Centuries Old Tradition
The mayor of Gushiken and, newspapers say the Shinugu Matsuri is over 300 years old.
It's a festival held annually to pray for a good harvest and, catch of fish.
Only women, do the dancing. They thank god for a successful year gone by, as well.
There is drum beating and singing going on during these rituals.
Not more than about a hundred people were in attendance, including the dancers.
That made it a bit easier, to move around with the camera.
Elders and married women are on the outside of this circle.
Single gals wear the headgear, tied in the back, White ribbon, streams down their backs.
The songs, they sing are in Okinawan dialect and, I couldn't hear them.
They might be saying something like, "Don't fool around with lazy, poor men."
"We'll use our hands to protect you and drive them away."
Or, could that just be, my imagination ?
A few years ago, I attended this event and, they gave me a pamphlet about it.
If, I recall correctly, it had the words to the songs and, sketches of the hand movements.
It's among a thousand, other things that, never get translated, around here.
One of these days, I'll get organized and find the paperwork so, someone can help me.
It was an incredibly hot and humid August day, up on that hill.
Under my breath, I was cussing the sun. I don't believe in cussing around women.
But, imagine how hot they were, dancing in those dark robes.
The sun went down. I'm out of here!
