| Toushinuyuru is the last day
of the year when families prepare to welcome the arrival of
the upcoming year. Garlic is believed to dispel evil spirits
and is utilized in various ways in this observance. In Nakagusuku's
Atta district, families offer garlic roots to family altars,
while in Tamagusuku's* Itokazu district, they hang garlic on
their ears when going out. In Itoman's Kanegusuku, families
chop garlic and leave it out on dining tables so that the smell
will dispel epidemics.
The very first water drawn from a well that year is called
"Wakamiji" and is
offered to family altars as tea. On the Miyako and Yaeyama
Islands, this water is known as "Sudeimizu"--indicating
rejuvenation and a restoration of youth. The water is used
to wash their bodies on the morning of the Shichi
Festival (ritual emphasizing the end and beginning of a new
year according to the harvest cycle).
(Rituals of Okinawa) |
