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"On the islands of Yaeyama,
gods appear in various forms. They go by several names such
as Mayunganasu, Akamata, Kuromata and Shiromata."
 On
Yaeyama Islands, Mayunganasu
is an incarnation that is now seen only at Kabira, an area on
Ishigaki Island. According to the legend, Mayunganasu
appears from Nirai Kanai ("Niraasuku"
in the local dialect) to bless the community with a good harvest
on the first day of the Shitsu
Festival held in September or October of the lunar
calendar. Kabira's Mayunganasu
wears no mask. It appears visibly, donning a hat made of kuba
leaves low over his eyes and a straw coat worn opposite with
a cane in his hand. At the upper zone of Kabira's community,
a female Mayunganasu appears
and at the lower zone, a male appears. This unique god appears
in communities at midnight and blesses each family with luck,
prosperity, longevity, health and rich harvest. The chanting
of Mayunganasu uttered at each
household is sacred and consecrated. It is passed down exclusively
to predecessors who are born in the year of the dog in the Chinese
lunar calendar.
The
unique Akamata, Kuromata and Shiromata
gods make their appearances during a harvest
festival every year in the sixth lunar month in Komi
Village ("Kun" in
the local tongue) on eastern Iriomote Island. The god, Kuromata,
is considered the progenitor or parent while Shiromata
and Akamata are thought of as
progenies. In addition to these gods are progenies from each
of the three, resulting in a number of six gods. Believed to
bring great fertility, the gods are warmly welcomed by people
in the community. Subsequently, their departure from the living
world is a moment when people grieve with deep sorrow. Exclusively
selected for the ritual, each god is represented by a male community
member. The gods appear, first visiting the head household holding
the most ritual significance for the community and then on to
sacred groves. After this visit, the gods visit each household
in the community. This special ritual of the Akamata,
Kuromata and Shiromata gods is extremely secretive and
much is still unknown to the outside world. |
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