As we approach the start of Nippon Connection 2023 and get a glimpse at the first titles in the festival's program, it becomes evident the programmers stick true to their concept of not only screening movies, but essentially showing audiences the various facets of Japanese culture. In the past, they have done so with features about the shifts in the job culture or indigenous tribes and their customs such as the Ainu, and Daniel López' “Umui – Guardians of Traditions” follows in the same footsteps. The roughly 70-minute-long documentary focuses on the culture of Okinawa and the generations living on the island, especially highlighting their link to the traditions of the island and its people.
Umui – Guardians of Traditions is screening at Nippon Connection
In typical fashion of a documentary following a similar approach, the director presents the aforementioned topic from the perspective of various residents. Beginning with a gentleman who has been playing the sashin for most of his life to a young boy who came to be part of a traditional dance group after being impressed by a performance, “Umui” quite literally covers the generational gap, while also emphasizing how young and old communicate through tradition. As you follow the story of each person López has interviewed, you learn about the relevance of dance, art and music in their lives, and how they want this part of their culture to be preserved.
Apart from taking a closer look at these traditions and how people are connected to them, López seems to raise a question quite relevant in our times. With cultural narratives becoming extinct, there are very few left to preserve them and keep them alive, making the task of teaching the young generation even more vital, as cultural identity is directly linked to personal identity and growth, with the various people shown in the documentary being good examples to this idea.
“Umui – Guardians of Traditions” is an insightful documentary about the culture of Okinawa, the need for it to be preserved and its relevance to people. Daniel López takes his time following the lives of the people around him, observes the environment and has the right questions at the heart of his feature.
