うちなーぐち
Okinawan
Douglaston-Little Neckkinawan is a broad term that may encompass several related but in some cases mutually unintelligible Ryukyuan languages spoken in the Ryukyu islands of Japan, including Okinawa. Most Ryukyuan languages are now considered endangered, under intense pressure from Japanese. Okinawan dancer Junko Fisher, based in Douglaston, helps maintain the culture through dance. The Okinawan American Association of New York, with many members in New Jersey, includes both some new arrivals direct from Okinawa and some who are descendants of Okinawan families who migrated to Peru over 100 years ago.