In 1944 Okinawan dance master Yuko Majikina and his family were evacuated from
Naha, in an effort to save a critical cultural practitioner from potential peril in the
impending Okinawan battle of World War II. It was a deathly frightening time involving
a harrowing journey over dangerous torpedo filled waters in which the final destination
of Oita-ken offered the Majikina family sanctuary to live out the rest of the war.
Upon returning to a decimated hometown at war’s end, like so many other Okinawans,
Yuko Majikina started the arduous task of rebuilding his life and craft. Majikina was
determined to preserve and expand the dance art and drama of Okinawa. And, this
time, with the assistance of his son and two daughters, Majikina was able to advance
his artform into a well-respected, unique and diverse form of Ryukyu buyo.
Twenty years later, in 1964, Majikina never imagined that he and his family would be in
a position to assist with the acquisition of an important collection of Ryukyuan works
outside of Okinawa. Then, University of Hawaii professor Shunzo Sakamaki would
launch a mission to acquire English journalist Frank Hawley’s collection of Ryukyu
works after his death in 1961. The collection consisted of Ryukyuan and Okinawan
publications and materials dating from the 1400s to the 1960s. A dance performance
by the Majikina family was organized with the help of the Hawaii United Okinawa
Association as a fundraiser. The Majikina family considered it an honor to help with this
effort that eventually became the Sakamaki/Hawley Collection housed at Hamilton
Library.

On November 23, 2024, Yoshinae Majikina’s students from Okinawa will perform at Leeward Theater in Hawaii marking 60 years since the 1964 fundraising performance of Majikina Honryu works. Proceeds from this year’s performance will again benefit the Okinawan library and the Center for Okinawan Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Okinawan musicians accompanied by a handful of Hawaii and Los Angeles musicians will also perform. The two hours of signature dances by Yuko and Yoshinae Majikina will depict a unique style that illustrates celebratory themes as well as everyday life and characteristics of Okinawan society. Please Come and experience this exciting Majikina Honryu’s Ryubu legacy dance event!

Link to the ticket site ($35 per person): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/60th-anniversary-performance-majikina-honryu-ryubu-legacy-tickets-1014919540667?aff=oddtdtcreator