Akio Chiku Euro Tour ASABANA ROCK 2010 19th-28th March, 2010
Akio Chiku
Amami Shimauta
Last update; Mar. 15th, 2010
Akio Chiku Euro Tour ASABANA ROCK 2010 19th-28th March, 2010
Akio Chiku
What is "Amami Shimauta" ?
"Amami Shimauta (songs of the village community in Amami Islands)" is one of the traditional folk songs of Japan called "Min'yoh (songs of the people)". In Amami Islands, every village has its own "shimauta", a little different from that of other village called "shima". So we can enjoy a lot of variations of the same song, sometimes it likes quite another song.
Although both of Amami Islands and Okinawa Islands are Southwestern Islands of Japan, there are differences between "Amami Shimauta" and "Okinawa Shimauta". As "shima" also means island in Japanese and Okinawan people use this word as island, so "Okinawa Shimauta" must be translated to "Okinawa Islands folk songs".
For further infomation about "Amami Shimauta", please read "Amami Island Folk Songs: An Introduction" written by Mr. Naoshi Koriyama, the author of the book "Beautiful Amami Island Folk Songs".
Famous Shimauta Musicians
KAZUHIRA TAKESHITA; Kazuhira Takeshita is one of the most famous shimauta musicians. He was born in August 1933 in Shokazu, Setouchi-Cho of Amami Oshima and is now living in mainland Japan. His audio CD "Folk Songs of Amami" is now available in amazon.com.
IKUE ASAZAKI; Ikue Asazaki was born in 1935 in Kedomi, Setouchi-Cho of Amami Oshima. She is now living in Tokyo. See her official website (profile is written in English) . Her audio CD is also available in amazon.com.
RIKKI; RIKKI (Rikki Nakano) was born in 1975 in Amami Oshima and now living in mainland Japan. See her official website (profile is written in English). Her audio CD "Shimauta Trickles" and " Final Fantasy X: Suteki Da Ne (CD-single)" is now available in amazon.com. You can also find English version of her audio CD, "Miss You Amami" in this catalogue. Her latest audio CD is "Yui nu shima e" (PTCK-1012). See here.
CHITOSE HAJIME; Chitose Hajime was born in 1979 in Amami Oshima. See this website written about her. Her official website is written in Japanese. You can find some audio CD in amazon.com.
KOUSUKE ATARI; Kousuke Atari was born in 1980 in Amami Oshima. He has official website written in English.
Shimauta on the WWW
All explanations of shimauta are quoted from "Beautiful Amami Island Folk Songs" by Naoshi KORIYAMA.
SETOUCHI-TOWN-OFFICE
Setouchi is located at the south end of Amami Island. You can hear some shimauta songs from the website of Setouchi Town Office. All songs and shamisen are sung and played by Chitose Hajime, born in Setouchi Town.
Asabana Bushi : "Asabana Bushi (Morning Flowers)" is a very popular song sung at the beginning of parties. The singers welcome the guests and exchange words of happiness in meeting each other after some time, or meeting each other for the first time. It is also a kind of warming-up song, with performers giving their throats some exercise by singing it at the beginning of a party.
Kurudando Bushi : "Kurudando Bushi (The Sky's Turned Overcast)" is one of the most popular songs in Amami Oshima, Tokuno-shima and Kikai-jima. It is widely sung, celebrating various occasions such as weddings, birthday parties, dedications of newly-bulit houses and other occasions. The original form of this song is supposed to have been sung at a ritual to pray for rain during a drought.
Honen Bushi : "Honen Bushi (The Year of Good Harvest)" is widely sung under various titles, such as "Ukikumamanjo Bushi", "Chido bushi", and others. The title of this song here is " The Year of Good Harvest", but it isn't exactly about the Year of good harvest. Many singers have added diffrent verses in the past.
Ikyunnya Kana Bushi : "Ikyunnya Kana Bushi (Are You Going Away, Dear? )" is one of the best-loved songs in Amami and one of the easiest to sing. Its tune is full of plaintive strains and very touching.
Traditional Songs of AMAMI
Mr. Atsushi Tanaka is a shimauta musician born in Tokyo. His grandfather emigrated from Kikai Island of Amami to Tokyo in his early days and was a good shimauta musician. Mr. Tanaka learned shimauta by himself from 1998, because his grandfather passed away in this year.
You can hear some shimauta sung and played by Atsushi Tanaka (Vo., Okinawa sanshin and Amami shamisen and guitar) and Daisuke Nara (Vo., Djembe) in this page. All these shimauta are live recording.
These shimauta are; 1 Asabana Bushi, 2 Itokuri Bushi, 3 Itou, 4 Iyunmi-yanmi Bushi, 5 Hounen Bushi, 6 Chijuryahama, 7 A Chindara-trilogy, 8 Katiti nu Inakunshu, 9 Chukkyari Asabana Bushi, 10 Inisuri Bushi
Shimauta of Amami and Okinawa Islands
Michinosima Farm is a site of internet shopping in Kikai Island of Amami. You can hear a lot of songs of Shimauta of Amami and Okinawa Islands and specially, Hachigatsu Odori songs of Amami Islands in this website. Hachigatsu Odori is a traditional folk dance of Amami Islands.
Amami Shimauta videos
Pleasa see this new blog.
I am Minoru Ohashi, born in Tokyo in 1961. Live, audio CD, Musicians' information about Amami Shimauta in Tokyo is in my Japanese website, "Amami Ongaku Joho (Amami Music Information)". Please listen to this music, and enjoy it !
# Mail to author;tokyo-shimagurashi***mbr.nifty.com ---Please change *** to @.