MESSAGE FROM THE CHICAGO OKINAWA KENJINKAI PRESIDENT

MESSAGE FROM THE CHICAGO OKINAWA KENJINKAI PRESIDENT
Hello Members & Friends,
Spring is such a beautiful and mysterious season of the year. If you listen
carefully you can hear the trees and flowers and grass gently whispering as they
awaken and stretch to reach for the bright and cheerful sun. This annual
process always puts a spring in my own feet and joy in my heart.
There are only two short weeks remaining until our 40th commemoration
ceremony. The committee members of the 40th Anniversary are finishing the
last lap and heading toward the finish line.
As the time approaches we’ve made some minor changes to the program as
noted below:
3:00 – 4:00PM
Cocktail hour
4:00 – 5:30PM
Commemoration Ceremony, Entertainment Part I
5:30 – 6:30PM
Intermission / Sit-Down Dinner
6:30 – 8:00PM
Entertainment Part II
As mentioned previously in newsletters and the invitation letter, we are expecting performers from the Okinawa
Kenjinkai of Atlanta, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington DC.
Furthermore, there will be some dances and Karate demonstrations by instructors. Oh, yes! Chicago Kenjinkai’s
professional magician, Bob Higa, will also take us into the exciting world of magic.
On a sad note we must say goodbye to Glenn Asato who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in March. Glenn-san
always added salt & pepper to our occasions with his generous smile and quick witted personality. He would have been
our MC for the upcoming 40th Anniversary and we will miss him deeply. The Kenjinkai has lost an important brick in the
foundation of the organization and that saddens all of us. The 40th birthday will not be the same without you, Glenn-san,
but I trust you will be joining us in spirit at our celebration and all future happy occasions. I hope to see all of you at our
celebration on Saturday, the 27th!
Taeko Ayala
Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai Officers Contact Information
President: Taeko Ayala
P.O. Box 721 Geneva, IL 60134-0721
Vice President: Yoshiko Juravic
3866 Devonshire Ln Park City IL 60085
Treasurer: Etsuko Crary
30A Tyler Ct. Streamwood IL 60107
Secretary: Thomas Pressley
55 East Jeffery Ave Wheeling IL 60090
Sergeant at Arms: Dennis Potamites 6635 N Kimball Lincolnwood IL 60712
Newsletter Editor: Thomas Corrao
3309 30th St Kenosha WI 53144
1 (630) 262-0756
1 (847) 249-3740
[email protected]
1 (630) 220-2989
[email protected]
1 (847) 459-9034 [email protected]
1 (847) 677-4240
[email protected]
1 (262) 656-1805
[email protected]
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHICAGO OKINAWA KENJINKAI PRESIDENT
メンバーの皆様
至る所で草花の“ささやき”が聞こえてくるようなこの芽吹きの季節はどこかしら神秘的なところがありますよね。
一年で最も清々しい今日この頃、メンバーの皆様におかれましては如何お過ごしでしょうか。
さて県人会の 40 回目の誕生日を２週間後に控え 40 周年委員会では最後の仕上げに余念がありません。
プログラムが多少変更になりましたのでお知らせします。
3:00～4:00PM カクテルアワー
4:00～5:30PM 祝賀会、余興第一部
5:30～6:30PM インターミッション及び夕食（着席）
6:30～8:00PM 余興第二部
前回のニュースレターや招待状でもご案内しましたが、今回はジョージア州、インディアナ州、ミシガン州、ニュー
メキシコ州、ニューヨーク州、ノースキャロライナ州、ワシントン DC、オハイオ州と８州の県人会の方々がそれぞ
れの 18 番を披露して下さることになっています。又、師範による流舞や空手の披露に加え、シカゴ県人会の手品師
こそバーブ比喜さんのマジックもきっと皆様を魅了することでしょう。
悲しいニュースです。県人会の皆様もすでにご存知とは思いますが、当県人会の“司会者”グレン・安里さんが去っ
た３月に他界なされました。笑顔でウィットに富んだ名司会振りで 40 周年祝賀会の司会も彼が受け持つ筈でした。
予期せぬ突然のお別れは今でも信じがたく、シカゴ県人会は“柱”を一本なくしたようで本当に悲しく寂しい限りで
す。県人会をこよなく愛したグレンさんのことですから 40 周年にはきっと天国から参加してくれることでしょう。
そして今後のいろんなパーティーにも。
それでは 27 日の祝賀会でお会いしましょう！
Taeko Ayala
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 19…………..Gateway Community College, Kenosha, WI
April 22 ………………...Warren Newport Library, Gurnee, IL
May 3………………Gateway Community College, Racine, WI
May 27……….Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai 40th Anniversary
June 24…………………….. Japan Day, Arlington Heights, IL
June 30 to July 3………….Kyushu and Okinawa Food Fest at
Mitsuwa August Date TBA……...Mitsuwa Bon Odori Festival
September 2…...Okinawa Kenjinkai Annual Picnic, Chicago, IL
October 9…...Joint Performance with Kariyushikai, Okinawa
October 11 – 15..4th Worldwide Uchinanchu Tai Kai, Okinawa
Weekly Practice Gatherings
Mitsuwa Market Place in Arlington Heights
1:00 to 4:00 PM…………………Sanshin group
4:00 to 6:00 PM ………………... Matsuri Daiko
6:00 to 6:30 PM ………………....Break Time
6:30 to 7:40 PM………………….Odori Group
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シカゴ県人会との出会い
沖縄から引っ越して間もない頃、度々足を運んでいたミツワマーケットプレイスでどこからともなく聞こえ
てくる故郷の太鼓や三線の音色を懐かしんでいました。ところが、ある日私がガスステーションに向かって
いる時、私の車の後ろにサングラスをかけたアジア人らしい女性の運転する車がついて来るのです。ガスス
テーションまでついて来たんですがたまたまその女性の方もガ
ソリンを入れに来ただけだろうと思いきや、その女性は車を降
りて来るなり私の方に手を振りながら向かって来るではありま
せんか。私は又もや私にではなく私の後ろの人か誰かに知り合
いでもいてその人に手を振っているのだろうと後ろを振り向い
たんですが私の車の後ろに他の車はありません。
やはりその女性は私に手を振っていたのです。近ずいて来るな
り「Are you Okinawan? 」と尋ねてきたのでビックリしてしまい
ました。今まで日本人とは思われずよく Korean に間違われてい
たんです。彼女になぜ私が沖縄の人だと分かったのか尋ねたら
何と私の車のライセンスプレートを見てそう思ったとのことで
した。そうです、私の主人が車のライセンスプレートを
「OKINAWA」とつけていた事を私自身すっかり忘れてしまっ
ていたのでした。その女性の方と言うのが何を隠そう、芳子ジ
ュラビックさんなのです。私は彼女に拾われたと言っても過言
ではありません。拾われたお陰で県人会との出会いがあり、イ
リノイの生活をエンジョイしています。
沖縄に居た頃、沖縄の伝統に全く興味が無かった私も祭り太鼓や最近ではサンシンまで興味を持って習い始
めました。その事を一番喜んでいるのは故郷の両親です。沖縄を離れて遠い土地で沖縄の事を忘れずにいる
私が嬉しいのだと思います。サンシンやパーランクー等に触れることで両親が喜こんでくれるのがせめても
の親孝行かも知れません。
県人会の皆様に出会えて色々と学ばせていただきました。それも芳子さんに拾われたお陰なので彼女に感謝
マユミ・コックス
しています。芳子さん、そして県人会の皆さん、本当に有難うございます。
NEWEST ADDITIONS TO THE CHICAGO OKINAWA KENJINKAI
Tatsumi Dietz's Grand Daughter
Taylor Sky Kimbrell
Birth Date: September 23, 2005
Weight: 6 lbs 6 oz
Length: 18.5 inches
Koji and Yoshiko's daughter
Momoka Luna Ito
Birth Date: January 31, 2006
Weight: 7 lbs 1 oz
Length: 19.5 inches
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MY TRIP TO FRANCE
BY THERESA GEIGER
Hello everyone! Recently, I had quite an adventure that I would like to share with everyone. Since I am a level three French
student at the school I attend, I had the opportunity to apply for a trip to Paris, France. I applied and was accepted, and so
during spring break this year, I traveled to Paris with
fifteen other French students and two French teachers.
One of the things I learned about traveling with
French teachers is that they make you speak French a
lot! In fact the whole time!
The entire experience was quite amazing. Paris
definitely had a unique atmosphere that was, well,
genuinely Parisian. Our hotel was next to the Rue
Mouffetard, which is where Ernest Hemmingway
once hung out. It was a nice place located in the Latin
quarter of the city, and only a short walk from Notre
Dame. I adored the little cafes, the crepe stands, the…
I guess I was a little obsessed with French food. I have
a weakness for good crème brûlée.
Anyway, we visited all of the usual spots like the
Louvre, La Tour Eiffel, l’Arc du Triomphe, the
Champs-Elysées, Montmartre, the Musée d’Orsay and a bunch of other places. I must say that I enjoyed the Louvre the
most, even if the Mona Lisa (La Joconde in French) is small and boring. In the center of the Louvre there was a sunlit room
filled with marble statues. I believe I discovered a love for sculpture there. All things considered, I had a wonderful time.
Paris is a beautiful city.
Smiles, Theresa Geiger
MY MEMORIES OF SPRING IN OKINAWA
BY THOMAS CORRAO
When I think of spring in Okinawa I think of
the week of April 29th through May 5th which
is known as Golden Week throughout Japan.
During this week there are three national
holidays which coincide with many local
festivals. April 29th is Greenery Day, a
national holiday. It was once celebrated to
honor the emperor of Japan’s birthday, but
since his death, it has been observed to honor
his interest in the flora of Japan. The Holiday
is similar to Arbor Day, but more important to
the Japanese people. May 3rd is the
observance of Constitutional Memorial Day
which is also a national holiday. May 5th is
Children's Day a holiday that was once known
as Boy's Day. Traditional decorations still
emphasize the male child on this day even
though the name was changed. Okinawan
people fly windsocks in the shape of carp
called koi-nobori on children’s day. These koinobori windsocks represent strength in the sense that the Japanese people admire the carps' ability to swim upstream,
against the current. Another festival that occurs during this week is the Kite Flying festival where people all over Japan fly
kites to celebrate spring. Because there are so many national holidays in such a short time, many Japanese take the entire
Golden Week off from work to spend time with their families.
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“Uchinamuku”
I lived in Okinawa for nearly ten years while serving in the United States Air Force. I remember the first time I ever heard of
Okinawa was when I received my first military assignment and I read the words Kadena AB, Okinawa. I was only eighteen
years old at the time and had no idea where I was headed. I had to go to the base library just to find out where this exotic
place was where Uncle Sam was sending me. I had never lived anywhere but with my parents so the thought of being alone
on this tiny little island located in the south seas of Japan cause me some apprehension. Little did I know at that time that
this was the country that would become such a driving force in my life! My experiences with the Okinawan people I met
there left me with many fond memories of the time I spent around them. I think it’s what gives me the drive I am currently
experiencing at this time of my life working with the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai. I truly feel that I am “Uchinamuku” not
just the husband of an Okinawan which is the literal translation in Hogan, but a member of the Okinawan family that I
have found so close to me here in the United States and in Okinawa. Uchinamuku in the intended sense means one who
has been welcomed into the family and is now part of the family. Thank You all at the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai for
welcoming me into your family.
Thomas M Corrao
A Message from the Asato Family
Our family wishes to express our deepest appreciation to all the kenjinkai members who have shown their
extraordinary love and support for our son and brother, Glenn upon his passing on March 3rd. For those who
knew him, one cannot forget his big smile and friendly gestures as he greeted members for the first time. His
interest in Okinawa went beyond participating at the annual picnics and parties. After he visited the islands on
two occasions he came back with an even greater interest in Okinawan history, culture, language and cuisine. He
enjoyed discussions with the family and would talk for hours and hours. He was very proud to be “Uchinanchu”
and in spite of his busy life, always found time to assist with Okinawa Kenjinkai activities and always wished that
he could do more to help. He was a true lover of life and a very “giving” person as many will attest to. We are all
proud of his accomplishments and know that his Uchinanchu spirit will live on forever . . . Thank you Kenjinkai
members, The Asato Family Noboru, Motomi, Linda, Anne, Mark and Sara
Glenn Asato was a blessing to the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai
He was our friend and our brother. One who gave unselfishly of
himself to the organization, helping us to build a strong family
atmosphere through his exuberance and his volunteer spirit.
When we think of Glenn we should not think of him as gone away
for he will live on in the hearts and memories of us all.
Life holds so many facets and this life is but one of them. Just think
of him as resting from the sorrows and the tears in a place of warmth
and comfort where there are no days and no years. Think of how he
must be wishing that we could know today that nothing but our
sadness can really pass away.
Remember Glenn for the great man that he was, a man who
possessed an extraordinary love of life and family. Through his
memory we will continue to honor him and by expressing the joy and
vitality he taught us, our sorrows will pass.
Through Glenn, many of us have learned to accept all that life has to
offer and to turn every possible opportunity into a celebration. He
was a true inspiration to us all and he will be missed but not
forgotten.
Rest in Peace Our Friend
1956 - 2006
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