Iolani Palace celebrates Hawaii, Okinawan cultures on Kamaaina Sunday

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Kamaaina day here at the Iolani Palace.

April is a time to recognize two specific cultures, specifically Hawaiian and Okinawan, since it’s the 125th anniversary of the Okinawans, or Uchinanchu, immigrating to the islands in the year 1900.

Organizes said that this is the first time the Iolani Palace and the Hawaii United Okinawan Association are collaborating.

“This is the first time that we are collaborating together for the 125th Anniversary with Iolani Palace and the Hawaii United Okinawan Association (HUOA),” said HUOA president Frances Nakachi Kuba. “It is significant because of the first generation of Okinawans came here, paved the way, we’re here today enjoying what we have today. So it is a celebration of our ancestors our pioneers who traveled from Okinawa and endured all the hardships but because of them, we are here today.”

Nakachi-Kuba added that is only proper during this collaboration between Hawaii and Okinawa to honor King David Kalakaua who was known as the father of immigration.

“We wanted to pay tribute to King Kalakaua, this is the first time we are paying tribute to King Kalakaua so it is very appropriate to say thank you, and to also say thank you to the father of Okinawan immigration Kyuzo Toyama. So we’re celebrating both cultures because we are so similar,” she said.

Throughout the day, there were many dances from both island cultures, showcasing the pageantry and connection of dance with the people of Hawaii and Okinawa.

“That was pretty special, we are all so connected, the aloha and what we call island culture,” Nakachi-Kuba said. ”It’s a fusion of cultures and it means so much that we are all together we are all united.”

David Arakawa, also with HUOA, shared that there is yet another anniversary between Okinawa and Hawaii.

“This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Hawaii and Okinawa sister-state and sister-prefecture relationship,” he said, “so a lot of things to celebrate between Okinawa and Hawaii this year.”

Kamaaina Sunday is every second Sunday of the month at Iolani palace.