On its sixth week at BLLOGU, ‘Listening Journal’ welcomes the playlist ‘Songs from Ryukyu Islands’, prepared by the performing artist Aine E Nakamura. It includes various musicians from Japan’s southern islands, ritual songs, and sounds of the three-string instrument, Sanshin, originating from Okinawa. A more in-depth description of the playlist by Aine E. Nakamura below:
“Hello Lumbardhi, my name is Aine and I am a singer, composer and performing artist. It is my honour to present to you songs from Okinawa, Yayama and Amami, three regions from the Ryukyu Islands, south of Japan and north of the Philippines. The music in the region can be categorised broadly into two: the ritualistic songs which can be heard only in rituals — they are time and site specific, and belong to the oral culture of women. The second category, the Sanshin songs are played with Sanshin, a three string instrument and they represent the cultural ties to peace activities around the world”.