Northern California Okinawa Kenjin-kai
- Activity base
- North America(United States of America/State of California)
- Northern California Okinawa Kenjin-kai About
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Membership 230 member families Established 1980 Organization Overview The Northern California Okinawa Kenjin-Kai is a social group whose mission is to promote the cultural heritage and diversity of Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and other parts of Northern California. We are 230 member families strong, made up of first-generation Okinawans, their descendants, and those interested in Okinawan culture.
The president is the head of the organization and reports to the board of directors. The Geino Bunka-Bu (Performing Arts) is in charge of teaching our cultural heritage through classical dance, eisaa, music and coordinates our various events. We publish Tayui, our quarterly newsletter and have an informational website (ncokk.org) to maintain close communication with our membership. There are various other committees, as needed.Affiliated Org. Eisaa Shimadaiko; Okinawa Study Group Publication Tayui (quarterly published) PR Throughout the year, our Geino Bunka-Bu and Eisaa Shimadaiko participate in performances to showcase Okinawa’s cultural heritage in public forums. - Northern California Okinawa Kenjin-kai Activity contents
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URL https://www.ncokk.org/
https://www.facebook.com/ncokk.org/
https://www.instagram.com/haitai.ncokk/Description Teaching Ryukyu dance, sanshin, and eisaa by our Geino Bunka-bu (Performing Arts); cultural and historical study by the Okinawa Study Group; participate in performances to showcase Okinawa’s cultural heritage in public forums; and "Wellness Calls" which started during COVID to check on the wellbeing and safety of our members. Collaboration with other local Asian-American organizations like National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS), J-Sei, and the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) helps us reach out to the community. Own scholarship program NCOKK Scholarship Other Okinawa related matters In November 2023, for the first time, 5 Ryukyuan Dance Masters from different dance schools and kenjinkais united to share Ryukyuan culture and dance at Georgetown University in Washington DC. Such events can serve as a cornerstone for the rejuvenation of our performing arts in the US and hopefully lead to the expansion and development of kenjinkais in the US, many of which are struggling. We want to nurture the future generation of leaders, while at the same time, invest in our performing arts. In short, to help our kenjinkais survive, we can start by preserving and fostering our performing arts. Additionally, having a good and supportive relationship with the Okinawan government, will lead to the idea of future cooperation and collaboration among the kenjinkais in the USA!
