Okinawa and Sardegna (Sardinia) have many things in common: wonderful beaches, a very unique culture – language, food, music – and an ancient tradition for textiles, locally handmade.
Sardinia (Italy): traditional clothes
Naha (Okinawa, Japan): traditional Ryukyan fabric
DECEMBER (12月) 2017 will be a special month for the two places, ‘twins’ separated by nearly 10.000 km.
An Italian team of film-makers will visit Okinawa to make a documentary on the two islands and on their textiles.
Previously they made a beautiful documentary on Sardinia: “Janas: storie di donne, telai e tesori”
This project will spread the Okinawan culture in Italy, making Italian people know many aspects of our beautiful archipelago. Not only ancient textiles as bingata, but also places, local activities and companies.
Yomitan, Okinawa, Japan: young women in traditional Okinawan outfit at Zakimi Castle
Naha (Okinawa, Japan): a young woman singing and playing sanshin at the Haarii (Dragon Boat Festival), May
Naha (Okinawa, Japan): young women in Ryukyan traditional dresses playing sanba percussion musical instrument during the Naha Festival, October
Naha, Okinawa, Japan: women in traditional Bingata’s dresses along Kokusai-dori during the Naha Festival, in October
Naha, Okinawa, Japan: local actor at the Okinawa Film Festival, in March
Naha, Okinawa, Japan: folk group at the Haarii Dragon Boat Festival
The ‘Janas-team’ has been invited by an Okinawan university, but…
To fulfill their project they need some $ponsor.
So they started a crowdfunding which is already giving good results. However they need more money to reach Okinawa. They designed a bag and put it on sale to fund their project.
Here’s a link where you can donate and support their Okinawa-Sardinia project:
We all – Italians, Japanese and other people who love Okinawan culture – strongly hope that the ‘Janas-team’ will be able to make their Dream come true…
Until December: がんばってください！！ In bocca al lupo! Good luck!!