Born Again Uchinanchu

Born Again Uchinanchu by Karleen Chinen

This book invites readers to a literary banquet—rich, heartfelt, and years in the making. This 352-page volume, lovingly crafted by author Karleen C. Chinen since her retirement from The Hawaiʻi Herald in 2020, is both a visual and intellectual feast. About one-third of the book features striking photos in both color and black-and-white, while the rest delivers deeply moving storytelling and insight into identity, personal growth, and cultural reclamation.

Meticulously researched and shaped by Chinen’s decades of journalistic expertise, the book focuses primarily on the pivotal two decades between 1980 and 2000—a period that witnessed a powerful resurgence of Okinawan identity in Hawaiʻi, largely driven by Sansei, the grandchildren of Okinawan immigrants. Unlike their Nisei parents, who often maintained a more direct connection to their ancestral homeland, Sansei had a looser grip on what it meant to be Uchinanchu in Hawaiʻi. That changed for 37 Okinawan Americans—36 Sansei and one Nisei—when they departed Honolulu on October 1, 1980, for a 12-day “study tour” of Okinawa, supported by the Okinawa Prefectural Government and local municipalities.

For many, the trip was transformative. It sparked a sense of cultural rebirth—hence the term “Born Again Uchinanchu.” For the first time, participants felt deeply connected to their ancestral home and embraced a broader Uchinanchu identity that extended beyond their local communities in Hawaiʻi. That energy rippled outward upon their return, leading to a cultural renaissance in the islands. One major fruit of that movement was the Okinawa Festival, first held in 1982, inspired by the Naha Festival the group experienced in Okinawa. Under the leadership of Roy Kaneshiro—then-president of the United Okinawan Association of Hawaii and a study tour participant—the festival became a beloved tradition that still thrives today, drawing over 50,000 attendees and thousands of volunteers annually.

The book comprises ten chapters that explore a range of themes, introduced by a foreword from former Hawaiʻi Governor John Waiheʻe III, whose wife Lynne is Uchinanchu, and a prologue featuring a vivid childhood memory by the late Okinawan American author Jon Shirota. Throughout, Chinen brings the stories to life with the same clarity, depth, and heart that defined her editorial career.

At its core, the book embodies the “Chibariyo!” spirit—Okinawan for “Persevere!”—which pulses through the lives and legacies of Hawaiʻi’s Uchinanchu. Chinen not only shows us where that spirit comes from but also why it must be carried forward for generations to come.