Saturday, October 16, 2010

The Lady of the Year: Photos from An Okinawa Kajimaya

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending an Okinawa Kajimaya. It's a celebration and this one was for a lady I had never met before. And she had one heck of a celebration!


A Wedding Hall was where it took place and there was live entertainment and plenty of food and drinks.  The lady being honored is barely visible in this photo. She's dressed in pink and sitting in the wheelchair in the lower right corner of the picture.


So, I maneuvered into a position where I could get a close up of Nakama Yasu, who to me, is the Lady of the Year. A Kajimaya is a celebration of longevity in Okinawa. If I live to be 97 years old I might have one, too. Then, have a big party where all my friends and family take a group photo.



The word "Kajimaya" means "Pinwheel". In Okinawa they believe, as we age, we become more like children. So, the Lady of the Year got a pinwheel to play with and so did all the children. Guess what?

I GOT A PINWHEEL, TOO.  I don't think any other middle-aged man there got one, but I did !

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