The Okinawan Flag

 

 

The Current Flag of Okinawa

 Lara Chamberlain Sensei

 

I don’t have a favorite photo of the flag, so I went to my research ...all things Okinawa

Okinawan flag

 

There were three political parties in Ryukyu Kingdom during the era such as Shukyu-tou / 守旧党 which is basically Rykyu to be independent from any outsiders, and Kaishin-tou / 開進党 which is basically Ryukyu to become part of Japan, then at last Tomoe-tou / 巴党 which is basically Ryukyu to be remained permanently neutrality between Japan and others.

 

A leader of Tomoe-tou / 巴党 (Tomoe-parties) was called Kanda-oyakata / 神田親方. Kanda-oyakata had ordered for two excellent personnels and his son called, Manjimaru / 卍丸 who was only fifteen years of age at that time, but his father believed that Manjimaru could move quick and light therefore he could be helpful for them, to meet ministers of various countries who lived in Tokyo secretly and persuade them to give us their supports with his envoys utmost during the conflict between Shukyu-tou / 守旧党 and Kaishin-tou / 開進党.

 

Kanda-oyakata gave a farewell reception for these three envoys for this important job. He also gave them a kimono decorated with Tomoe / 巴 (three comma-shaped heraldic design as this was a symbol of Tomoe-tou / 巴党) each as a gift of honour.

 

Kanda-oyakata made a protocol about National Policy of Ryukyu as follows for his envoys to show those ministers in Tokyo.

(Protocol about National Policy of Ryukyu)

 

Three primary virtues which is “Bi / 美・Jin / 仁・Ju / 柔” (beauty / benevolence / gentleness) of protocol about national policy in Ryukyu has been originally created by Ryukyuan’s life through the action of proving for one thousand years in it history.

 

“Bi-toku / 美徳” (beauty virtue) is said,「身持ち美しや」(to be pronounced “Mimuchi-Churashiya” in Okinawan dialect) in Ryukyu and our virtue are “to be pure and beauty inner centre” and also “to be gracefully and beauty in the external form” as an etiquette of a man and woman of culture.

 

The idea, “beauty surpasses goodness” already had dominated inside the nation’s soul in Ryukyu even before origination of Ryukyu Shintoism. In fact there is no other thing which is preserved power, loved and appreciated besides “beauty”.

 

“Jin-toku / 人徳” (natural virtue) is said, 「仁情深しや」(to be pronounced “Shi-nasake-bukashiya” in Okinawan dialect), and first of all we were taught to recompense one’s goodness. Ryukyuan is well known as very caring people in general nation wide. It is proved that Ryukyuan has been welcomed with friendly mannered by various nations in it history due to we are the nation who is very caring, dislike an action of unkindness (heartlessness) towards others and regards it worse than any other badnesses (crimes).

 

“Ju-toku / 柔徳” is said, 「事柔らしや」(to be pronounced “Koto-yawarashi-ya” in both Japanese and Okinawan), this is roughly opposite to “sturdiness”. It means gentleness, Shurei / 守礼 and arts.

 

(note: The meaning of “Shurei / 守礼” is coming from “Ryukyu is the country which values propriety” and “Ryukyu is the country which keeps order (discipline) of the international relations being bound with Shin (China) like parent and child.”)

 

Ryukyu has been a small country since the beginning, yet it has kept (maintained) our state as “Dai-Ryukyu / 大琉球” (big Ryukyu). This is because of the strength (power) of “Ju-toku / 柔徳” and “Ju-toku / 柔徳” is the only supreme foreign diplomacy as an individual or a peace and happiness of all human races in the world.

 

巴旗 / Tomoe-Hata is a comma-shaped heraldic design flag.

 

The Okinawan flat 1954

 

 

Ryukyu National Flag, 巴旗 / Tomoe-Hata, is created by a blue comma, a red comma and a yellow comma on the rectangular white cloth. It is said that this flag is symbolised three virtues which is “Bi / 美・Jin / 仁・Ju / 柔” (beauty / benevolence / gentleness) of moral principle and chastity of pride.

 

The rectangular shape represents “pure heart with no greed (desire)” including the meaning of “Nubikanami / ぬびかなみ”, and the white cloth represents “moral principle of no desire (greed), then the white colour in centre represents “chastity of pride”.

 

note: I spent bit of time to find the meaning of the word, “Nubikanami / ぬびかなみ” in one but could not find it unfortunately. So I have checked the Okinawan-English Wordbook and found the following meanings. The meaning of “Nubi / ぬび” is “elasticity (tolerance). The meaning of “Kanami / かなみ” is an important in social intercourse (greeting).

 

The colours of “Hachimachi / 冠“ (Okinawan pronunciation. Japanese pronounce this “Kanmuri” and the meaning is “crown”. There were six different colours for different ranks. and also the national policy in Rykyu are based on “Bi / 美・Jin / 仁・Ju / 柔” (beauty / benevolence / gentleness). It was because Ryukyuan kept this three primary virtues they did not have a war with foreign countries.

 

Indeed Ryukyu was a pioneer of world peace which was formed (established) with such National manners and customs that foreign visitors including Napoleon were amazed by.