Haka

I promised that I would blog about the amazing Okinawan Tombs, Haka. So, here it is. Bear with me while I go into teacher mode and give you a mini-lesson on this important part of their culture. It is accurate to the best of my knowledge. These tombs are located all over the island and are symbolic of the ancestor worship that Okinawans have observed for generations. They are generally located near the ocean with an incredible view, a tribute to how much they revere their ancestors. Remember that Okinawa has a lot of Chinese influence and these tombs are a reflection of that history (check out "Mulan" and the whole ancestor scene..now that is my idea of research..ha ha!) You will generally find these tombs to be of the "turtleback" and "gable" variety. There are two excellent examples of these tombs posted in the pictures (10 points to the person that figures out which is which first). Both external structures are supposed to symbolize the position of a woman giving birth. The idea of placing the dead into this structure aligns with the Buddhist philosophy of returning to the source where one originally came from. These tombs are truly a family thing as generation upon generation are interred in the same tomb (thank goodness, because these things are huge and this is a tiny island). Generally speaking the eldest son is in charge of internment and upkeep of the family tomb. In our case, the responsibility would fall upon McKenzie. Lord help us. Based up on the state of her room, our bones would be a mess. Maybe it is a good thing we are not Okinawan. I digress...Traditionally, once a family member passes away they are placed in the tomb for seven to thirteen years. This time period revolves around the Chinese calendar and is only deviated from if another family member passes away in the interim. After this period, the tomb is reopened and the bones are "washed". There is no water involved. Instead family members use chopsticks to remove any remaining flesh and pass the clean bones from person to person until they are placed in vase. This also explains why it is a major dining faux pas to pass food from chopstick to chopstick. If you want to make the Japanese say, "Filthy American!", do that while dining out. In more recent times, cremation has been used to remove flesh, making the task a bit more pleasant. Irregardless, after a person is placed in the tomb the family sets up a place in their house to honor the person for a total of 49 days. Relatives bring food and drink the deceased liked along with money to honor their memory. On the 49th day the oldest son burns the deceased person's favorite clothes along with some money so that these things can travel with them to the other side. Okinawa also has a traditional "Festival of the Dead", where offerings of food/drink and money are left at the actual tomb to honor the ancestors. Tombs are sacred and photography should only be done with permission (or on the sly, with no observers...bad Americans!!!). There are some tombs located in the area where Brian works and they are obligated to do upkeep on the exterior on a monthly basis out of respect for the locals. This is where he meets our friends the Banana Spider and the Hubu. Bow.. and so ends the lesson...