity.
The Hawaii United Okinawan Association is a non-profit organization that promotes, perpetuates, and preserves Okinawan culture. With 49 member clubs and over 40,000 members, the organization is best known for its Okinawan Festival, which traditionally is held on the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki.