Photo By Matthew Manning | Marines with 7th Communications Battalion and staff of the Hikariga-Oka nursing home...... read more read more
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KIN TOWN, Japan - Marines with 7th Communications Battalion participated in a rice pounding ceremony with the residents and staff of the Hikariga-Oka nursing home in Kin Town here Jan. 19.
“Rice cake pounding is a tradition on Okinawa,” said Takayuki Kayo, the community relations specialist for Camp Hansen. “The pounding of the rice traditionally takes place on the Chinese New Year and symbolizes praying for good health and well being throughout the upcoming year. After the rice is pounded, it is rolled into small rice balls, seasoned and then eaten.”
When the Marines of 7th Communications Battalion, part of the III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, III MEF, first arrived at the nursing home, a staff member taught them a game to prepare the Marines for the pounding of the rice.
“I liked the game we played with the residents when we first arrived at the nursing home,” said Pfc. Chelsea M. Kolenbrander, the chaplain’s assistant for 7th Communications Battalion. “It was when we had the most interaction with the residents because we were all standing together singing and clapping hands trying to keep rhythm with each other.”
Like many traditions, rice cake pounding requires some unique tools to complete.
“The traditional way to pound the rice is to put rice inside a big bowl made of stone and two people will alternate hitting the rice with a large wooden hammer,” said Sgt. Riley J. Elmore, a field wireman with 7th Communications Battalion. “They have two different sizes of hammers; a large one for the adults and a smaller one for children. Also, the rice used for this is not the same rice eaten every day but is reserved for special occasions such as the rice pounding.”
The song served the purpose of creating a beat to which the hammers would be hitting the rice to create a rhythm with the other rice pounders, according to Kolenbrander.
“Once we understood the song, we were able to start swinging the hammers without hitting each other,” said Kolenbrander.
The Marines of 7th Communications Battalion and the Hikariga-Oka nursing home have a longstanding relationship and see each other frequently.
“There is a long history of the relationship between the 7th Comm Battalion and the Hikariga-Oka nursing home which has been going on for the last 17 years,” said Kayo. “The residents here are really open-minded, which is good for the Marines because it creates for them a feeling of home even though they are very far away from their family.”
Most of the interaction between the nursing home and the 7th Communications Battalion takes place when the Marines do yard work for the nursing home, said Kolenbrander. Occasions like the rice cake pounding do not happen as often, but are more fun to take part in.
“I love getting to take part in events like this, and I try to go to the nursing home every chance I get,” said Kolenbrander. “Even though my family is back in the states, I feel at home when I go and interact with the nursing home [residents].”
| Date Taken: | 01.19.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.15.2012 23:49 |
| Story ID: | 83911 |
| Location: | KIN TOWN, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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