The 2024 Performance (Saturday, November 23, 2024)
On November 23, 2024, Majikinahonryudancers and musicians from Okinawa, California, Maui, and Honolulu performed at Leeward Community Theatre to commemorate 60 years since Ryukyuan dance master Yuko Majikina and his family performed in Hawaiʻi to support a fundraising effort for acquiring the University of Hawaiʻi’s Okinawan collection, now housed at Hamilton Library(known as the Sakamaki/Hawley Collection).
The 60th Anniversary of MajikinahonryuPerformance on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at Leeward Community College Theater.
The 60th Anniversary Performance took place on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at Leeward Community College Theater. Welcomed by a large audience gathered for the event, the performers showcased elegance, artistic mastery, and a deep cultural authenticity that celebrated the rich heritage of Okinawan dance and music. Their performance beautifully balanced technical precision with expressive storytelling, captivating the audience through a blend of traditional artistry and engaging entertainment—a style shaped by the genius of Majikina Yuko (真境名由康, 1889–1982).
The Sakamaki/Hawley Collection
TheSakamaki/Hawley Collectionis a world-class collection of historical materials from the Ryukyus. A bill before the 27th State Legislature recognized that the Collection is the “largest and most comprehensive outside of Japan” and “the University of Hawaii at Manoa is considered one of the top institutions in the world for Okinawan studies, partly because of its extensive collection of Okinawa-related materials in the University of Hawaii Manoa library.”
The materials were originally collected by the late English journalist Frank Hawley (1906-1961). When Hawley passed away in 1961, Shunzō Sakamaki, a former University of Hawaiʻi professor, contacted the family and negotiated the purchase of the collection. The University was able to acquire Hawley’s Ryukyu collection through the help of the community in Hawaiʻi and Okinawa. Hawley’s Collection was later complemented by the personal collection of Shunzō Sakamaki and became known as the Sakamaki/Hawley Collection.
Part of the scroll “Procession to the Shōgun’s Castle by the Two Envoys from the King of Chūzan, Ryukyu” in the Sakamaki/Hawley Collection, Hamilton Library.
The 1964 Peformance for Fundraising
In August of 1964, renowned Okinawan dance master Yuko Majikina together with his children, Yoshinae, Yoshino, and Yoshikuni performed at Kennedy Theater on the University of Hawai`i’s campus. They were invited to help fundraise for the acquisition of Okinawan publications and Ryukyuan materials that would eventually become the Sakamaki/Hawley collection housed at Hamilton Library. Yuko Majikina was a master in both Ryukyu Buyo and Kumi Udui and was recognized as a living treasure of the artforms. Together with his daughter Yoshinae and Yoshino, the Majikina family created a signature form of dancing and works that offer a unique insight in capturing the essence of the Okinawan people and their lives.
A scene from the 1964 Kennedy Theatre performance.
Visiting the Hamilton Library
In addition to the public performance, the group of performers made a special visit to Hamilton Library to view some of the rare items of the Sakamaki/Hawley Collection, which the 1964 dance troupe helped the University acquire. Seeing them, the Majikina Honryu Grand Headmaster, Mr. Majikina Norihiro, remarked: “I am amazed by the extensive collection of such wonderful Okinawan historical materials. This is the first time I have seen the actual items. I hope you will continue to expand the Okinawan collection in the future.”
The public performance was a resounding success. The attendees were also honored to hear a special message for the event from Denny Tamaki, the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture. The CALL Uehiro Program collaborated with the Majikina Honryu artist group, the Hamilton Library, the Center for Okinawan Studies, the Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA), and Hawaiʻi’s local Okinawan community to organize this educational event, highlighting Okinawa’s unique cultural legacy and fostering public engagement and awareness.