Okinawans reminisce about Saipan before and during war

  Being back on Saipan dredges up vivid island memories for 82-year-old Zenichi Taira.

“It was a nice town and we called it a paradise,” said Taira. “We enjoyed it very, very much. Garapan, where I was raised, had many, many facilities and stores 68 years ago.”

War, however, came to Saipan and Taira, who was then attending middle school, was among those who narrowly escaped the horrors of the conflict when he returned to his hometown in Okinawa in his early teens to care for an ailing grandmother.

Some 7,000 Okinawans on island were not as lucky and were among the casualties of the Battle of Saipan.

“Fortunately, I came back to Okinawa and since then, we don’t forget our people who died here. That’s very important. We come here and hold a memorial service as our obligation. Thanks to these people, we’re still alive,” said Taira.

Taira said that flame trees also grow in Okinawa “and every time we see one, it reminds us of Saipan.”

Taira, chairman of the Micronesia Repatriation Association, led 84 members of the group in a memorial service at the Tower of Okinawa or Okinawa Peace Memorial site in Marpi yesterday morning.

MRA, composed of Okinawans raised on the islands before and during the war and their family members, marked their 43rd memorial ceremony on Saipan.

A similar ceremony will be held on Tinian at 10am today, which marks the group’s 35th memorial on the southern island, where 3,000 more Okinawans perished during the war.

For Seiji Nakasone, he remembered growing up in San Vicente right before the war. “When the war came, my family moved to the northern part of the island,” said Nakasone, pointing to the Marpi area.

Nakasone’s family, who owns cattle at that time, had to leave their livestock behind as they had to go into hiding in the caves.

Taking cover was difficult, according to Nasone, because it was challenging to find food and water for the whole family, and they had to keep moving and hide in one place after another.

“My brother said, ‘I will go out from our hiding place and bring back water.’ He took a bucket and left but he never came back,” he recalled, sadly.

Encumbered by the lack of food and water, the family left their hiding place and that’s when Nakasone got hit by a bullet in the right leg, rendering him unable to walk at that time.

After being caught by American soldiers, Nakasone was brought to the hospital where he was given food and water. Later, he joined his family in Camp Susupe where they stayed for a year before going back to Okinawa.

“After the war, I came back to Saipan where we were welcomed by locals, some of whom can speak Okinawan. They have already died and I miss them. Since then, I would come back to this island and pray for my brother and all the others who died. I like to come back here because it’s my favorite old island,” said Nakasone.

According to Taira, MRA members also obligate the younger generations in their family so that the tradition of praying for the war dead will carry on in the years to come.

“We remind them that 68 years ago, many, many people died here,” Taira told Saipan Tribune. “As long as we’re healthy and alive, we will continue to come here and pray. And we appreciate it that people from here take care of us each time.”

Yesterday’s ceremony began with a silent prayer led by Asami Ginoza followed by opening remarks by MRA’s Eibun Yamaguchi. San Roque Parish priest Fr. Raul Salgado also offered prayers.

Remarks were delivered by MRA’s Taira as well as Bereaved Family United Association representatives Takeaki Oshiro and Nakasone.

Oshiro and Taira led the incense offering, joined by island leaders, Japan Consul Tsutomu Higuchi, and the rest of the attendees and local guests.

“We appreciate that every time we have this kind of ceremony, the local community participates. We appreciate it so much. We want to continue the friendship with the locals. It’s very important to associate with them after the ceremony,” added Taira.