Noro
Japanese/Okinawan: ノロ (noro, nuru)
Noro were Ryukyuan village priestesses, who performed a variety of rituals and ceremonies for the people of the area. Most magiri had several noro.[1]
Prior to the 16th century, noro had considerable local power. In the 16th century, however, King Shô Shin significantly reduced the noro's power, establishing a new hierarchy of priestesses, more closely controlled by the government, and headed by his sister, the kikoe-ôgimi.[2] Under this new system, noro were appointed and granted land in each magiri. They often had their own assistants, called ucchigami (控神) in the case of male assistants, and niigami (根神) in the case of female ones.[1]
Their homes, known as nuru nu dunchi, were typically just the same as other private homes in the village, with the difference of the inclusion of a shrine to the fire spirit (hi nu kan).[1]
