"We gather, gather, gather together
Like ears of wheat, we gather"

At an elementary school in Kyushu, children learn a certain dance.

Many of the 14 performers teaching them are in their 70s.

They convey a strong sense of vitality, and respect for the power of nature.

"Come visit us, come see
our wonderful new fields"

"Just as the peas ripen together
I long to be together with him"

We're all women.
We even dance the male roles.

I was in my 80s when I joined
the Preservation Society.

I did it because if the group
disappears, so does the tradition.

I'm 89.

- "90 next year?"
- Yes.

I'm just 82.

In Omuta, the tidal range is up to six meters.

A lot of land here was reclaimed, and much of it was turned into farmland.

Back when I got married, this was sea.

High tide came up to there.

Land reclamation work that began in the mid-19th century turned the ocean into rich farmland.

This spot played an important role in that project.

This is the embankment.

The embankment had a crucial function: holding back the strong tides of the Ariake Sea.

This allowed people to grow rice, fruit, and other crops that contributed to everyday life.

The story of that time is told
through the Gataine Odori dance.

A local resident tells that tale with pictures.

In the past, there were no rice fields
in the Kurosaki district around here.

Just a few terraced farms,
growing sweet potatoes and millet.

"Why was the situation so bad?"

People had no land,
and couldn't grow food.

So from the 19th century,
land reclamation began.

But this area faces the Ariake Sea.
The tidal pull is really strong.

Typhoons struck, and the defenses
were breached five or six times.

The project took 47 to 50 years.

Local women worked hard.

They used baskets to carry clay
known as "gata" from the tidal flats.

- 'And they became known as "gataine?"'
- Yes, "clay carriers."

That inspired the Gataine Odori dance.

Women carried the clay, and men hoed the flatlands.

After nearly 50 years of hard work, they created fertile fields.

In addition to growing crops, people would farm seaweed in the off-season, and dry it to make "nori."

This used to be
a nori-drying facility.

These buildings were involved in
nori farming too.

- "When did people stop making nori here?"
- 30 years ago.

- "Was it difficult?"
- Very!

We'd float that on the sea.
Husband and wife, working together.

- "The women worked hard, didn't they?"
- Absolutely!

- "Why do people do the Gataine Odori?"
- It's fun for us women.

We talk, have fun, dance, then
have tea or go to a hot spring.

Gataine Odori offered relief and refreshment for the women who were working hard on the land reclamation project.

The songs they sang helped them complete their tough work,

and they incorporated their everyday actions into a lively performance.

The performance shows men hoeing the flatlands, and women carrying clay.

"Just as the peas ripen together
I long to be together with him"

"Is the boss married? We don't know!
Is he single? We don't know!"

"We wonder, we all wonder"

The dance has been a local highlight for years.

But recently, due to COVID-19, there have been fewer performances.

It's our first performance
in two years.

Two or three years.

- "Because of COVID-19?"
- That's right.

But the women didn't stop teaching the tradition to local children.

The girls mimic carrying clay, and the boys mimic hoeing the land.

They're aged around 9 or 10.

The dance has been taught at the school for 20 years.

The students master the dance, and also learn about the history of the land reclamation project.

The movements bring back to life the hard work of days gone by.

It was fun.

- "What part did you enjoy?"
- Learning the steps.

People back then were amazing.

I want to tell everyone in Japan
about Gataine Odori.

The children give us energy.

They really gave it their all.
It was a great group this year.

"They were full of life."

Yes, it made it all worthwhile!

Thanks to Gataine Odori, a story of hardworking women is being passed on to the future.