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Naata Ufushu was a Ryukyuan local chief who supported the forces of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]] in suppressing the rebellion of [[Oyake Akahachi]], another regional chieftain.

Naata Ufushu was a Ryukyuan local chief who supported the forces of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]] in suppressing the rebellion of [[Oyake Akahachi]], another regional chieftain.

Naata<ref>This is the [[Okinawan language]] pronunciation of the name. This would be "Nagata" in [[Japanese language|Japanese]]. ''Ufushu'' (''Ôshu'' or ''Ônushi'' in Japanese) is not a name, but rather means "great leader."</ref> was born on [[Hateruma]] Island and traveled to [[Ishigaki-jima]] at the age of eight<ref name=jinmei/>. Over the years, as he grew, he gained power, eventually uniting Ishigaki Village and becoming its head<ref name=jinmei/>.

Naata<ref>This is the [[Okinawan language]] pronunciation of the name. This would be "Nagata" in [[Japanese language|Japanese]]. ''Ufushu'' (''Ôshu'' or ''Ônushi'' in Japanese) is not a name, but rather means "great leader."</ref> was born on [[Hateruma]] Island and traveled to [[Ishigaki-jima]] at the age of eight<ref name=jinmei/>. According to some accounts, he was a childhood friend of Oyake Akahachi, and they relocated to Ishigaki together.<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii Press (2019), 57.</ref> Over the years, as Naata grew, he gained power, eventually uniting Ishigaki Village and becoming its head<ref name=jinmei/>.

He was approached, as were a number of other local chieftains, by Oyake Akahachi, who sought to have them join him in rebellion against the Kingdom of Ryûkyû. Naata is said to have been quite loyal to the king, and sought to appease Akahachi by offering him his younger sister Koitsuba's hand in marriage; this failed, and Akahachi escaped to [[Iriomote-jima]] with Koitsuba and her two younger brothers<ref name=jinmei/>.

He was approached, as were a number of other local chieftains, by Oyake Akahachi, who sought to have them join him in rebellion against the Kingdom of Ryûkyû. Naata is said to have been quite loyal to the king, and sought to appease Akahachi by offering him his younger sister Koitsuba's hand in marriage; this failed, and Akahachi escaped to [[Iriomote-jima]] with Koitsuba and her two younger brothers<ref name=jinmei/>.