Mark McNally

1. Who are you? 

Mark McNally, professor of history and director of the Center for Okinawan Studies at UHM.

2. What is your connection with Okinawan Studies at UHM?

I am the director of the Center for Okinawan Studies.

3. Is there any resource held by UHM you want to recommend to the student who wants to study about Okinawa?

I highly recommend using the Edo-ki Ryūkyū mono shiryō shūran.

4. Please tell me the story of why you started your Okinawan studies.

I audited the Okinawan language course taught by visiting professor Miyata from Ryūdai in 2009, and then Center for Japanese Studies asked me to teach the Okinawan history course in the History Department in 2010, which I taught for the first time in 2013.

5. Please tell me your thoughts and prospects of the Center for Okinawan Studies at UH Manoa.

Because of the strong support from the Okinawan community, the future of COS is bright, especially with regard to fundraising to support initiatives like the addition of an Associate Director position for COS.

6. What do you think of the future of Okinawan studies and the Okinawan community in Hawaii?

I would like to start a collaborative project connected to indigeneity and gender in island societies which would involve Okinawa, Hawaii, Taiwan, and Chejudo. This could include a future conference and even a film festival involving contributors from each of those places.