Just like “hello” in English, in Okinawa men will greet you with “Haisai,” and women will say, “Haitai”, regardless of the hour. The original Okinawan language, Shimakutuba, was once banned because Okinawan people had to use standard Japanese after Okinawa was merged into Japan. Therefore, the use of the native Okinawan language was on the decline. But in 2006 the Okinawa Prefectural Government proclaimed September 18 as “Shimakutuba-no Hi” (Island Languages Day) recognizing five Okinawan langua