Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 11.6
A Soga Brothers dedication performance
The Tanadhui Festival experienced a second period of change in the 30 years
following the war's end (1946) until 1976, when it was first performed in the
National Theater in Naha, the capital city of Okinawa. During this period,
people were recovering from the upheaval of the war; many former inhabitants of
the island established their post-war livelihoods elsewhere in Japan, and the island
was struck by a sudden depopulation. The cultural value of the Tanadhui Festival
was recognized neither among islanders, nor in outside audiences. A group of
young men from the war organized a theatrical troupe called the
Subaru
(the
Pleiades), and they created a brand-new style of theater (Fig.
11.7
). In the context
of unpredictable social and cultural change of the 1960s, the motto of the festival
changed to protect it and keep the festival from dying out. People began to
recognize the Tanadhui Festival as a major cultural event on the island. In addition,
due to population decline on the islands people living in nearby Ishigaki Island
were invited to join the festival's dedication performance in this period.
The third period commenced in 1977 and continues to the present. With the
performances at the National Theater in Naha as a turning point, both the drama
and costumes have been refined. Several kinds of stage direction were introduced.
The lull between the dedication performances has been eliminated to entertain the
audiences without pauses. While popular interest in conserving traditional Taketomi
culture has increased, the festival has also come to emphasize and celebrate the
health and prosperity of the island, rather than the original agricultural rituals. Now,
the Taketomi born living on the main islands of Japan return to their home each
spring to join in the Tanadhui Festival.
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