Angama

Photo Diary: 4th Sep 2009. Thanks to my wife's help I've finally managed to roll out a full Japanese translation of my website. Hopefully this will mean that I can finally get back to enjoying a normal life on Ishigaki which doesn't involve sitting in front of my laptop for 15 hours a day fighting technical problems. The good news for you guys is that from now on I should have more time to get out and take photos of Ishigaki and the surrounding islands.

 

We're currently in the 'Obon' season and during this period there is a three day festival called 'Angama' which takes place throughout Okinawa. Eventually I'll write a feature on Angama for the culture section of this site, but for now it's best described as a tradition which involves welcoming ancestors back into family homes for a few days of partying and celebration before they are finally ushered back to the world of the deceased.

 

I'd be interested to know how many people actually believe that spirits are really entering their homes, but nevertheless, this is a tradition which has been very well maintained. Events take place all over the island during the Anagama period with local groups of performers travelling between private houses where parties are being held.

 

Despite the fact that most events are held in private residences anybody is welcome to come along and enjoy the show. Typically rooms which are clearly visible from outside the house are selected for performances and it is not unusual to have up to a hundred people outside the house enjoying the festivities.

 

Although the locations of some venues are printed in the local newspaper I found it more interesting to go out on my mountain bike and find the festivals for myself. Ishigaki city isn't a huge place and given that there were several festivals per evening I found that by keeping my ears open for the sound of distance drums and singling I could usually find a festival in no time.

 

Although the traditional dancing is very impressive my favorite part is where two performers who wear masks which depict them as senior citizens are persuaded to answer questions by members of the crowd who shout out 'Obaasan!' and 'Ojiisan!' (Grandma / Grandad) between performances. The people asking the questions typically disguise themselves by dangling a handkerchief or some foliage in front of their faces and the whole thing is very comical in nature with questions ranging from how to protect oneself from swine flu to issues relating to law, economics and where to get hold of some decent Ishigaki beef.

 

I was really impressed by Angama, and not just by the performances themselves, but also by the way in which Ishigaki's community really gets together to celebrate the Obon period. The next festival which takes place in a couple of days is called 'Shishimai', but I'll save that for my next post.