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INTRODUCTION

This is a book about people. They live on a small island, located in the Western Pacific Ocean, between the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The island is only 70 miles long with an average width of 7 miles. It is usually hot and humid, except for a couple of months out of the year. Typhoons are frequent uninvited intruders. The coastline is roughly indented.

Approximately 45 percent of the people are farmers whose chief crops are sugar-cane, sweet potatoes, rice, soybeans, and pineapples. Mountains to the central and northern sections of the island discourage the settlement of large populations. Therefore, most Okinawans live in the southern third part of the island. The enchanting blue and green water which surrounds the "shima," or island, still keeps its allure for fishermen who provide a major item on the everyday menu.

A former Japanese possession, Okinawa fell to American forces following the bloodiest campaign of the Pacific Theater in World War II. One finds the influence of Japan alive today, especially in the language, the celebration of traditional holidays, and certain religious practices. Other cultures have also made their impact on Okinawa, and not the least of these is the presence of American military personnel and their dependents.

Culturally then, Okinawa is a mixture of several influences all of them acting and interacting with one another. But one must not think of Okinawa and her people as neutral recipients, having no history, traditions, or customs of their own. This is far from the truth for Okinawa is rich in her cultural heritage and unique in her cultural expression. You are invited to discover these things for yourself. Some of them you will glean from this book. The rest you will find as you travel around the island, keeping alert to various places, objects, and practices. Do not be afraid of what may seem strange or mysterious. Fear is a serious obstacle to communication between people.

Man is by nature a religious being. The expression of that nature may vary from culture to culture, but the reality of that nature is constant from age to age. Fear, uncertainty, and loneliness stalk the human spirit; courage, faith and a sense of belonging are a balm to the trembling breast.

We began by saying that this is a book about people. If the reader will strive for appreciation and understanding he will find himself the happy discoverer of insights which point not so much to factors which divide the Family of Man, but to human experiences that unite it.