LOL! I would have to say it is Tohoku ben, native speakers always sound like they're sleeping !
The folk music one reminds me of certain folk music genres in India we find in our villages.
Also reminds me of the ending of Seven Samurai when the farmers are singing while planting the riceand the samurai contemplate in the distance.
The 2nd song is very pleasant to the ear as well.
Glad to know you liked it, buddy! If you like folk music, sure, there's plenty of that !
Here' try some of my favorite folk / country songs
The Ancient Ryukyus generally refers to the period from the 12th century, at the beginning of the Gusuku (Castle) Period, through to the establishment of the Ryukyu Kingdom, to the invasion of the Ryukyus by the Shimazu Clan from Kyushu in 1609.
In 12th century Okinawa, the long Shell Mound period, where people lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, was coming to an end as an agrarian society was formed. In conjunction with this, regional chieftains, called Aji, gathered political power in their respective areas, built castles, called Gusuku, for fortresses and struggles for overall political power began. This is called the Gusuku Period.
By the 14th century three great houses had developed and Okinawa was divided into three centers of power; the south, called Nanzan, the central area, called Chuzan, and the north, called Hokuzan. This was called the Sanzan or Three Kingdoms Period. The kingdoms had good ports and started to conduct active trading with China to increase their economic power.
In the 15th century one of the leaders from the south, Sho Hashi, succeeded in unifying the three kingdoms. The Ryukyu Kingdom was born.
In the 10th to the 14th centuries in East Asia, merchants became increasingly active in trade between countries. Chinese merchants began to reside abroad in other East Asian countries for short terms to conduct trading. In Japan, the merchants of Kyushu and Seto conducted trade aggressively and enlarged their power. In this type of international atmosphere, the Three Kingdoms in Okinawa competed intensely and repeatedly with each other, finally achieving unity with the birth of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Throughout East Asia during this period countries emerged from confusion to reform and unification.
In 1368 the Ming Dynasty was established in China. The Ming, aiming to establish an international order with China as its center, called on neighboring countries to establish tributary relationships with China and established a trade embargo which prohibited free trade. In effect this policy instituted China as the leader and defined the position of neighboring countries. Only those that swore allegiance to the Ming Dynasty were given permission to engage in the lucrative trade with China by the Ming emperor. This is called the Sappo system in Japanese and by adhering to it, leaders in the neighboring countries legitimized their rule and received the benefits of trade with the more advanced China. The Three Kingdoms in Okinawa were also invited and joined in this type of relationship with China.
The Second Sho Dynasty
After the reign of Sho Hashi, who united the Ryukyus and established the First Sho Dynasty, the power of the royal court began to taper off. The 7th king to assume the throne in the Ryukyus was Sho Toku who was ambitious in his pursuit of territorial expansion. Without regard to incidents of civil strife and worsening financial conditions from shrine and temple building projects, his reign grew increasingly tyrannical.
After his death by illness, the powerful vassals at court met and recommended that the chief vassal Kanemaru assume the throne. Kanemaru was born in a farming household but his genius was recognized by the 6th heir to the throne King Sho Taikyu and he was appointed to handle foreign diplomacy and finances for the court.
Kanemaru took office using the name Sho En, with the Sho part of his name borrowed from the names of the First Sho Dynasty kings. King Sho En informed the Chinese emperor of the succession and received investiture envoys from China in 1472. His reign began what is called the Second Sho Dynasty which continued unbroken over 19 generations of kings, for 410 years, until the "Disposition of the Ryukyus" edict issued by the Japanese government in the early Meiji era (1868 - 1912).
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The great age of trade, which was established by the Ryukyu Kingdom throughout East Asia, ended with the appearance of the Western European powers in the 16th century. The amicable trade relationship which had been built with Japan began to show changes. The Shimazu Clan of Satsuma began to approach the Ryukyus with territorial ambitions, eventually culminating in a Satsuma invasion of the Ryukyu Kingdom with a Shogunate sponsored military force in 1609. The Ryukyu Kingdom, weak militarily and having virtually no experience in battle after long peaceful years as a kingdom, was subordinated, without any real resistance, under the Satsuma clan.
Relations between Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Shimazu Clan and the Ryukyu Kingdom
The Age of Great Trade for the Ryukyu Kingdom came to an end in the 16th century; however, trade with China still remained active. It became economically vital for the Shimazu to allow the Ryukyu Kingdom to continue to exist in name as an independent nation.
During this period in Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (one of Japan's three greatest military leaders) unified the whole country and issued an edict requiring other areas of Japan to pay a portion of the military burden. This edict was extended to the then independent nation of the Ryukyu Kingdom via the Shimazu Clan of Satsuma. The demand combined the military burden of the Ryukyus with Satsuma and included the dispatch of an army of 15,000 troops. However, since the Ryukyu Kingdom had no experience in battle, it was exempted from the demand for the troop dispatch and instead was to deliver provisions of rice for 7,000 troops for a period of ten months.
Coinciding with this development was the enthronement of a new king in the Ryukyus, King Sho Nei. This increased the economic difficulty of the kingdom due to the requirement they had to welcome the Chinese investiture envoys. The suzerain relationship the Ryukyu Kingdom had with Ming China had been the most important relation for them. The Ryukyu worried that if they acceded to the Japanese demands it would negatively affect their relations with China. They heatedly debated this within the court. Finally, fearful of an impending attack from the Shimazu should the demands be rejected, they agreed to pay half the amount of the military burden.
Establishing the Kingdom of the Ryukyus
In establishing the Shimazu clan's rule over the Kingdom of the Ryukyus, the invaders first surveyed land and imposed the obligation to pay land tax in rice. They forced King Sho Nei and his Sanshikan (high officials who took charge of state affairs and assisted the king) to submit a written pledge which promised loyalty to the Shimazu Clan. The contents of this written pledge were as follows:
"The Ryukyu Kingdom was subjugated by the Satsuma clan because of neglect of duty to the Shogunate and Shimazu Clan. Therefore, the Ryukyus were crushed once, however through the generosity of the Shimazu, the Okinawa Islands, except Amami-jima Island, are given back again. We will not forget this grace in the generations of descendants to come and will never betray the Shimazu clan."
One of the Sanshikan, Jahana Ekata, continued to refuse the unilateral nature of the pledge and was executed by Satsuma. The Shimazu Clan sent local magistrates in order to keep the Ryukyu Kingdom under observation as well as established "The Fifteen Articles" under which the Ryukyu Kingdom was controlled by the Shimazu clan.
Reforms of Haneji Choshu
After the Shimazu invasion in 1609, despite the passing of half a century, the Ryukyu Kingdom was still in a state of confusion. People had lost their vigor. During this period of confusion, it was Haneji Choshu who began to strike bold political reform and began the reconstruction of the Ryukyu Kingdom. He aided in the conversion of Ryukyuan society from the Ancient Ryukyus to the Latter Period Ryukyus. He also has a Chinese name, Sho Jo ken. When he became Regent (minister who assists king and takes charge in state affairs) he made the following reforms:
1. The prohibition of luxury for all classes including the royal families to encourage thrift.
2. The prohibition of prostitution and strict enforcement of moral discipline.
3. Elimination of the political influence of the supreme priestess and other court ladies and reform in the customs of traditional religion.
4. Controls on the unjust practices of public officials and promotion of land reclamation by farmers in order to reconstruct devastated agricultural villages.
5. Allowed the samurai to learn the cultural accomplishments of the Ryukyus and persuaded them of the necessity for education as a tool in the negotiations with the Satsuma Domain.
2. The prohibition of prostitution and strict enforcement of moral discipline.
3. Elimination of the political influence of the supreme priestess and other court ladies and reform in the customs of traditional religion.
4. Controls on the unjust practices of public officials and promotion of land reclamation by farmers in order to reconstruct devastated agricultural villages.
5. Allowed the samurai to learn the cultural accomplishments of the Ryukyus and persuaded them of the necessity for education as a tool in the negotiations with the Satsuma Domain.
These various precepts were organized and called the Haneji Shioki (Haneji Chastisements).
Agricultural Developments
The sweet potato is said to be one of the most typical Okinawan agricultural products. It is believed that Noguni Sokan brought it back to the Ryukyus from China in 1605 and his lord, Gima Shinjo, studied the methods of cultivation and spread it throughout the Ryukyus. The Ryukyu Archipelago is known for frequently suffering through famines brought on by natural disasters such as typhoons. The advent of a crop like the sweet potato was revolutionary in the Ryukyus because of its ability to withstand the changeable climate. Later the sweet potato spread from the Ryukyus to Satsuma and was introduced to the whole of Japan by Aoki Konyo. In Japanese it is called the Satsuma-Imo or Satsuma potato and was named after the domain in southern Kyushu.
Another one of the typical Okinawan farm products is sugar cane. The time at which the Satsuma-Imo was imported from Ryukyu is unknown, however it is believed that Gima Shinjo, who introduced the sweet potato, dispatched retainers to China to learn sugar manufacturing methods in 1623. The government of the Ryukyu Kingdom soon realized that sugar cane could be traded at a high price in Japan, similar to the profits the Ryukyus received by its monopoly on sales of turmeric. A sugar magistrate was established in 1662 to exercise control over cultivation and sugar manufacture.
This is a photograph of Unchin (turmeric) sold shops throughout Okinawa. The quality of turmeric grown in Okinawa is very high. It was used as a medicine and exchanged in Osaka for a high price. The Shuri royal government maintained a monopoly on turmeric and sugar, both of which brought in large profits.
Harvested sugarcane. It is believed sugarcane farming came from India to Vietnam, and through China before reaching Okinawa. At present sugarcane is raised in Okinawa and Kagoshima Prefectures of Japan.
The beginning of the 19th century saw the western nations expand nation by nation into Asia. The national seclusion policy was abandoned in Japan and a modern state was established. As part of that process, the Ryukyu Kingdom was incorporated into Japan and the monarchy that had ruled the islands for 500 years was dissolved.
In the start of the 19th century the United States began to consider Japan as a desirable port of call for ships operating in the North Pacific and trading ships going to and from China. In 1846 the US dispatched Commodore Biddle to present demands for opening of Japan but he was turned away by the Tokugawa Shogunate.
The subsequent group dispatched by the US for negotiations with Japan stopped in the Ryukyus before heading to Japan. This time Commodore Perry headed the delegation. The Americans, knowing that the Ryukyu Kingdom was under the control of the Japanese, were thinking of occupying the Ryukyus, should negotiations fail with the Japanese on the mainland. In May 1853 Perry' fleet appeared in the Ryukyus seeking a treaty of commerce with the Ryukyu Kingdom. While these demands were refused, Perry did succeed in overcoming resistance to a visit to the royal court and he was able to gain admittance to Shurijo Castle.
In June the arrival of Perry's fleet in Uraga on the Japanese mainland resounded throughout Japan. Perry strongly demanded the opening of the country from seclusion and was refused but returned again the following year in March and was able to conclude the Treaty of Kanagawa by a show of strength. In this way the long national seclusion policies of Japan came to an end.
In June of 1854 Commodore Perry again visited the islands and forced the royal court to agree to the "Treaty of Peace and Amity between the Kingdom of the Ryukyus and the United States." The treaty contained provisions prescribing hospitality toward Americans, provisioning of fuel supplies and water, rescue and protection for shipwrecked American sailors, maintenance of the American cemetery, and piloting services.
The Tokugawa Shogunate collapsed under the pressure to open the country from the American and European countries and the modernization of Japan was begun. At the same time this new age became a surging wave in the Ryukyus.
In 1879 when Okinawa Prefecture was established, Naoyoshi Nabeshima, dispatched from the central government, was made governor of the prefecture. After that all the important posts in the Okinawa Prefecture government were entrusted not to Okinawans, but to mainland Japanese. This was the shift to the Yamatoyu, or Japanese world.
The major policy of the Meiji government toward Okinawa was that while changes such as the abolishment of the court bureaucracy and monarchial social positions were carried out, many of the systems were allowed to remain. This was the "Ancient Customs Preservation Policy" and it meant that older systems such as the land allocation, taxation, and local governmental would remain as they had been. This was an attempt to avoid sudden drastic reforms and it was a direction policy took for some time .
There are a number of reasons for this policy including not wanting to invite revolt by the old ruling class in the Ryukyus, the turmoil of the domestic government in the midst of change, and the enormous profit gained by just taking over the existing tax system.
However, the policy was one of the great causes for delays in the modernization of Okinawa.
While the Meiji government offered some guaranteed stipends to the samurai, they were extended only to those registered as descendants of samurai, a small portion of the warrior class. Stipends were not extended to the large majority of low-level unregistered samurai who received very little in the way of economic support during these changes. Many of them were forced to begin new occupations as merchants and farmers. Numerous accounts described the pitiful conditions of the ruined samurai.
Rebirth of Okinawa Prefecture
In January 1972 Japanese Prime Minister Sato and American President Nixon held consultations and decided on May 15, 1972 as the day of reversion.
The Government of the Ryukyus established the "People's Council on Restoration Issues" to advise the Chief Executive. They studied summaries of the reversion policies of both Japan and America. Chief Executive Chobyo Yara received the report and petitioned both governments, finally writing a petition submitted to an extraordinary session of the Diet entitled the "Recommendations Regarding Reversion" emphasizing the theme of "immediate, unconditional, and complete reversion." On the day of submission of the recommendations a vote was forced on the reversion agreement and it was approved by the Diet.
On May15, 1972, after twenty-seven years of U.S. rule the islands of Okinawa reverted back to Japan. The terms of reversion were a far cry from the hopes of the residents of Okinawa, but, return to the sovereignty of the nation of Japan but reversion was none the less accomplished.
To start the new life of Okinawa Prefecture the Japanese government held commemorative services in Tokyo and Okinawa. The Tokyo ceremonies were held at the Budokan and Prime Minister Sato, U.S. Vice-President Agnew , and Lt. Gen. J. P. Lampert were in attendance. The ten thousand people there celebrated the new life of Okinawa Prefecture.
In Okinawa Prefecture the ceremonies included an address by Governor Yara, a man who had experienced the full bitterness involved with this day because of the various issues surrounding the reversion, including those of the U.S. military bases on Okinawa.
The Okinawa Reversion Council, which had promoted the reversion effort, opened a general meeting in Naha's Yogi Koen Park on the day of reversion and adopted a resolution opposing the reversion. On the other hand, the Okinawa Executive committee organized a celebratory meeting in Naha City on the night before the reversion.
