Hold Your Horses But Don't Drink Their Pee

Where Did That Idea Come From ?

Using a bit of imagination, I'm guessing it had to be a menopausal woman, under a tree.

A horse decided to take a leak and, she was having some of those spells.

Maybe, she lapped up some out of the puddle and said, "I feel wonderful, now."

The next thing you know, women of a certain age, start demanding horse piss pills.

It Was on Japanese TV

Not a big fan of watching the boob tube, I saw this when the wife had the kitchen TV on.

They were showing black and white films of folks collecting horse pee.

Then, doctors started showing it being made into drugs for women.

A little research led me to the conclusion: Women Will Try Anything They See on TV.

Just bottle the stuff and tell them, "It's just what you need."  They'll buy the stuff.

What Doctors Say

Women need something called estrogen, after a certain age, to produce hormones.

Not all gals, only 50% of Japanese and 70% of American/Europeans, need help.

They either get hormone replacement drugs or, take something to help them, make their own.

Along came someone, who discovered good old horse urine and, that's how we got here.

The jar, pictured above, is a replacement for the horsy stuff, made in Japan.

It seems like PETA and people who disfavored horse pee, demanded some changes.

Premarin, was the name of the drug in the USA. 

The name came from PREgnant Mare's urINE because, that's what they used.

Folks got riled about the horses being cooped up so, piss could be collected.

And, the baby horses, weren't really needed so, they got sold for meat, to people and dogs.

Let's give them some credit for being nice towards animals. Yay PETA.

Only, those folks, don't know much about eating horses because, they are vegetarians.

Read about Basashi: Eating Raw Horse Meat, in Japan.

What's Wrong With Eating Horse Meat, in the USA.

The Launch of EQUELLE

Then, PETA People -  Can you tell me, Soybeans Lives Don't Matter to You ?

A non scientific observation: Wonder if more people around the world should eat horses ?

Footnote: Please, don't tell my wife about the photo.  She might rip my head off !

A Peek Inside the Uchinaa Farm in Mabuni Itoman

The Plan Was to Arm Wrestle a Sloth

 

 

A few weeks ago, the Japan Update, informed me about this place.

All excited about a zoo, where you could pet a buffalo and a sloth, I've been aching to go.

Well, things didn't turn out as expected, but, I had some fun, anyway.

 Best Part First

The girl, walking a pony, in front of the horses corral, gave me permission to shoot her.

The sun was still glaring, high overhead but, I liked the background.

This is probably, the best photo, I took all day and, it made me feel a little better.

Itoman Is Over 30 Miles Away

 

 

That, doesn't sound very far, to some folks but, it's too far, for me.

So, I had plenty of time to talk with Doc Graff, as he drove and, we came up with this plan.

If they let kids, pet a sloth maybe, they'd let me, arm wrestle with one.

Then Doc, could snap a picture of me and the critter grunting and groaning, for a blog post.

Some Things Just Don't Turn Out According to Plans

 

 

 This sloth was locked up inside a steel cage and, couldn't come out.

Thinking there must be more sloths not held captive, I looked around the place, for some.

A zookeeper dude, told me, they didn't have anymore; just this one.

The sign, hanging next to the cage, tells you in English and Japanese:

CAUTION: This Sloth Bites !

That, sort of busted my bubble but, I always try to get happy.

So, we would have to find some other critters, to entertain ourselves with.

 A humongous land turtle, was munching on grass, just around the corner.

There were other animals, like rabbits, guinea pigs and racoon, I guess, you could pet.

But, I figured this turtle, would hold still for photographs and, make the best model.

Moving over close to get a nice shot, I sat down next to him.

And, he stuck his tongue out at me.

That's how, I knew it was time to get out of there and, visit the horses.

We probably saw a few dozen creatures today but, the friendly young girls, were the best !

Okinawan Folktale: Runaway Stepchild

Saved by a Hungry Crow

 

 

A wicked stepmother wanted to eliminate him so, she poisoned his lunch.

If she succeeded in killing him, her only son would inherit everything and, not have to share.

She put some powerful poison in his rice-ball (onigiri) he took to the fields.

He got to the rice paddy, set his onigiri down on a rock and started to work.

Along came a big, black crow and, it snatched his lunch, flying up into a tree with it.

The bird, quickly devoured the meal and fell from the tree in the throes of death.

It ate some special grass, growing nearby, miraculously recovered and, flew away.

The boy realized what happened. Someone, had poisoned his meal.

The crow, was the spirit of his real mother, looking after him.

She flew down from above, to warn him and, to teach him about the antidote.

 

 

Leaving Home an Option

 

 

Surprised the stepchild returned,  the mother asked, "Did you eat your lunch?"

He replied, "Yes. It was scrumptious."

Thinking, it was safe for consumption, she fed the leftovers to her real son.

As soon as he finished the meal, he started flapping around and, died.

The next day, the stepson decided to get out of town.

Searching for a job in a village, far away, he found a wealthy man with horses.

The horseman, employed him, to groom and feed the animals.

One horse was a spirited, wild mustang, that no one could train.

The boy and and horse became friends. The stepchild could mount and ride the horse.

The horse's owner appreciated the boy's special skills with horses and rewarded him.

He referred the child to a wealthier horseman and, gave the boy the stallion, as a gift.

The new landowner was glad to employ this talented youth.

The boy, looking around for a place to sleep, realized all the servants quarters were occupied.

He found a space, behind clay ovens in the kitchen, to spend the nights.

The room was full of ashes and soot but, comfortable and warm.

He showed up at work everyday with a black face and, clothes covered with ashes.

He earned the nickname Heeburaa  -- Okinawan for, Sooty.

 

 

Special Boy and Horse

 

 

People were unaware, the boy and horse traveled the heavens at night.

The horse was actually a god.

Returning to earth before daybreak, the boy would rest in the kitchen.

Villagers from miles around brought their fastest horses for a race one morning.

As the race started, out of the sky, came a horse and masked rider.

They passed everyone, finished the race first and, flew off into the heavens.

They never stopped to claim victory.

 

 

Wealthy Horseman's Daughter

 

 

One day, the girl announced, she was ready for marriage.

She told the parents, she would chose a husband from the household servants.

She wanted each man brought before her and, she would select a groom.

When she saw the man she chose, she would drop a gold ball, held in the palm of her hand.

All the young men, dressed in their finest robes, to parade before the maiden.

One by one, they came before her but, all were ignored.

The master was puzzled and, asked if all the servants had been seen.

When he was informed, only Sooty, hadn't been seen, the master ordered him to appear.

Sooty, reluctantly came into the room.

The other servants laughed, knowing he would be rejected.

Ordered to step closer to the master's daughter, he shivered but, complied.

She grinned and, dropped the golden ball.

Sooty and the girl married and all their dreams would be fulfilled.

 

 

Years Later

 

 

 

A wrinkled peasant of a woman came to Sooty's home begging.

It was the conniving stepmother, who had become desolate.

She lost all her children, who used to work, cultivating the rice fields.

Eventually, she lost the home and farm.

When Sooty, gave her a basket of food, she didn't recognize him but, he remembered her.

He had pity for the woman and her wicked heart.

She left and walked away wondering if, she had seen that master's face, somewhere before.

Inside the basket of food, she found a pouch of money.

She recalled the face of the stepson, she had been so mean to, years ago

She cried and cried and cried.

REFERENCE:

Folktales of Okinawa ISBN4-947654-05-8 P.166

Condensed from: Sooty 




MORE OKINAWA FOLKLORE

 

Brilliant Colors and Dancing with Horses

Motion GIFs from Juri-uma Parade

 

 

This event takes place in Naha, Okinawa January 20th by the Lunar Calendar.

That happened to be today so, we went to the big city with cameras.

There were all sorts of costumes and dances but, these were my favorites.

A few hundred more images will be looked at some other day.

Tsuji was an entertainment district in Naha years ago.

And, the gals  (courtesans) working there,  were the Juri.

Supposedly, this parade was held annually so families could get to see their daughters.

Learn more about the event by checking a previous entry:

Have You Ever Heard of the Parade of the Prostitutes ? 

It was Sort of Like a City Folks Hoedown

Not Just Women Dancing with Horses

 

 

There were a dozen or so, gals in kimonos, dancing with wooden, hobby horse looking things.

Back in the good old days, I bet they were riding real horses.

Equines are probably forbidden now, at the Juri-uma Parade because it's within the city limits.

But, they had other gals, doing folk dances, that any country boy would enjoy.

 Some of them came out on the stage hootin' and hollerin' barefooted.

 They were smiling, stomping their feet and, swinging those blades.

Just when you think, it can't get no better than this, it does.

The gal in charge of those with sickles and sticks, got them all off the stage.

And here's where the real hoedown stuff begins.

These girls were barefoot, smiling and dancing, too.

But, they were swinging some pretty authentic looking hoes.

Tell me, that don't remind you of a good old country hoedown !

Have You Ever Heard of the Parade of the Prostitutes ?

'Scuse My French But I Ain't Making This Up

 

Not to worry, ladies.  No women were harmed in this celebration.

The photos were taken, yesterday in Naha, Okinawa, Japan at a reenactment of ancient history.

Credit must be given to Okinawa2Go! Project on Facebook for some of my text, today.

They reminded me that the Juri-uma Parade was February 19th this year.

That would be, the 20th of January, by the Chinese calendar.

The event took place in the Tsuji district of Naha City.

Allegedly, this was an area of brothels, back in the old days.

There were no real live hookers on the streets while I was there. I kept checking for you.

As the story goes, girls who were sold to be courtesans, were called "Juri."

Uma, means horse.  So, I guess you could call it the Hookers Horse Parade.

Back in the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom these girls only got to see their family once a year.

That was during the Juri-uma Parade.

So, it was a pretty important celebration.

How any person could sell their daughter, beats the devil out of me.

But, if I was a girl, I would worry about it.

Didn't somebody, once say, "History repeats itself"  ?

Read more about this event at the Ryukyu Shimpo

And, here's an old video of the festivities, from way back when:

In the Spotlight: Issei Karashima at The Hall of Beauty and Peace

Today, I visited Peace Memorial Park in Okinawa, Japan.

The assignment I was on had nothing to do with horses, or paintings.

But, this masterpiece by Issei Karashima caught my attention.

So, I asked permission to take a photo of it.

Not so good at remembering names, I shot this, too so I could give the master his due credit.

There are plenty of talented artists on these islands and, I think, the world should see their work.

So, every now and then, I'll be doing a spotlight post on one of them, right here.

Researching online, to find out more about Issei Karashima, I found a few links.

More of his artwork may be seen here.

And, he's listed with all the names of Painters at the Hall of Beauty and Peace. 


Directions to Peace Memorial Park may be found here.