Tinsagu nu Hana (てぃんさぐぬ花), also Chinsagu nu Hana (ちんさぐぬ花), is an Okinawan song about traditional Ryukyuan values such as filial piety and other Confucian teachings in the Okinawan language.
Description
The title of the song can be translated as "The Balsam Flowers". The song is an Okinawan children's song; Okinawan children would squeeze the sap from balsam flowers to stain their fingernails as a way to ward off evil. The lyrics of the song are Confucian teachings. Of the first six verses, the first three relate to filial piety, while the latter three refer to respecting one's body and one's goals. Each verse has exactly the same number of notes using language and meter devices that are uniquely Okinawan, called Ryūka.
The Okinawa Prefectural government designated "Tinsagu nu Hana" as "Okinawa Prefecture's favorite song" on March 18, 2012, following a public survey. It was subsequently made an official symbol of Okinawa Prefecture, making it the prefecture's second musical symbol alongside the "Song of Okinawa Prefecture".
Lyrics
The last four of the ten verses are missing.
References
