Kumi Odori - Historical and Political Background

Historical and Political Background

Okinawa prefecture is composed of more than 140 islands, 40 of which inhabited, that lie beneath the southernmost Japanese main islands. A point of contention throughout the years, ownership of Okinawa was often disputed by major powers. The island of Okinawa was first ruled by warlords, called either aji or anji, and was unified under the rule of Sho Hashi in the early fifteenth century (Smits 90). Eventually Okinawa conquered the other Ryukyu islands, expanding its small kingdom. Trade was booming in East Asia in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries and Okinawa’s position as a middleman helped foster relationships with Japan and China. Once trade diminished, Ryukyu faced the threat of invasion by Japan. In 1609, the Satsuma domain took control of the Kingdom of Ryukyu in order to take advantage of its connections with China, but ruled only indirectly until the 1870s (Smits 91). Coincidentally, this actually served to promote Chinese culture. The ambiguity of Ryukyu’s political status while under Japanese control was a debate that concerned most of the elite. Even though it was under Japanese domination and its leaders were aware of this, it maintained its autonomy until 1879 (Smits 107). By this time, the Ryukyu began to come under more formal Japanese control, with the Meiji Restoration in 1868 it was made a prefecture of Japan, and then it was occupied by the United States from 1945-1972. In 1972 it was finally returned to Japan as a result of gradually increasing Japanese control.

Kumi odori was born out of the necessity of diplomatic acts. In 1372, King Satto of Chozan consented to follow the tribute system with China and, as part of this system, Chinese envoys settled in Okinawa for approximately six months out of the year whenever the succession of a new king needed to be confirmed by the Chinese emperor (Foley 2). It was essential that these important visitors be entertained, so kumi odori was developed in 1719 by the odori bugyo, or minister of dance, Tamagusuku Chokun. Appointed to the position in 1715, his main responsibility was to commission entertainment for the lavish banquets held for the visiting emissaries. He had previously made five trips to Japan, stopping in both Satsuma and Edo (today's Tokyo). While there, he studied all the fine arts, gaining knowledge of kyogen, kabuki and Noh, which greatly influenced his work (Foley 3). He was inspired by the Chinese arts as well, and at this time Chinese literature, Confucianism, and even the sanshin, an instrument later adapted for kumi odori performances, had been absorbed into Okinawan culture (Foley 2). Kumi odori was staged for the first time at the Choyo banquet in spring of 1719: Shushin kaneiri (Possessed by Love, She Takes Possession of the Temple Bell) and Nido tekiuchi (The Children’s Revenge), which were Chokun’s first works, were performed by male aristocrats and remain a major part of the repertory to this day. With the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the rise of Meiji Rule in 1868, kumi odori was all but forgotten. The aristocrats who previously enjoyed the luxuries of time and money that allowed them to study court dance were now scarce in number but, through a few notable figures, it was passed down through the generations and performed for the general population. Even the common people now had the chance to enter the schools and become performers (Thornbury 233). After the American occupation of Okinawa came to an end and Okinawa was ceded back to Japan in 1972, there was a revival of sorts of all the indigenous art forms. The Japanese support of local Okinawan arts is a source of much debate. Although Okinawan culture was suppressed by the Japanese government during the war, but the On May 15, 1972 kumi odori was proclaimed a nationally important intangible cultural property, or kuni no juyo mukei bunkazai, under the Cultural Properties Protection Law, or Bunkazai Hogoho. Kumi odori was the fifth performing art to be selected as such, joining gagaku (ancient court music), bunraku (puppet theatre), no, and kabuki (other traditional Japanese dances) as corporate entities. After its inception, gidayu bushi, tokiwazu bushi, itchu bushi, kato bushi, miyazono bushi, and ogie bushi- all musical or narrative arts- would join them in this esteemed category (Thornbury 233-234). After a decade of petitioning for an arts complex to house the prefecture’s native arts, the National Theatre Okinawa was built in Urasoe-shi, near the city of Naha in 2004. The reasons for this are not entirely clear, but despite government funding shortages, the officials in Tokyo agreed to support the project. Not only does the theatre attach importance to the city of Okinawa, but it is also a tourist attraction, which gives a more rational basis for their support (Thornbury 243).