On the southern tip of Japan, Okinawa is an archipelago that floats in the beautiful ocean. In ancient times, seafarers plied the oceans to Japan and other countries, while a unique island culture flourished. However, Okinawa did not escape the wave of modernity that washed over the islands. Many lives were lost during World War II. Okinawa was ruled by the USA for 27 years and huge US military bases still dot the landscape. For hundreds of years, generations of my maternal ancestors were born, raised and died on these islands. My spirit gravitates toward this archipelago. I want to live in the present and capture the Okinawa that lies before me today.

Keiko Nomura