2017.11.01
App chronicling Okinawa’s emigrant history unveiled
An app chronicling the history of Okinawans’ emigration to Hawaii, South America and other places of the world is available for downloading.
The app, named “WUBpedia”, tells the history of the World Uchinanchu, and is now available for download for free. The app is managed by “WUBpedia”, a subsidiary of Okinawa Tourist Service established in May. Tony Sakuta, the WUBpedia president, said, “This is a comprehensive preservation record of worldwide Uchinanchu.” They app is currently available for Android phones with the app for iPhone ios to be released soon.
WUBpedia chronicles events since 1899 when the first emigrants left the island. The information in the app is in Japanese, English, Spanish, and Portuguese for the moment, and more languages will be added in the future.
Editors of each language will update the chronology, and anyone can join in uploading comments by pushing the “Joto” button.
The name “WUBpedia” is a made-up word with the mix of “WUB” (Worldwide Uchinanchu Business Association) that was established in September 1997 and “pedia”.
Sakuda says, “We would like to connect people via the app to record and spread Uchinanchu stories. Younger emigrants may not know the history of Okinawa’s emigration, and we would like to share information on what Okinawan emigrants do all over the world.”