Asadoya Yunta

Asadoya Yunta (Yaeyama: 安里屋ユンタ, Asadoya Yunta) is a Ryukyuan folk song originating from the Yaeyama Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.

History

Origins

The lyrics to Asadoya Yunta originated from a story where a beautiful lady from Taketomi Island, known as Asato Kuyama (安里クヤマ) (1722-1799), received a wedding proposal from a Ryukyuan government official who came from another island.[1] In one version of the story, the woman bravely rejects the proposal as she felt as if marrying a local man from her island would provide a better life than to become a mistress of this official.[1][2] In another version, Kuyama ends up marrying him.[2] The first version is popular in the Okinawa Islands whereas the latter version is popular in Taketomi.[2]

There is an anti-government motive behind this song, as it took place when the Japanese owned the Ryukyu Kingdom as one of its vassal states, heavily taxing the local populace.[1]

Popularity

While initially popular in the Ryukyu Islands, it soon spread to mainland Japan in 1934, when Nippon Columbia created a Japanese language version of it.[2] The Japanese lyrics were more of a love song rather than a retelling of Asadoya nu Kuyama's story.[2]

Lyrics

These are the original lyrics in the Yaeyama language (Taketomi dialect):

Romaji	Kanji
Saa Asadoyanu Kuyama ni yo Saa yui yui Anchurasa unmaribashi yo Matahaarinu chindara kanushama yo Saa Mizashishu nu kuyudara yo Saa yui yui Ataroyanu nuzumuta yo Matahaarinu chindara kanushama yo Saa Mizashishu bananba yo Saa yui yui Ataroyaya kuriya oisu yo Matahaarinu chindara kanushama yo	サァ　安里屋ぬ　クヤマによサーユイユイあん美（ちゅ）らさ　うん生（ま）りばしよマタハーリヌ　チンダラ　カヌシャマヨサァ　目差主（みざししゅ）ぬ　請（く）ゆだらよサァユイユイあたろ親（や）ぬ　望（ぬず）むたよマタハーリヌ　チンダラ　カヌシャマヨサァ　目差主や　我（ば）なんばよサァユイユイあたろ親（や）や　此（く）りゃおいすよマタハーリヌ　チンダラ　カヌシャマヨ

In popular culture

Numerous artists have performed covers of Asadoya Yunta, such as Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Rimi Natsukawa, Blondie, and Isato Nakagawa.

References

loochoo77 (2014-06-26). "'Asadoya Yunta' – A Common Bond for Okinawans the World Over". liuchiuan. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
"Focus on Rekion: Okinawan Folk Music Asadoya Yunta (安里屋ユンタ) | Japanese Collections". Retrieved 2020-06-04.

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[:0-1] 77 (2014-06-26). "'Asadoya Yunta' – A Common Bond for Okinawans the World Over". liuchiuan. Retrieved 2020-06-04.

[:1-2] "Focus on Rekion: Okinawan Folk Music Asadoya Yunta (安里屋ユンタ) | Japanese Collections". Retrieved 2020-06-04.