Wordless Wednesday: Serenity

Travel Photo: A Motobu Fisherman

Camera: Pentax KD 10

Lens: Pentax 18-250 at 27MM

Exposure:  f/11   1/180  ISO 100 using camera flash

Location: Motobu, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time  SEP 13 2012  1:22PM

OK This Blog Is Supposed to Be About Okinawa

  

 

Well That's Where This Photo Originated

 

 

Now, it's hanging on a wall at a place called Sleepy Hollow in Athens, New York.

And, a photo of the framed image was emailed to me this morning.

Original Photo by: Chris Willson

The mail, came from my sister and, I hope she doesn't mind me sharing it with you.

" Mick, 48 years ago you walked me down the aisle.  The sunlight was shining on your picture this morning, so I snapped this one for you.

Love ya,

Kathleen"

Sort of Stunned

 

Big sisters don't lie to their younger brothers but, I did the math anyway.

It got me thinking.  Um, 48 years ago, I would have been 20 years old. 

I was in the USA, after a year visiting a place, formerly known as French Indochina.

And, I was walking my big sister down the isle because, somehow, I was the man of the house.

Later that year, I would return, to the place formerly known as French Indochina.

It was like some sort of crazy internship, I was going through and, I traveled a lot.

Out of six siblings, this sister and I, are the farthest apart, geographically speaking.

But, in hearts, minds and spirits, it's like she's standing right next to me, all the time.

Well, I didn't want to get all mushy so, I sent her a quick reply:

"Wow.  Happy Anniversary!  Being a guy, I don't remember stuff like anniversaries.

 But, you just reminded me.  I think my current, upcoming one, is next week August 5th."

Back to the Island of Okinawa

 Fast forward a few years and, I went to model as the fisherman again.

Chris Wilson, wanted to take, a much more dramatic shot, of the fisherman.

He shot this image of me, with my camera, while taking a break.

See the finished product and equipment, he used on the Travel 67 Blog.

If, you desire, to have a portrait taken, visit Chris, in Motobu, Okinawa.

Just, don't try to steal the part of Old Man of the Sea er, I'll come and spit in yer eye !

Okinawan Folktale: Pampas Grass and the San

Fisherman Makes a Large Haul

 

 

On an island to the north of Okinawa a fisherman danced with joy.

He had made an unusually large catch and decided to celebrate into the evening.

After the sun went down, he built a fire and cooked a huge pile of shells and fish.

Ghosts Arrived for Dinner

 

 

Several of them, showed up and began eating the fisherman's dinner.

Frightened, he kept his distance and watched them eat.

   

No matter how much they consumed, the pile of food remained the same size.

The fisherman, would approach the meal, only after the spirits were gone.

The routine continued for several days and nights.

Great amounts of fish were caught every day and, every night, after dark, ghosts came.

Pampas Grass

 

 

 

One day, before sundown and cooking the meal, the fisherman cut some pampas grass.

After the meal was prepared, he placed a san on the plate of food.

The san, is made by tying pampas grass in a loop.

Then, he invited the ghosts, to come and try some of this special meal.

They showed up promptly after dark and gathered around, looking at the feast.

The san, frightened them and, they all flew away.

Since then, an Okinawan serving a meal after dark, will place a san on the dinner.

And, a san is placed at the corners of property, to ward off evil spirits.

From an article on the flowers of Hanafuda, concerning pampas grass:

"In Okinawa, the leaves are knotted as talismans against evil."

REFERENCES:

Okinawan Folk Stories ISBN978-4-99009-146-0 P.46

Condensed from: The Story of the San

Okinawan-English Workbook ISBN 978-0-8248-3102-8

MORE OKINAWA FOLKLORE

Okinawan Folktale: The Fisherman and Plover

Promises Shouldn't Be Broken

 

 

A fisherman, living alone, had recently lost a son.

The lad, named Jira, went to sea one evening but, never returned.

The father quit fishing and, watched the shore each night, waiting for the son to come home.

Forty nine days after the disappearance of the son, he was slowly walking home.

He found an injured bird (plover) that couldn't seem to fly.

The fisherman, took the bird home and cared for it.

The next morning, the bird had recovered and was singing. It flew out to sea.

A few nights later, the fisherman returned home from his daily vigil on the beach.

He was surprised, to see dinner prepared at his table.

 He asked a neighbor if she had seen anyone enter his home but, she had no clue.

The next day, he pretended to go fishing but, climbed a nearby tree to watch his house.

A beautiful, young woman came along and, started to enter the place.

The fisherman ran up behind her and, asked, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The woman told him, she was the plover, he had helped.

The bird had transformed into a woman to return the kindness the fisherman had showed her.

She agreed to remain, living with the man, with one condition.

He must never tell anyone that she was really a plover.

He agreed.

Not Happily Ever After 

Everyone in the village, noticed this beauty of a girl, living with the fisherman.

They also, noticed, the girl never spoke to anyone.

It bothered the guy. Maybe, they thought she was some sort of snob.

One night, he goes out and drinks a little bit too much sake.

Then blabs all over the neighborhood, the truth about his beautiful companion.

The gal can sing but, can't speak because, she's really a plover.

He realizes, he made a mistake and, goes to apologize to the lady for breaking the promise.

But, she turned back into a bird and flew out to sea, crying.

Reference:

 Okinawan Folk Stories ISBN978-4-99009-146-0 Page 81

Plover of Moonlit Night



MORE FOLKLORE

Okinawan Folkltale: Legend of Hakugindo Shrine

Offerings on a Daily Basis

 

This shrine may not be on the top ten places to visit of any traveler's itinerary.

It is an important part of Okinawan culture, that shouldn't be missed.

The history of the shrine, attracts people, from all over Okinawa to visit, every day.

And, they make offerings for a good reason.

 Photos showing the exterior of Hakugindo Shrine were in a previous post.

Today, in this photo, you can look inside the cave over which the shrine was built.

The Story Began over 400 Years Ago

 

 

Prior to annexation by Japan, Okinawa was known as the Ryukyu Kingdom.

These events took place between a Ryukyu fisherman and a Japanese samurai.

 

A samurai loaned money to a poor fisherman, to buy a boat.

The samurai went back to Japan and expected the loan to be paid, upon his return.

Things didn't go well, for the Ryukyuan fisherman.

When the samurai warrior returned, there was no money waiting for him.

In anger, the samurai, drew his sword to end the fisherman's life.

The fisherman warned the warrior, "Never raise your sword in anger."

Stunned, the samurai, let the fisherman live and departed the Ryukyu Islands.

Upon Returning to Japan

The samurai discovered a pair of man's sandals outside his home.

Suspecting, someone was visiting his wife, while he was away, he became enraged.

He drew his sword and entered the house, ready to kill.

Then, he recalled the words of the Ryukyu fisherman and lowered the sword.

Taking a good look at the stranger in his house, he discovered, it was his mother.

She had worn a man's clothing to discourage any male visitors while her son was away.

A Year Later

 

 

On the warrior's next trip to the Ryukyu Islands he visited the fisherman.

Having had a very successful year, the fisherman was ready to repay the loan.

The samurai didn't want the money.

He gave the fisherman credit for saving the lives of his wife and mother.

The fisherman had taught him "Never raise your sword in anger."  

The fisherman insisted on repaying the loan but, the samurai refused to accept it.

As a compromise, they decided to bury the money, together.

They placed it in a cave and had Hakugindo Shrine constructed over it.

It would be a place to pray for the safety of the villagers and fisherman's lives.

The legend of Hakugindo Shrine teaches a valuable lesson, that money can't buy.

And, it is the reason you will see people visiting, making offerings and praying there, today.

SOURCE: JAPAN UPDATE AUG 2009

September 2012 Editor's Picks (Photos)

Ie-Shima Sunset

A Fisherman in Nakijin

Things have gotten horribly busy around here this month.  I love it that way.

Only two photos were entered in a contest and I probably won't have time to do any more.

Speaking of contests: Don't forget to read the rules and get your name submitted for the:

ONE MILLION VIEWS GIVEAWAY

Thursday Travel Photo: A Fisherman in Nakijin Okinawa, Japan

Meet Shokitan Motoo, a fisherman, spotted today on a beach in Nakijin.

Way off on the horizon is Izena-Jima, the next stop in our island-hopping campaign.

A typhoon is coming to visit us this weekend so, the boat trip is cancelled.

Just being out on a sunny afternoon, watching Shokitan cast his net was good enough for me.

It wasn't a good day for fishing.  The net came back empty.

Shokitan came up on the coral rocks where I was composing photos.

We joked and laughed.

He's going home with no fish and I'm not getting to go to another island.

In Okinawa, people don't worry about petty things.

Everything will come together, someday.  So, don't worry.  No need to get angry.

We joked around and laughed some more. Shokitan has a free photo coming to him. 

It turned out to be a great day.



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Ryukyu Rusty at National Geographic Traveler: Photo Contest !

Keep yer eyes on this guy, he's going places, I tell you.  Here's a photo Ryukyu Rusty has in National Geographic Traveler's 2011 Photo Contest. It's a fisherman casting his line off the cliffs during sunset at the Zanpamisaki Lighthouse in Okinawa, Japan.

HERE'S WHAT WE SHOULD ALL DO:

They have a whole bunch of buttons on the page for Facebook, Twitter, Google Buzz, Digg, StumbleUpon, Send to a Friend and even one button that says MORE.  I'm gonna try them all out and I hope some of my followers have the time, in their busy schedules, to hit all those buttons, too.

Ryukyu Rusty isn't really interested in winning some prize in a contest.  Somebody else, ahem- ahum, just put the photo in there for him.  But, wouldn't that be cool, if this photo showed up in National Geographic Traveler Magazine, someday?  Last time I looked there were only twelve-thousand-some other people entered in the contest.  Let's see what we can do to narrow down the odds a bit ! 

JUST HIT THE "HERE'S WHAT WE SHOULD ALL DO" LINK, OK ?