Uza Tokushu
Uza Tokushu was a Ryukyu Kingdom court official and court musician of the mid-to-late 19th century, regarded as one of the last gakushi (master musicians) of the court.
Uza was born and raised in Shuri, and became a master in particular of the suona, an oboe-like reed instrument. Following the fall of the kingdom in the 1870s, he relocated to Ginoza village, where he became a teacher of uta sanshin music and one of the leaders of the local hachigatsu ashibi festival dances.
In 2011, it was discovered that his descendants in Ginoza village still had a number of documents written by Uza, which proved invaluable resources providing insights into the structure and activities of the royal court, and the place of musicians within it. These documents include copies of petitions or requests written and submitted by Uza to the royal court around 1878, listing out his accomplishments in the performing arts and past promotions. The documents were then exhibited at the local Ginoza Village Museum.
References
- "Uza Tokushu no monjo hakken - Uzagaku saigo no gakushi Ginoza" 「宇座徳守の文書発見 御座楽最後の楽師 宜野座」, Mainichi Shimbun, 25 Feb 2011.