A Study on Shamanism and the Kagura of the Southern Islands of Kyushu through Comparison with Kyushu's Northwestern Islands

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

By comparing the miko dances of the kagura and the shamanic tradition of the northwestern Kyushu coastal islands of Tsushima, Iki and Goto to Koshiki-jima and Kuchinoshima of Kagoshima Prefecture, several similarities in the miko tradition came to light. First, the basic form of the miko dances such as the circular movement from left to right (seen in Goto and Koshiki-jima) and the holding of the sleeve in the left hand while holding a suzu in the right (seen in all the islands' dances) is common. Second, in the festivals of the shrines, miko, who are called neishi in the southern islands and ichi or myoubu in Tsushima and Iki, and male priests, who are called honbooi in Kuchinoshima and hosa in Tsushinia and Iki, appear together. Moreover, within the hierarchy of the miko, there are those who have a special status. Finally, the same folk belief that a miko is able to drive out the evil spirit in people who are haunted by a wraith (ikiryou), the soul of a dead person (shiryou), or some other evil is observed. Furthermore, on some of the islands, particularly Tsushima and Iki as understood through historical records, the hosa also performed exorcisms and fortune telling. Until now, this kind of research has been carried out regionally. However, it is apparent that through this kind of comparative research method that these kinds of traditions such as the miko and hosa discussed here are more than just one region's tradition. More research interrelating regions is necessary.