About Me
I am Jade Gajumaru.
Daughter of the Dragon Islands.
Of salt, sea, and banyan groves.
My mother and her ancestors are Uchinanchu -
the indigenous people of the islands known as Okinawa.
My father’s line was scattered across the south
in fields of cotton & cruelty,
but our blood holds the memories of Cameroon and Congo.
I live and tend on the land of the Yahaviatam,
among cedar and fir, bear and coyote,
stone and creek.
Growing up half Black and half Okinawan on the island, my life was shaped by the fusion of two distinct yet interconnected worlds, one deeply rooted in Okinawan traditions and the other informed by the complex legacy of U.S. military presence.
My formative years were defined by weekends spent in the village with my grandparents, immersed in a life guided by seasonal rhythms, land-based rituals, and ancestral wisdom. Gathering fresh vegetables, assisting my grandmother in mindful meal preparations, and absorbing stories that taught me core Okinawan principles that formed the foundation of a lifestyle centered around reverence, gratitude, and deep connection with nature.
Religion and spirituality permeated my early life. As a child, I longed to know God- to commune with the divine, to be of service, and to honor my ancestors.
In the village, I was immersed in Ryukyu Shinto, a spirituality rooted in animism and ancestor veneration. Nature was alive with spirit, and every tree, rock, and body of water carried presence and memory. We made offerings, visited utaki (sacred groves or sites), and honored the kaminchu, women who served as spiritual intermediaries.
This animistic worldview taught me to live with reverence for all life and to approach the world as sacred. It instilled in me the understanding that the unseen is just as present as the seen, that spirit is not separate from the material, but woven into it. That our elders and even we one day will become ancestors protecting and guiding us.
At home, my mother was a Soka Gakkai Buddhist. She chanted the Lotus Sutra daily, a sacred text that teaches the potential for enlightenment within all beings, regardless of background, status, or past actions. We often gathered in community in homes across the island where the adults gathered to chant in unison while the children played, participated, or listened. It often ended with a shared meal fellowship & laughter. This tradition taught me that community was an extension of family, as well as the the importance of inclusivity and personal responsibility.
At Christian school, we read the Bible, attended chapel, and sang devotional songs in chorus. We were taught that salvation comes through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and that one must accept Him as Lord and Savior. We were taught that the Holy Spirit could guide us, speak through us and empower us with spiritual gifts- like prophecy, and healing. These early teachings introduced me to the language of faith, healing and miracles.
Over the years, my spiritual curiosity has led me to walk many paths. I’ve studied and practiced within various denominations of Christianity, esoteric and mystical traditions like Gnosticism, Hermeticism, and Kabbalah, Eastern traditions such as Shinto, Buddhism, Taoism, earth-honoring lineages such as Wicca, Paganism, and modern New Age philosophies. Each tradition offered a path of deeper wisdom and introspection.
Today, my spirituality is simple. It is offering prayer, presence, and reverence in the ordinary moments of daily life. It is Umui.
Umui Healing is a digital altar, where I offer reflection, recipes, guides, crafted and curated items that support my personal journey and practice of reclamation of ancestral truth, cultural healing, grounded spirituality, and community-rooted care.
May these offerings be of service to our collective healing.
May they honor my ancestors.
May they nourish & Support you on your journey.
-Jade
