Shaped by the consequences of the Second World War, decades of US occupation, and cultural repression, the people of Okinawa have developed non-violent forms of resistance over the past decades through dance, song, storytelling, food, and prayer. Rejecting violence, these strategies have taken shape through diplomacy, cultural expression, and exchange. Despite persistent repression, Okinawan communities have continued to sustain long-standing traditions, including artistic practices rooted in the former Ryūkyū Kingdom, of which the island was once a part. Drawing on these historical trajectories and enduring Okinawan practices, together with guests, Riko Sugama, a Berlin-based Okinawan artist and community organizer, presents NUCHI-GAFŪ du SHIDI-GAFŪ: The Wisdom of Okinawa and The Art of Non-Violence. By moving away from a conventional stage-audience relationship, the contributors create a circle gathering that invites collective engagement with the history of Okinawa. Through storytelling in dance, visual art, music, and dialogue, they trace the experiences of the Okinawan people, extending in part to their diaspora in Brazil. Sugama and her peers’ proposal is grounded in the principle of nuchi-gafū du shidi-gafū (命果報どぅ孵果報), which reflects a deeply rooted belief in the inherent blessing and value of existence itself.

Photographer and Guest Speaker:  Toyomitsu Higa 
Cultural Mediator and Circle Facilitator:  Victor Kinjo, Thaís Omine 
Calligraphic Work: Nanyō Unten 
Lacquer Object Work: Hiroya Maeda, Aki Maeda 
Okinawan Karate: Akihito Yagi 
Ryūkyūan Dancers: Ayaka Nakazato, Rita Sugama 
Ryūkyūan Musicians: Takumi Hosokawa, Riko Sugama 
Performance Director: Makoto Inoue 
Language Mediator (JP–EN):  Yoko Gross 
Project Producer: Micaela Trigo

Departing from their presence at Bwa Kayiman, the Okinawan international community has prepared an additional programme of screenings, talks, workshops, performances, exhibitions, and celebrations at SİNEMA TRANSTOPIA and SAVVY Contemporary. The full programme, taking place between July 31 and August 9, 2026, can be found at: https://okinowarweek.com/.