What is Ryukyuan people?
{{Infobox ethnic group | group = Ryukyuan people | image = Danses d’Okinawa (musée Guimet, Paris) (11152072573).jpg | native_name = 琉球民族 | native_name_lang = ryu | languages = [[Ryukyuan languages]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]] | religions = [[Ryukyuan religion]], [[Shintoism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Christianity]] | related_groups = [[Japanese people|Japanese]], [[Ainu people|Ainu]] | population = 2,000,000+ }} The '''Ryukyuan people''' (琉球民族, [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]: ''Ruuchuu minzuku''; [[Japanese language|Japanese]]: ''Ryuukyuu minzoku'') are the natives of the [[Ryūkyū Islands]], a collection of islands located in [[Japan]]. == History == The Ryukyuans descend from the [[Jōmon people|Jōmon]] and [[Yayoi people|Yayoi]] peoples. By the 14th century, numerous chiefs ruled the Ryukyu Islands. In Okinawa, a new chief named Tamagusuku was unpopular among local lords, causing the island to be split into three kingdoms ([[Chūzan]], [[Nanzan]] and [[Hokuzan]]). By the 15th century, the island was re-united, causing the [[Ryukyu Kingdom]] to be born. In the following centuries, the Ryukyu Kingdom would expand its rule over the [[Amami Islands|Amami]], [[Miyako Islands|Miyako]] and [[Yaeyama Islands|Yaeyama]] islands. They would also become a vassal state of [[Ming dynasty|China]]. In 1609, the Japanese domain of [[Satsuma Domain|Satsuma]] took over the Ryukyu Kingdom. The Amami Islands were then ruled by Satsuma, whereas the rest of the Ryukyu Kingdom was turned into a vassal. In 1872, the Ryukyu Kingdom became the [[Ryūkyū Domain]]. In 1879, the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese Empire]] took control of the country. After Japanese annexation happened, the local cultures and languages of Ryukyu were suppressed. Children who spoke the native [[Ryukyuan languages]] at school were punished with dialect cards. During the [[Battle of Okinawa]] ([[World War II]]), between 40,000 and 150,000 Okinawans were killed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-okinawa|title=Battle of Okinawa|web