It is important to keep a relaxed belief in yourself [Decoding the phrase "Nankurunaisa"]
Introduction
"Nankurunaisa"
I love this Okinawan phrase.
The sound is soft and somehow warm.
Even if things don't go quite right,
"Well, it will work out somehow"
it lets me relax my shoulders.
It is a phrase that makes me think of the blue sea and sky of Okinawa, and even the slow passage of time.
When you are worried about something.
When you feel anxious about the future.
When you encounter events you cannot control yourself.
"Nankurunaisa"
Just by saying it, your hardened heart softens a little.
However, if you take this phrase simply to mean,
"It will work out even if I do nothing,"
you might overlook its true charm.
Nankurunaisa is not a phrase that just leaves things to luck.
I believe it is a phrase for those who have not run away from what they can do and have faced it sincerely, to finally believe in the future.
Table of Contents
1. What is "Nankurunaisa"
2. "Makutu soke" that came before the phrase
3. Unique language and culture nurtured by the Ryukyu Kingdom
4. Some things cannot be changed by effort alone
5. Nankurunaisa is a phrase to believe in yourself
6. Why I love this phrase
1. What is "Nankurunaisa"
Nankurunaisa is widely known as an Okinawan phrase.
Generally, it is used to mean,
"It will work out somehow"
"Things will turn out fine"
"Nankuru" is said to mean "naturally" or "by itself."
Therefore, looking only at the words, it sounds like an optimistic expression that means,
"If you leave it alone, it will naturally go well."
However, it is said that it was not originally used as just "Nankurunaisa," but that it was preceded by the phrase,
"Makutu soke"
The full phrase is,
"Makutu soke, nankurunaisa"
"Makutu soke" means:To live sincerely.To do the right thing.
To engage with sincerity.
In other words, the overall meaning is,
If you continue to act sincerely and correctly, things will naturally head in a good direction.
It does not mean that things will work out even if you do nothing.
It means you have done what you should do sincerely.
You have faced what you could do.Therefore, you do not need to worry more than necessary about what comes next.That is what this phrase is.
2. "Makutu soke" that came before the phrase
Currently, only the "Nankurunaisa" part is widely known.
I think it spread as a phrase symbolizing Okinawa because it is short, easy to remember, and has a bright sound.
However, knowing the first part, "Makutu soke," changes the impression of the phrase significantly.
For example, taking an exam without preparing at all and saying,
"Nankurunaisa."
Not meeting a work deadline and laughing,
"It will work out somehow."
This is a bit different from the original spirit.
Before Nankurunaisa, there is the attitude of:
Doing what you can.
Being sincere to others.
Not giving up easily.
Accumulating what you believe is right.
Even so, there are things in life that cannot be decided by your own power alone.
How the results will turn out.
When efforts will bear fruit.
What will happen in the future.
You cannot control everything up to that point yourself.
Therefore, after doing what you should do, you entrust it to the future by saying,
"Nankurunaisa."
This is not irresponsible optimism.
Rather, I think it is,
the optimism that can be held by someone who has fulfilled their responsibility.
3. Unique language and culture nurtured by the Ryukyu Kingdom
When and by whom was "Nankurunaisa" born?
I could not confirm its exact origin.
Therefore, I cannot conclude that "this phrase was born during the Ryukyu Kingdom era."
However, when thinking about the Okinawan language, the history of the Ryukyu Kingdom cannot be separated.
Okinawa was once a single country called Ryukyu.
The Ryukyu Kingdom traded with China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and others, and nurtured its own culture while accepting different cultures.
The Ryukyu Kingdom lasted for about 450 years and became Okinawa Prefecture in the Meiji era.
Cuisine.
Music.
And language.
On the islands, languages rooted in each land have been passed down.
While incorporating various cultures from the outside, they did not just imitate them, but nurtured them as their own culture.
Because it is a land surrounded by the sea and has met many people and cultures, I feel that a unique softness and strength coexist in Okinawa.
Nankurunaisa also has both.
The softness that lets you relax.
And the strength to try to live sincerely.
The unique Okinawan culture that has continued since the Ryukyu Kingdom era is still passed down today in cuisine, Awamori, and performing arts.
I believe language also continues to carry people's lives and values.
4. Some things cannot be changed by effort alone
I believe that effort is important.
There are things that will not change if you do not act.
There are people you cannot meet if you do not challenge yourself.
There are sceneries you cannot see if you do not continue.
But at the same time, I do not think that if you make an effort, everything will go as you wish.
No matter how much you practice, you may lose a match.
No matter how much you prepare, you may not be evaluated.
Even so, it does not mean that the effort was meaningless.
If you take all the results as your own responsibility, people become distressed.
I should have tried harder.
My ability was lacking.
I was no good.
That is how you blame yourself more than necessary.
But if you have done what you could do, you do not have to carry everything that follows.
Separate what you can move from what you cannot move yourself.
Face what you can move sincerely.
Entrust what you cannot move to the future.
Isn't that what "Makutu soke, nankurunaisa" is?
5. Nankurunaisa is a phrase to believe in yourself
Nankurunaisa is not a phrase that guarantees the future will always go as you wish.
It is not a phrase that says someone will help you even if you do nothing.
What this phrase believes in, I think, is not the future itself, but
the self that has lived sincerely.I did what I could.
So, it will surely be okay.
Even if it does not turn out as desired, I can find the next path.
Even if something breaks, I can rebuild it again.
It is such a quiet trust in yourself.
You cannot completely eliminate anxiety.
You cannot predict the entire future.
That is why people need a phrase to support their hearts in the end.
"I will definitely succeed" is a bit too strong.
"I don't care" is a bit lonely.
I think "Nankurunaisa" is what lies between them.
Do what you have to do.
But do not carry too much.
Face it seriously.
But do not be too bound by the results.
This phrase stands right in the middle of effort and optimism.
6. Why I love this phrase
I love the phrase Nankurunaisa.
Perhaps it is because I think about too many things.
About the team.
About work.
About the future.
The more I try to act for someone else's sake, the more I think,
Is this really okay?
Is there more I could do?
Was my judgment correct?
At such times, I sometimes carry everything, thinking, "My ability was lacking."
But if you have truly faced it sincerely, I think it is okay to let go a little at the end.
You cannot decide someone else's life.
You cannot prevent everything that happens in the future.
Therefore,
Makutu soke.
First, do it sincerely.And then,
Nankurunaisa.
After that, it will surely work out somehow.I think this order is important.Nankurunaisa is not just Okinawan kindness.
Deep inside it, there is the strength of a person trying to live sincerely.
That is why I love this phrase.
Thank you for reading until the end.
We cannot make the future go exactly as we wish.
But we can choose how to live today.
Accumulate what you can do sincerely.
And after doing what you should do, relax your shoulders a little.
"It will surely work out somehow"
rather than that,
"If it is me who has come this far, I will surely be able to make it work out"
When you can think that, Nankurunaisa becomes not just encouragement, but a phrase that supports you.
Makutu soke, Nankurunaisa.
If you live sincerely, the path will surely connect.
Always keep the sun in your heart.
SUNmaru
