Byron Fija

Fija was born to an Okinawan mother and an American father who was likely a U.S. soldier, but was left with an uncle and aunt soon after birth. He refers to himself as "American-Uchinanchu" (American-Okinawan).[1]

As a child, he was picked on by his classmates who called him "America" because of his appearance. At the age of 22, he went to the United States and found it equally irritating that it was assumed that he could speak English because of his appearance.[2] When he returned to Okinawa at age 24 he encountered the traditional Okinawan folk songs sung in Okinawan language and realized that he identified as Okinawan and wanted to learn the language of the songs.[3]

With no classes or institutions teaching the language Fija had to find his own way of learning. He learned by talking to elderly people still able to speak Okinawan. His main teacher was a famous stage actor, Makishi Kochu (1923–2011), whom he visited every week to learn. After mastering the language Fija started to teach. For years, he has had a radio show which he conducts entirely in local language. Residents – almost all elderly – call in to request songs and to chat. He appears on TV shows and is also being paid by the Naha city government to teach local residents.[4]

Fija is an outspoken advocate for more native language practice in daily life and encourages people in Okinawa to learn the language.[5] As one of the few fluent speakers of the language he is the go-to-person for domestic and international media and regularly attends national and international events on the matter of endangered languages or Okinawan languages.[6][7][8]

A video featuring Fija singing traditional Okinawan folk songs in Okinawan language is included in a collection at the Ethnological Museum Berlin compiled by the Okinawan artist Yuken Teruya as part of a new collection telling Okinawan history until today.[9]

• Article at Japantimes
• Article at BBC
• Article at Washington Post
• Fija's homepage