Difference between revisions of "Noro"
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''Japanese/Okinawan'': ノロ ''(noro, nuru)'' | ''Japanese/Okinawan'': ノロ ''(noro, nuru)'' | ||
| − | ''Noro'' were [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryukyuan]] village priestesses, who performed a variety of rituals and ceremonies for the people of the area. Most ''[[magiri]]'' had several ''noro''.<ref name=furusato>Plaques at reproduction of a noro's house, Okinawa Furusato Mura, Ocean Expo Park, Nakijin.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15456827940/sizes/h/]</ref> | + | ''Noro'' were [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryukyuan]] village priestesses, who performed a variety of rituals and ceremonies for the people of the area, as well as watching over local ''[[utaki]]''. Most ''[[magiri]]'' had several ''noro''.<ref name=furusato>Plaques at reproduction of a noro's house, Okinawa Furusato Mura, Ocean Expo Park, Nakijin.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15456827940/sizes/h/]</ref> |
| − | 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''. 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 fire spirit (''hi nu kan'').<ref name=furusato/> | ||
Revision as of 22:37, 16 January 2016
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, as well as watching over local utaki. 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; this remained a rather prestigious position, however.[3] 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]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Plaques at reproduction of a noro's house, Okinawa Furusato Mura, Ocean Expo Park, Nakijin.[1]
- ↑ Kerr, George H. (2000). Okinawa: the History of an Island People. (revised ed.) Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 111.
- ↑ "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.
