Final Call For Abstracts for the Final Decolonizing Futures Conference in Ryukyus/Okinawa
After two editions in 2023 and 2024, the Decolonising Futures Seminar will conclude this July with a third seminar in Okinawa featuring the participation of international and Indigenous artists, including Ryukyuan artists. The objective of the seminar is to challenge the global colonialism, racism and paternalism that have exploited Indigenous, minoritized and other marginalised peoples. Furthermore, the seminar aims to support their initiatives to revive and reclaim their languages, cultures, art and nature towards decolonising futures.
Although scholarship is an invaluable tool for challenging and documenting historical and ongoing injustices, as well as formulating prescriptions, it is not in itself a sufficient means to achieve decolonisation. Art, in its capacity as a medium of resistance, has the potential to challenge the status quo by making the imperceptible, the oppressive, and the concealed visible, thereby evoking a profound response from the audience. For example, in the Fennoscandian countries, the art of Indigenous Sámi has served as a symbol of resistance to colonial encroachment in Sápmi, strengthening the bonds of Sami society as a whole. In the Ryukyu Islands, artistic expression has been instrumental for illustrating the sacrifice of a quarter of the local population during WWII. Artists have depicted the reality of fortification by the Japanese and US governments, thereby sharing poignant anti-militarisation statements.
To enhance interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers and artists in pursuit of decolonising futures, we have invited two esteemed artists and an innovative theatre company. These include Thomas Colbengtson (https://www.antoniefrank.se/) from Sápmi in Sweden, Antonie Frank Grahamsdaughter (https://www.antoniefrank.se/), a Swedish resident with Canadian Indigenous roots, and Amareya Theatre & Guests (https://www.teatramareya.pl/) from Gdansk, Poland, which includes two Greenlandic Inuit artists. By employing photographs of their own ancestors and family videos, Thomas and Antonie's visual arts facilitate the viewer's immersion in the depths of their memories of Indigenous histories that are not reflected in textbook narratives that are centred on the state, thereby instilling a sense of the necessity for decolonisation. Amareya Theatre & Guests' performing arts focus on the stories of ethnic, sexual, linguistic, physical and religious minorities. The trauma and stigma experienced by marginalised Indigenous people under colonialism resonate with the audience's bodies through the stage and reverberate long after. Invitations to attend have also been extended to Higaza, a distinguished theatre group dedicated to the preservation and promotion of traditional Okinawan performing arts, and the transmission of the war experiences of the elderly to the audience in Uchinaguchi, the Okinawan language.
This three-day event, which encompasses both artistic and academic elements, will serve as a platform for all participants from the Ryukyu Islands and beyond to engage in mutual learning and collaboration, transcending all boundaries, with a view to establishing an Era of Hope for future generations in solidarity with marginalised peoples and communities across the globe.
The Outline of the Programme
11 July 2025, Venue: Atelier Mekaru Base
Performing Arts for an Era of Hope
・Amareya Theatre & Guests from Gdansk, Poland and Greenland
・Higaza from Okinawa
12-13 July 2025, Venue: Okinawa International University
Exhibition of Visual Arts on Indigenous Resistance and Resilience
・Antonie Frank Grahamsdaughter, Canadian First Nations’ descendant
・Tomas Colbengtson, Sámi on the side of Sweden
Three panel discussions are scheduled to take place, with potential topics of presentation under consideration as follows:
・Panel discussion: Women and Girls under Violence and Discrimination, Repatriation of Stolen Skeletons - Legacy of Scientific Racism, Environmental and Health Issues Facing Indigenous Communities
・Possible presentation topics: Language Loss, Language Reclamation and Community Building, Education, Language Policy and International Human Rights Framework, Collective Rights of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples, Indigenising Museum Spaces, Minority/Immigrant literature, Historical Revisionism and Hate Speeches, etc.
・Breakout Sessions
・Co-Creation Workshops
Banquet (Date, time and place to be communicated later)
＊Please note that the detailed programme will be published on the CEMiPoS website in June after the abstracts have been collected by 31 May 2025.
＊Unfortunately, we are unable to do an excursion due to a lack of staff. Nevertheless, the venues, including Atelier Mekaru Base and Okinawa International University, are significant locations for comprehending the present circumstances of the Ryukyu Islands. Atelier Meikari Base is a centre for culture and the arts, born out of a movement by Okinawan residents to revive a private theatre that had collapsed under the influence of cinema. Okinawa International University is known for the accident involving a helicopter from the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on its campus, which led to considerable local and national criticism and highlighted tensions over the US military presence in Okinawa. The Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, described as the most dangerous military base occupying a large area in a densely populated urban area, is visible from the roof of a building at Okinawa International University. Moreover, the Sakima Art Museum, which houses the Battle of War painted by Maruki Iri and Toshi, is located in proximity to Okinawa International University. The Marukis are renowned globally for their depictions of the devastation caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. A visit to the Sakima Art Museum before or after the three-day event is strongly recommended.
Fee for Registration
Professors: JPY 10,000
Students: JPY 5,000
Locals: Free
We are inviting five international and Indigenous artists from Europe with funding. We are using our own money for this, but unfortunately, it is not enough. We would be grateful if you could agree to the registration fee, which will partially cover the costs of travel, accommodation and food for these artists.
Deadline for Abstracts
We would like to inform you that: The number of words in the abstracts is limited to 100-150; Authors must include the title, affiliation, email-address, and 4-5 keywords in the abstracts; The completed abstract should be submitted to Olivia Doyle (olivia.s.doyle@gmail.com) no later than 31 May 2025.
Recommendations for Accommodation and Easy Access to Each Venue
Accommodation Recommendations
Okinawa offers a range of accommodation options, from budget-friendly hotels to more luxurious stays. We recommend choosing a hotel or guesthouse in Naha or Ginowan, as these areas offer convenient access to the event venues via public transportation.
• Naha: Ideal for those who prefer easy access to Okinawa’s main airport and a variety of restaurants and cultural sites.
• Ginowan: Closer to Okinawa International University and offers a quieter environment.
• Urasoe: Suitable for those attending events at Urasoe Art Museum and Mekaru Base.
Venue Access Information
WARNING: In Okinawa, traffic is often very heavy. Buses frequently run late, sometimes by more than 30 minutes. Please allow extra travel time and consider using the Monorail or taxis whenever possible.
Atelier Mekaru Base (Performing Arts – July 11, 2025)
Address: 203 Mekaru, Naha, Okinawa
Access:
See their official website for further details (no English page available): https://www.m-base.okinawa/access/
• By Monorail: Get off at Furujima Station and walk approximately 8 minutes.
• By Bus: Several Bus stops around the venue. Please use Google Map to navigate your way.
• By Taxi: From Naha Airport, a taxi ride to Mekaru Base takes approximately 20 minutes and costs around ¥2,500.
• Parking: There is no parking available at Mekaru Base. Visitors are advised to use nearby coin-operated parking or public transportation.
Okinawa International University (Exhibition of Visual Arts, Presentations and Panel Discussions, etc. – July 12-13, 2025)
Address: 2 Chome-6-1 Ginowan, Okinawa 901-2701, Japan
Access:
For more details, visit their official website: https://www.okiu.ac.jp/english/access
• By Bus:
o From Naha Airport: Take bus No. 125 from Kokunaisen Ryokaku Terminal Mae (in front of the international passenger terminal). Get off at "Nagata" and walk 7 minutes. (Approx. 70 min / ¥620)
o By Monorail & Bus: Get off at Asahibashi Station (11 min / ¥270), then transfer to a route bus at Naha Bus Terminal (bus No. 90, 92, 98, 110, 21, 25, 120, 191, etc.), which takes approximately 50 min (¥570 - ¥610) depending on the route.
o By Taxi: A direct taxi ride from Naha Airport takes approximately 40 minutes and costs around ¥2,500.
Organising Committee: CEMiPoS & Allies
Madoka Hammine, Assistant Professor, University of Denver, Colorado
Masahide Ishihara, Professor, University of the Ryukyus
Kaoru Okano, Associate Professor, Okinawa International University
Ryo Hagino, Lecturer, Okinawa International University
Shinako Oyakawa, Co-Chair ACSILs
Aika Higashimori, Executive Director, NPO “Cinema at Sea”
Kanae Uema, Curator, Sakima Art Museum
Andrea Boccardi, Assistant Professor, Masaryk University
I-Yun Cheng, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney
Olivia Doyle, Researcher, CEMiPoS
Aaron Hopes, PhD Candidate, Stanford University
Sachiyo Fujita-Round, Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Daito Bunka University
Hiroshi Maruyama, Director, CEMiPoS