Sefa utaki

• Japanese/Okinawan: 斎場御嶽、しぇーふぁうたき (Seefa utaki, Sheefa utaki)

Sêfa utaki is a sacred forest space, or utaki, located near the southeastern tip of Okinawa Island. One of the most sacred sites in the Ryukyuan religion, the space was historically off-limits to all men except for the king of the Ryûkyû Kingdom, who only ever entered the site accompanied by priestesses (noro) who provided spiritual protection. A sacred space associated with the creation goddess Amamikyo, the utaki was the site of some of the kingdom's most important annual rituals, many of which were associated with ensuring the health of the king and prosperity of the kingdom. Kudaka Island, a sacred island just to the east of Okinawa, can be clearly seen from certain points within the utaki, and many prayers and rituals were performed towards Kudaka.

The site was named a World Heritage Site in 2000 alongside Shuri castle and a number of other gusuku and utaki sites. Today, the approach to Sêfa utaki features a large parking lot for tour buses and individual vehicles; shops and restaurants; a visitors' center; paid admission; and an introductory video for visitors. While the video instructs visitors as to the sacredness of the site and implores them not to eat or drink, not to leave anything behind (e.g. litter), not to pluck flowers or take other things from the site, not to enter certain areas that are marked off-limits, not to disturb ritual practitioners, and so forth, many ritual practitioners and indigenous activists have expressed considerable displeasure with the number of visitors (roughly 400,000 each year) and the disrespectful way many visitors violate these guidelines. Many also express that they feel most visitors do not understand or appreciate the significance of the utaki in the correct way, seeing it as a "powerspot," as having some similarity or connection to Shinto, or as being simply a superficial tourist spot to hang out and take photos; some ritualists and activists feel that significant portions of the utaki, or all of it, should be closed to visitors, arguing that it's not meant to be a tourist site of any sort to begin with, but rather should be kept preserved as a sacred site. However, unlike Shinto shrines, which are typically overseen by a priestly family and by the Association of Shinto Shrines (Jinja Honchô), Sêfa utaki (and, indeed all utaki) has no priest, no religious institution overseeing the site which has the authority to declare who is and is not a proper ritual practitioner; which areas should and shouldn't be off-limits; or even what exactly the site means, what rituals should or shouldn't be performed there, or how to perform those rituals correctly. Noro, yuta, indigenous activists, independent tour guides, powerspot enthusiasts, and others each bring their own understandings or interpretations to the site; while noro and others often try to defend the site, scolding visitors who are disrespectful, who litter or enter off-limits areas, it is difficult for them to enforce protection of the site as they hold no formal (let alone legal) ownership, control, or association with the site, nor any formal accreditation as to who is a proper noro (i.e. who has the right to speak) and who is not.

History

Sêfa utaki is believed to be the first site on Okinawa Island where the creation goddess Amamikyo set foot, after descending to earth and creating Kudaka Island.

One of the key rituals performed at Sêfa utaki during the time of the Ryûkyû Kingdom was the Oaraori (御新下り, O: uaara uri), in which a new kikoe-ôgimi (head priestess of the kingdom) was inducted. Some 200 attendants accompanied the high priestess to the utaki, entering the sacred space around midnight, and performing succession rituals through the night, including worship of Kudaka Island. The rituals ended with the singing of sacred songs.

References

• Aike Rots, "This is Not a Powerspot: Heritage Tourism, Sacred Space, and Conflicts of Authority at Sêfa Utaki," Asian Ethnology 78:1 (2019), 155-180.