3 Types of Women Are Doing this Dance

  Leading Is a Goddess

 

 

She wears the white robe of a Noro and, is considered the equivalent of a god.

In local dialect, she would be called a Norokumui.

 

The event, known as Shinugu or Shinugu, takes place in the hills of Motobu, Okinawa.

Women following the Noro, chant songs and dance along with her.

Several different dances take place and, each has special hand movements.

Look closely at the heads of women wearing dark robes.

They all have white bands tied around heir hair and knotted.

Elders, who may be someone's grandmother or mother, tie the knots in the front.

Younger, single women, have the ribbon tied behind their head.

Learn More About Shinigu at Japan Update

You May Also Like: The Ladies of Gushiken Shinigu 2012

End of the Weekend Animation

Great Cloud Cover Came By

 

 

This might not be the GIF of the week but, it will be hard to beat.

Yesterday, in the northern hills, the sun was glaring down and it was blazing hot.

That makes for some mighty difficult photography.

When the sun got blocked for a few seconds, I fired away and, captured this scene.

Most of the dances and songs at this event are solemn and seem religious.

This number was lively and different from the rest.

The occasion, called a Shiungu or Shinigu  is an annual event held throughout the Ryukyus.

One of these days, I'll have to catch up with those dancing women, to ask a question.

Was that, some sort of funny tune, they were dancing to?

Were they smiling, because the cloud cover made them happy?

Or, did they see me, dancing in matching yellow flip-flops, singing "Ei, ei, oh?"

Long Days and Nights Doing Research

Mabuni Cliffs of Itoman

 

 

Friday morning the mission was, to get some photos of the cliffs along the beach in Itoman.

Leaving the office in Kin at 9AM, we arrived here, around noon.

It was sunny and blazing hot so, Doc and I took our time climbing the hills of Mabuni. 

Two cameras, were hauled along with me and, I took a grand total of six photos.

After running some errands, I was back in the office, enjoying some air-conditioning.

The cameras were downloaded, images processed and, I began my research.

It's nice to find a historical link, to help explain, what took place at a site like this.

The link, explaining the cave on yesterday's blog, got thousands of views.

And, it saved me from telling everyone, all the gruesome details of what occurred here.

 That allowed me, to get out of here early last night and get refreshed, for the evening.

It's Called Nominication in Japan

 

Take the Japanese word for drinking (nomi) and, communication.

Put them together, go drinking and communicating. That's nominication.

It's usually done by workers of the same company. Or, it could be family and friends.

Me, I just call it researching and, I'll research with almost anybody.

On the circular route, I take after a day in the hot sun, there's a few bars along the way.

One of them closed at midnight so, I went upstairs to another establishment.

I was sitting at the counter, nominicating with a guy who works at the body shop, downstairs.

All of a sudden, the door flew open and, in came a bunch of  young ladies.

And, one of them was Aki, a favorite performer of mine.

We did some serious nominicating, singing and dancing until the wee hours of the morning.

For example, the photo above was taken at 5:13AM.

 The next all of a sudden thing that happened was, daylight arrived.

This photo was taken at 5:45AM and, I didn't want the wife worrying about me.

So, I ordered one more beer and drank it deliberately. I got home around six.

The good lady, asked me if, I needed any breakfast and, I said, "Nah, I'm not hungry."

It was time for me to get a good 8 hours of sleep, to prepare for Saturday night.

See, I plan on going out to do more research during the cool hours of evening, again !

Down the Red Hallway

A New My Place Opened in Town

 

 

They had a grand opening, I missed out on last weekend and, I felt sort of bad.

So, when I heard they were open last night, I had to check it out.

It's probably been over fifteen years since the last time I've entered this building.

It's been remodeled and, is a bit smaller than, I remember it being back in the old days.

A cooperative staff, customers and, an assistant cameraman, helped make this video.

How many people remember the original My Place ?

5 More Animated Images from Obon Festivities in Kin Town

The young Eisa guys and gals performed at a senior citizens home.

Staying in the background, I used a zoom lens to avoid blocking anyone's view.

 There were times, people in their 80's would jump in and join the dancers.

The Esso gasoline station is a good place for the Eisa dancers to get out of the hot sun.

It is conveniently located about a minute's walk from my office. 

 A wide angle lens was used to take this shot, while sitting on the curb.

The little yellow speck, in the image happens to be, the moon. 

The streets have become quiet again, at night and the ancestor's spirits are all gone.

Now, I can get my work done early and, be home before midnight.  Yeah !

Honoring Their Grandparents in Okinawa Japan

Motion GIFs from a Preschool Event

 

 

The sky was blue, Saturday morning for my stroll with the dogs.

It started pouring down rain before 8AM. It was typhoon-like weather. Groan.

For sure, I thought the wife would cancel, going to this school assembly.

Having promised, I would be there with a camera, I figured, I'd be going alone.

But, a smart little grandson, called grandma, to tell her, not to miss this event.

These little kids put on a show, you wouldn't believe possible.

They danced and sang and beat drums just like they were professionals.

Once they got offstage, the dancing continued in their classrooms.

Now, I'm not sure if this batch of kids are juniors or, seniors.

Some of them will start kindergarden, next year, I'm told.

The kids played games and, danced with the grandparents.

Brought them gifts, drinks and food and, lots of hugs.

The teachers were involved in the whole event, keeping things organized and its a good thing.

All that love going around can fog-up a cameraman's eyes !

Yonabaru Tug-O-War 5 Motion GIFs

 A Centuries Old Tradition

 

 

 

This tsunahiki (tug-o-war) has been going on in Okinawa, Japan for over 400 years.

And, there were probably 10,000 or more participants on the field, yesterday.

Here's a peek, at what, I saw through the camera viewfinder, before the tug started.

Just like anywhere else in the Ryukyu islands, the rope comes in two sections.

The ropes were carried in a procession, with royalty being carried on top.

The teams, challenging each other come from the east or, west sides of town.

The folks, riding the ropes, wear period costumes from the old Ryukyu Dynasty.

Once the parade entered the field, I followed them inside, to get a closer look.

There was a pretty lively crowd crowd in there.

For a second or two, I wished the cameras would have stayed at home.

All these gals, wearing summer kimonos were dancing and chanting.

And, some of them were offering me cups of, whatever they were drinking.

Dang.  I like drinking but, I had work to do.

So, I politely turned down the drink and just did a little dance with them.

While they were laughing, they quit flapping their arms around and, quit wiggling.

That gave me a chance, to zoom-in and get this shot.

This shows the wooden pole, used to join the two ropes together.

Coverage of This Event Requires a Team

 

 

This year, I got in with the crowd. The tug, started rather quickly.

That was when, I decided, it was time to climb a building, in order to view the rope.

By the time, I found enough elevation, the tug was over.

Next year, I know exactly where, I want to be, to catch that part of the event.


The Ryukyu Shimpo posted this video from 2011 on YouTube.

It gives an excellent presentation of the sights and sounds, you would encounter.

Read the Ryukyu Shimpo article (English) for more information.

Dancing with a Hangover

There Couldn't Be a Better Tune for This

 

 

If you've never woke up with a massive hangover, it's your own fault.

It's a good thing, I have a very understanding bride, over at my house.

At 9 o'clock this morning, I rudely awakened myself.

It was one of those long nights, out in the town, delivering some of last year's photos.

Lucky, for me, the office showed up, on my way home.

There's a whole bunch more bars to go to or, the cardboard box and sleeping bag.

Too tired and inebriated, for decision making, I went to sleep, in the office.

Whoever invented cardboard boxes and sleeping bags should get the Nobel Prize.

More than likely, my snoring woke me up.

Once I found my coffee and desk, I fired the Apple computer up.

Facebook, pretty much, owns everybody so, I have to go there after checking emails.

 I hate Facebook and the folks who are supposed to support you over at that Mac Computer place.

The rest of the world, I get along alright with.

Facebook, made my day, when somebody shared this tune, though.

Nobody will ever take the place of this guy:

The song must have been played 3 or 4 times before I noticed I had mail on my cell phone.

That's because, I do crazy stuff, like dancing around the room with my tripods.

Listen to that tune. If you just sit still, something's wrong with you.

Don't just sit there oozin' your life.

Out of respect for Louis Armstrong, you should dance with something.

A broomstick would work or, a petrified tree. Anything's better than nothing.

The Cell Phone Mail

Oops, I almost forgot.  Map It Okinawa Dude mailed me.

It seems like about 8:15AM the wife called him, asking to check up on me.

See, she knows he has a key to my office. And, when I forget to come home, I might be there.

It took a few minutes to type answers to the wife and Map It Dude.

I let everyone know, I'm alive and well and caught my breath.

Then, went back and listened to Sachmo and danced a few dozen more times.

It cures hangovers, too !

One Photo and a Quick Explanation

From flat on my back yesterday to 300 photos in the rain today.

Here's one of my favorites.  A pretty gal, dancing on an outdoor stage in Naha, Okinawa.

Things like this don't happen everyday.  They sneak up on you.

When the wife gets wind of this, I better come up with a darn good explanation.

She was thinking maybe, I would go see a doctor today, for that cold I had yesterday.

She's going to be asking me, how I wound up in Naha on a rainy day, shooting cameras.

The best answer I can think of, at the moment, is something like this:

Good driver, I guess.

Travel Photo: Nightlife in Koza City Okinawa

After spending the day checking out beaches, caves and other islands, it's time for a break.

It's been a few months since we went to Koza for a night of entertainment.

Tonight, a crowd of us will meet at a Live House.

We may end up sipping the local spirits, singing and dancing.

So, I decided to leave the cameras behind.

Maybe, I'll just take notes.

Just in case you don't hear from me in a few days, call the Koza Information Center.

Tell the authorities you're looking for the bearded American guy.

The one wearing yellow flip-flops.

They'll know where to find me.



In the Spotlight: Marty Robbins -- El Paso

The Word Cantina Brought This One On !

 

Anyone who has read this blog for more than a few servings, already knows something about it.

The photo presented doesn't necessarily match the text.

Things get hectic when you run around with a camera trying to document the Ryukyu lifestyle.

So, last night, the cameras stayed home and I went to this cantina, by myself.

Three or four times before, I've been in this place and never noticed the name, Cantina "T".

Hey, after the cameras are put away, I become very unobservant.

I could tell you stuff like, the beer was cold, the steak tasted great or, a pretty girl was there.

All of the above was true.  And, on top of that, I discovered this, last night.

The place was some kind of Peruvian/Mexican CANTINA !

Now, I want to do a TripAdvisor Review on it because I love the joint.

So, I shot this photo with my cell-phone and emailed it to myself.  That way I won't forget.

The Part Where Marty Robbins Comes In

 

It's been so long since I've heard that tune, El Paso, it kept me awake half the night.

He sings something about a cantina, in that song but, I couldn't remember what it was.

Just the tune and the guitar pickin' stuck in my head.

Well, I found it on YouTube for everybody to listen to, in case you never heard it before.

Man, that Marty Robbins knew how to sing some ballads. 

I decided to put him in the spotlight.  People don't make great songs like that anymore.

You know, I must have played the thing ten times.

Had to pull the shutter down and cover all the windows of my office so, nobody would think I'm crazy.

What would you say if you saw some old guy dancing with a folded tripod like he was riding a horse ?

Marty Robbins sings stuff about falling in love with a Mexican girl named Felina and then starts

 sayin' stuff like, "I gotta make it to Rose's back door" ! 

Hah !  Three times, I fell off my horse laughing.  It cracked me up !

Now, I have  to get back to my dancing lessons.

They say the best thing to do, after you fall off a horse, is get back up there and keep riding.

Ten Photos from the Full Moon Festival in Awa

It Rained a Little

 

The full moon decided not to show for these gals dancing in Awa Okinawa, Japan.

But, getting wet didn't dampen their spirits at all.

From the sacred site where it all started, they headed over to the festival area.

Excusing myself, I got in front of the procession before they started dancing.

That's because, I knew, once they started, it wouldn't be easy shooting them.

They move gracefully but, trying to freeze their motion in the dark was challenging.

Using a flash, I tried to just focus on a few dancers at a time.

They have been practicing for over a month to get ready for the event.

 I figured it would be nice to try and catch a photo of each gal, if I could.

Close to 300 pictures of them dancing in the rain were taken.

When it was over, some gals just kept on dancing.

They were real nice folks and I wish I could have stayed longer.

But, I have work to do.  And, all that rain could give a person a cold.

So, I figure I should see if any bars are still open and get me some cold medicine.


RELATED POST:

October Full Moon: Another Okinawa Festival

Photo Essay: The Ladies of Gushiken at the Shinigu 2012

These ten photos give a quick peek at what can be seen during the Gushiken Shinigu.

The elderly women wear the ribbon in their hair with the knot facing forward.

Young ladies have the knot tied behind their heads.

After doing a few dances on lower terrain, up the hill they went.

Drum-beating, songs, dance and worship take place on a spot below a sacred site.

No men are allowed to go up the stairs to the Utaki. 

So, you won't see any photos of what takes place up there.

The top of a water tower was made available to capture this photo.

Here, the ladies are facing the East China Sea.

There isn't a happier, healthier bunch of gals anywhere I've ever traveled.

It got me wondering.  Maybe, the secret to longevity has something to do with this Shinigu !

Photo From Motobu Okinawa: Ie-Jima at Sunset

Heading back up there today, I decided to post this sunset from last night.

The bags are packed, cameras fully charged and it's time to go to work.

Right now, I have no idea if I'll make it home to download cameras tonight.

It all depends on them lively gals who will be doing the Shinugu dancing.

When the camera-shooting is all done, I may have to tip a few drinks with them.

If that's the case,  it would be a good idea to not-get-behind-the wheel-of-the-car.

When I'm done camping, maybe, I'll catch a sunrise in Motubu for you !

Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (Photo)

There it is on the left side of this cell phone photo.  My old bag has the Staff armband on it.
Ever since I got this yesterday, that tune Papa's Got a Brand New Bag keeps popping into whatever's left of my brain.  Hah !  It's like having flashbacks to 1965, or something.  Woo !

Both of these Camera Holsters (that's what I call them, anyway) are made by Case Logic. 

Out of all the camera-toting things I own, that old holster has gotten the most use. 

Even when I'm toting a backpack, or big camera bag, the holster is strapped to me.

Soon, I'll do reviews and comparisons on both of these holsters.  Can't tell you the model numbers, yet.  The new one is hiding my Pentax with a zoom attached (18-250mm) and has room for another lens.  PSSST !   It's the UNDER TWENTY DOLLAR MODEL HERE!

I threw the old one's number away years ago and probably should check the trash for the new one's model number, before I lose it, too. Just too excited right now.

All my batteries are charged, or charging, cameras are stuffed into new and old holsters and I'm dancing all over the place singing that James Brown tune,  Papa's Got a Brand New Bag!


VISIT MY HOMEPAGE FOR THE PHOTO OF THE DAY

Photo Essay with Tips, Give Her Your Best Shot, Lady in Blue

Shooting stage performances whether at night outdoors, or inside at a concert can be a challenge. 

The lighting may change suddenly, people are moving and shutterspeed can be a nightmare.

The photographer has to figure out what angle to shoot from,  direction of lighting and which composition makes a lady look great. 

It takes plenty of moving around, zooming and going wide angle and shooting from the left, right and center of the stage. 

The target, this time, was the lady in blue. I don't know her.  She's just a performer at a festival.
My job is to make her more beautiful than she already is with the light that's available, no photoshopping.

If you ask a woman which side of her face is the prettiest, she can tell you.  Women know stuff like that.

You can't just walk up to the stage and ask a lady, "Hey. Which side of your face is the ugliest?" 

Or, that's what I'd do.  I could save a few gigabytes of shooting.  Instead, I try and guess.

If you were a studio photographer, you might be able to suggest different poses and direct the lighting to help smooth things over.  Here, you're on your own.  Man against the elements.

                               Sometimes a vertical shot helps highlight interesting features.

                                               Like, look how long that gal's hair is !

Beside all the dancing and singing she did the lady in blue was also a drummer.

So, I decided this photo was the most flattering one of my target for that day.

If I ever run across her again at a festival, I think I'll give her a copy.

Then, maybe, I could get away with asking her, "Which side of your face is the prettiest"?

If I give her my best shot don't you think the lady in blue would want to help me make another one ?

VISIT MY HOMEPAGE FOR THE PHOTO OF THE DAY