Naka Bokunen
An Izena-born woodblock print artist whose dynamic yet delicate works express—in sometimes gentle, and sometimes powerful form—the ever-shifting beauty of nature as well as the unheard inner voices of living things. An expert on the nature and history of Izena island, he is known for his sculpture, ryuka (Okinawan short verse), and song- and lyric-writing activities in addition to his woodblock prints. He also acts as tourism ambassador for the village of Izena. http://www.bokunen.com/
 
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Welcome to Izena. I'm so glad you've come to visit. As someone who grew up on this island, I believe this island does not belong just to Izena, but to the world. But not many people come here. I think it's wonderful to share with people from the rest of the world, so I'm very happy that you've come. As we can see from the Deai Photo Essay Cafe, I know in my head that the Internet connects everyone in the world, but seeing all of you right here in Izena allows me to experience that reality firsthand. I'm eager for all of you to learn a lot about Izena. I don't know what'll happen, but I hope you enjoy our time together.

At the moment, I'm a painter, but I never imagined it would become my career. Jobs in agriculture, fishing, and the municipal government are common on this island, but there seemed to be little work for a painter to do here, so I never thought I could make a living doing something like this. That was just the way it was. But in the end, I've been deeply influenced by the island (not in terms of painting techniques, but as a human being), and as a result, have become an artist. You all have the resources to gather information and to go anywhere in the world. I hope you'll search until you find what you want to do. Since you're still in high school, you don't need to find something right away. You're bound to have countless opportunities to make that discovery.

Is it normal for leaves to turn yellow in Izena?

Did you notice when you arrived on Izena that many trees have turned yellow? These are pine trees. Where some of you are from, it might be normal for leaves to fall in the winter and become fertilizer. But in this southern climate, the foliage doesn't turn color and fall. It's not normal for leaves to turn color like this. I've asked around, but apparently this is the first time this has happened in the last eighty years. The same kind of thing has happened on the main island, and it's suspected that pine-eating insects were transported through supplies received at the U.S. military bases. These things happen anywhere in the world where people come and go. We didn't，however, have pine-eating insects then. This year, we had a period of no rain for three months. That's a rare occurrence. I was devastated when I looked at the island from a boat and found that the vegetation over the rocky parts of the island was all withered. One could tell that it was from lack of rain. I wasn't sure at first, but I asked other people of the island, and it seems to have been the case.

Look, there's a butterfly here. On Izena, butterflies are said to be messengers from the gods, and they come to welcome people. Things like this happen sometimes. Dragonflies and butterflies both, but especially butterflies. So seeing a butterfly is a good thing.

Back to the pine trees. Something that hasn't happened for eighty years is happening. That's abnormal, right? There's strange weather all over the world. Something that happens far away can have an influence on Izena. Something that happens here can have an effect on a place as far away as Brazil. The world is connected, each area affecting other parts of the world. What I want to say is this: the fact that the pine trees are dying on Izena is your problem, too!

Okinawan graves and ideas of death

Take a look behind you. This is kikkobaka. Shaped like a tortoise's shell, it illustrates of the uniquely Okinawan view of graves. Do you have any questions?

Q. It looks really sturdy. Is there a reason for that?
Q. Why is it curved?
Have you seen a grave this shape? It looks like a charcoal hut, doesn't it? It represents a house. In Okinawa, it is believed that in the next life, one lives with one's family, just like in this life. Thus death is not an end but an entrance into another world, zone, or stage. On Izena, this was traditionally called shidiru, which has the same meaning as an egg hatching or a larvae turning into a butterfly. People in the same clan who are related to each other by blood are interred in the same grave.

The reason it looks very sturdy is because it represents a house. It's as sturdy as a regular house would be. The shape has a very soft feeling, though, doesn't it? It's made in the image of a mother's womb. This is because it is believed that when one dies, one goes through the womb again to return to the original world. There is the idea that we go on to the next step as in the idea of shidiru, but there is also the view that we return to where we came from. That swell represents a prolific womb.
Q. On the mainland, flowers and incense are offered, but how about in Okinawa?
Basically, I think it's the same. Incense, flowers, and food. We offer things to our ancestors that we like to eat to ourselves. Also, objects that have something to do with the people who are buried there, things that were important to them, like the school sachel they used in elementary school (randoseru).
Q. Are you Buddhist?
In Okinawa, there is a basic belief in ancestor worship, but I think it might be a little different from religion. I guess it's a form of ancestor worship that has existed in Okinawa for ages. Actually, it's a combination of beliefs introduced from China and Korea as well.

It's only been about 150 years since people started building graves like this on Izena. Before that, funerals were more primitive. The dead were left exposed to the elements, and then their bones were washed in the ocean and worshipped.

(Looking at the hinpun of the grave) Okinawan homes have good ventilation, and windows are left wide open. The hinpun is a kind of partition built in front in order to prevent people from being able to see inside. It also follows the principles of feng-shui geomancy. It serves as an obstacle, preventing evil spirits from entering.
 
Trees' strategy…

This type of tree is not native to Izena; it was brought here about 100 years ago. It flourishes even on barren soil, and grows quickly. It can be used as firewood, and as a windbreak. Those who till the fields near these trees always have to clear away the leaves. You can't blame trees for dropping their leaves; it's their strategy for preventing other plants from invading their territory. These trees were introduced, but now they've become a part of the natural landscape of Izena.

Legend of umi gitara and agi gitara

This is umi gitara. Gitara means bluffs. And that over there is agi gitara. Can you tell which represents the female bluff and which represents the male bluff?

A long time ago, there was a couple in love. They prayed to the gods to become one, and they did. They believed they had attained absolute happiness. But after they had become one, they could not feel their love for each other. Once they were no longer apart, they couldn't tell the other's feelings. They started to have doubts. "If we don't like each other, we'd rather die than stay together. But before we die, we want to remember what it was like to love one another," they thought, and threw themselves into the ocean. At that moment, the gods saved them and said, "If they love each other, it is important for a man and a woman to maintain a certain distance. It is vital that your bodies remain separate when you love someone. Being apart is actually the closest thing to being together. That is, if you are in love, being apart is the same as being together."

What this means is that though you may fall in love and want to become one with the other person, you are loving that person as a separate being, so you have to recognize that fact. The woman became umi gitara (sea bluff) and the man became agi gitara (land bluff). Gazing at each other from a close distance they are forever in love.