【琉球古謡】クェーナ｜祈りの歌（首里クェーナ保存会）2026.6.20

Program 00:01 Prologue (Opening) 00:14 Agariyu 10:00 Requiem: On the Wings of a Journey Song 15:41 Kanigusuku Kuena ■From the 17th Ryukyu Court Music Ritual Offering Performance by the Shuri Kuena Preservation Society June 20, 2026 (Saturday) Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall (Excerpt) Kuena is one of the oldest forms of traditional Ryukyuan oral singing, passed down through generations as songs of prayer. These songs have long accompanied the lives of the Ryukyuan people, expressing wishes for safe voyages, peace, and well-being. After World War II, many Kuena songs faced the risk of disappearing. Their preservation owes much to the documentation and musical transcriptions of Ryukyuan music scholar Seibin Yamauchi, whose work helped pass this tradition on to future generations. Today, this precious cultural heritage continues to be preserved by organizations such as the Shuri Kuena Preservation Society. This performance offered a rare opportunity to experience the spiritual culture embodied in Kuena through a ritual offering performance. Originally performed during sacred rituals and ceremonies, Kuena continues to reflect the prayers and spiritual values cherished by the people of the Ryukyu Islands. This video was created to preserve these valuable performances as a cultural record and to introduce this remarkable tradition to a wider audience. ──────── ■ Program Introduction ──────── ① Agaruyū A Kuēna meaning “the eastern world” or “the land of the gods.” It was sung as a ritual journey song for the king and the Kikoe-Ōgimi during sacred pilgrimages such as Azumamawari and Onuki-ori. It is a song of auspicious prayer, expressing hopes and wishes for fulfillment. ② Requiem Song: “Tabi-uta ni Nosete” A requiem based on a traditional journey song. It carries prayers for a calm sea, gentle winds, and a peaceful and lasting world. ③ Kanigusuku Guēna A Kuēna praising Kanigusuku Aji. It tells of the construction and completion of his residence, as well as prayers for longevity. It concludes with auspicious words wishing for those prayers to be fulfilled. Filmed and published with the permission of the organizers and performers. #Kuena #ShuriKuena #RyukyuanSongs #RyukyuCulture #OkinawaCulture #Shuri #RyukyuKingdom #TraditionalCulture #TraditionalPerformingArts #IntangibleCulturalHeritage #SongsOfPrayer #RyukyuanPerformingArts #OkinawanPerformingArts #AncientSongs #FolkPerformingArts #CulturalHeritage #History #OkinawaHistory #ShuriCastle #RyukyuanPrayer