Animation: Talking to Spirits and Tossing Some Too

Portion of an Okinawan Ritual

There are four ceremonies held, when building a home in Okinawa.

Before any ground is broken, prayers and offerings are made.

This ceremony is known as, tiindatii, sometimes pronounced tiindachii.

A spiritual person, known as munushiri, performs all the rituals.

Here, you see him pouring awamori (Okinawa sake) in a corner of the property.

Salt, grains of rice and the alcohol are offered at all four corners of the lot.

Once Construction Begins

Rituals involving family and a spiritual person, are held at the following stages:

House Framing Ceremony: Called Nnagi

Ridgepole Raising: Muniagi

Home Completion Ceremony: Yaafuchisuuji

Hopefully, I will be present for all the parties being held for this home construction.

Albums will be created on Facebook, titled with the above Okinawan names.


Tiindatii on Facebook

A Dozen Brightly Colored GIF Animations from Itoman City

Annual Boat Races in Itoman Harbor

 

 

It seems like summer arrived a bit early this year.

Blue skies, most of the day, made it a perfect time for going outdoors and enjoying a festival.

Before the sun came up, I was in the office, preparing cameras and lenses.

And, I left the lights on, knowing it would be after sunset by the time, I returned.

Most places in Okinawa call these Harii Boat Races.

Westerners usually call them dragon boat races.

In Itoman, the sabani boat races are called Hare and they signal the end of rainy season.

Coincidentally, the word hare, is Japanese for, sunshine.

For events, like this, I carry two cameras and three sets of lenses.

It would be nice to photograph every team as they race and, I try but, usually miss a few.

There are a few thousand spectators at these events.

Luckily, a local sabani team, invited me to stay in the shade of their tent, alongside the port.

When the sun gets directly overhead, a person could easily suffer heat stroke.

They even offered some cold beer but, I chose green tea instead.

The crowds go wild, cheering for their teams, while beating drums.

They have unusual colors for some of the team's uniforms and, it makes me glad.

I'm glad, I am not a fashion coordinator.  Oops!

Knowing it would be a very long camera day, I try to pace myself.

There is a lot more that will be going on at this festival than, just boat races.

Besides all the festival food and game booths for children, there's more.

Many people just come to watch or, participate in the sabani boat races.

Itoman is famous for the fishing ports and industry but, they have farmers, too.

Their contribution to the festival may be seen here.

Watermellons and ducks are thrown into the sea for festival-goers to catch.

And, whatever you catch, you get to take home, for free !

 Very few people remain, after the boat races, for this cultural event.

Hang around with one of the sabani boat teams and follow them, into the evening.

They go to the home of a priestess (noro) after the races.

They enter the home to pray and drink some sake.

Before leaving, they carry their boat paddles, form a circle and, sing and dance.

Visit Itoman City 

Sometimes a Real Dog Is on the Roof of an Okinawan Home

We all get used to seeing the clay statues on the tiled roofs around here.

Those are called Shisa and, they are supposed to ward off evil, protecting the homes.

Walking the back roads of Kin Town, I met this character.

It wasn't some sort of lucky charm, used to scare wicked things away.

These folks have a real live dog on the roof, to warn them when someone approaches.

How many homes in your neighborhood are equipped with alarms like that ?