Changes

Prior to the 16th century, ''noro'' had considerable local power. In the 16th century, however, King [[Sho Shin|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-ogimi|kikoe-ôgimi]]''.<ref>Kerr, George H. (2000). Okinawa: the History of an Island People. (revised ed.) Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 111.</ref> Under this new system, ''noro'' were appointed and granted land in each ''magiri''; this remained a rather prestigious position, however.<ref>"Oroku ma~i" 小禄ま～い. Pamphlet. Naha City Board of Education Cultural Properties Division 那覇市教育委員会文化財課, 1989.</ref> 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.<ref name=furusato/>

Prior to the 16th century, ''noro'' had considerable local power. In the 16th century, however, King [[Sho Shin|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-ogimi|kikoe-ôgimi]]''.<ref>Kerr, George H. (2000). Okinawa: the History of an Island People. (revised ed.) Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 111.</ref> Under this new system, ''noro'' were appointed and granted land in each ''magiri''; this remained a rather prestigious position, however.<ref>"Oroku ma~i" 小禄ま～い. Pamphlet. Naha City Board of Education Cultural Properties Division 那覇市教育委員会文化財課, 1989.</ref> 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.<ref name=furusato/>

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'').<ref name=furusato/>

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 [[hearth deity|fire spirit]] (''hi nu kan'').<ref name=furusato/>

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