Japanology Plus

Life in Amami Oshima was once so tough that the islanders devised a way to make a poisonous plant edible. Harsh circumstances nurtured their resilience and resourcefulness on a subtropical island that was ruled by different outside forces as the centuries passed. Folk music became a medium for private communication, and in secret they produced silk fabric with a distinctive black beauty. In the second of two episodes, Peter Barakan gets to the heart of Amami Oshima's unique culture.