Narrative

        Ginowan Shijinkai was formed in 1912 by immigrants from Ginowan and Urasoe, Okinawa. The purpose of the organization was to assist families in times of need. In 1918, club officers were installed. In 1922, the Ginowan-Urasoe group was divided into two separate clubs. After suspension of club activities during World War II, the club was reactivated. When Ginowan “son” was designated a “shi” in the late 1970’s, the club changed its name to Ginowan Shijin Kai.

        Today, the club is made up of approximately 385 of which 150 are active families with nissei, sansei, yonsei, gossei and even rokussei generations.

        We are a member of the umbrella organization known as Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA), along with some 50 other member clubs, with about 40,000 total members.

Our mission is ;

A. to promote, preserve and perpetuate the Okinawan culture

B.  to perform community service

C.To support and encourage education

D.To conduct cultural shows, arts and craft exhibit demonstrations, and athletic and  social activities

E. To print, publish and or distribute Okinawan cultural and historical information and articles.

        Each year our members celebrate a new year with a banquet called a “Shinnen Kai” where we introduce our officers, advisors and Aza representatives. We also recognize Ginowan’s prior year “Uchinanchu of the Year” as well as the senior members of the club. There is always great entertainment, lots of door prizes and of course, we end with a rousing “kachaashii”.

        We also have an annual summer picnic featuring lots of games, prizes, lucky number gifts and shave ice and a great pot luck lunch buffet that everyone participates in. We all enjoy one anothers’ cooking of their favorite foods.

        The highlight of the year is our participation in HUOA’s Okinawan Festival over the Labor Day weekend. It’s the largest ethnic festival in Hawaii and Ginowan members are hard at work making andagi for the food booths.

        We divide the work into 3 groups by AZA’s (area from which the families came from in Ginowan). The Groups are: 1. Futenma, Ginowan, & Maehara. 2. Aragusuku, Ganuku, & Oyama. 3. Kakazu, Nodake,& Uchidomari.

        The 2 basic events are the Shinnenkai and Picnic. This rotation allows one group to be free every third year of any of these tasks and can rest their members for I year.

        Our annual dues are $20.00 annually which helps us pay for our featured events of the Picnic and Shinnennkai.

Our additional funds comes from selling scrips for The annual Okinawan Festival and participating in fundraising activities through the HUOA..

        We have active members engaging in our standing committees for: Membership; Community Service, logo items, recruitment of volunteers, Shinnenenkai, Funeral,

Festival, Picnic, Cultural, Newsletter, & now Website creation.  Anyone interested in joining any of the committees are welcomed to do so by calling any one of our officers.