Inheritance Activities of the Local Community Arts: Initiative of Schools, in Amami Oshima Island

Schools on Amami Oshima Island are emerging as pivotal spaces for the inheritance and evolution of local performing arts, alongside traditional community-based practices. This study reveals that schools, particularly in non-urban areas, foster a mutually complementary relationship with communities (shima), where authentic arts are preserved by shima while schools drive creative reinterpretations. Urban schools, however, tend to operate independently, prioritizing educational logic over community ties. The research highlights the risk of losing the original identity of folk songs when adapted as educational materials, yet also notes the potential for schools to inspire new forms of 'Amami Oshima performing arts.' By integrating the seniority-based logic of shima into school activities, these initiatives ensure continuity and innovation in cultural preservation.

SUYAMA, S., & KAWASHIMA, H. (2013). Inheritance Activities of the Local Community Arts: Initiative of Schools, in Amami Oshima Island. The Journal of Island Studies, 2013(13), 23–49. https://doi.org/10.5995/jis.2013.13.23