En el Perú, tenemos una gran variedad de tradiciones culturales. La cultura en sí abarca todas las expresiones de la idiosincrasia de un pueblo, que van desde las muchas lenguas y dialectos (que aún se hablan mayormente en la sierra y selva), las distintas festividades religiosas, la exquisita y extensa variedad gastronómica, etc.
Sin embargo, por los efectos de la a veces satanizada “globalización”, que muchas veces puede llegar a “uniformizar” la idiosincrasia de distintos pueblos (léase países), corremos el peligro de perder nuestra identidad o peor aún, querer olvidar nuestros orígenes; como sucedió en el Perú hace 20 años.
Esto último sucedió por el atraso en que vivíamos, producto de la incipiente administración gubernamental de aquellos años (inicios de los 80) aunado al terrorismo,( aunque creo que fue el resultado de lo anterior) que nos hizo querer renegar de todo lo nacional y desear, más bien, lo extranjero (sobretodo en la ropa), por ejemplo, cuando tenía 10 años, mi mamá me compró unas zapatillas que no me acuerdo la marca, pero eran de tela y con la suela cosida y, obviamente, “hechos en el Perú” y que por ser precisamente “hechos en el Perú”, no me gustaban nada .
20 años después, esto cambió y puedo decir que prefiero comprar productos nacionales de calidad, porque realmente la calidad de los productos nacionales ha mejorado mucho. Y no quisiera continuar sin antes comentarles que hace unos días compré dos polos, uno de marca extranjera, Benetton, y uno nacional, Topy Top. El primero me costó 80 soles (aproximadamente 30 dólares) mientras que el nacional, 17 soles (7 dólares) y después de una lavada, pude observar la calidad del tejido: el importado resultó ser de pobre calidad mientras que el nacional sigue como nuevo (a pesar de la diferencia abismal en los precios).
Volviendo al tema, quise hacer una muy breve sinopsis de lo que fue el Perú hace 20 años con respecto a su identidad nacional; pero, ¿cuál es la razón para escribirles sobre identidad nacional, de sentirnos orgullosos de nuestra cultura autóctona?
Así como pasó con el Perú y su otrora negación y discriminación por lo autóctono en los años 80; algo muy similar sucedió con Japón con respecto a Okinawa en la época de postguerra, e incluso antes; siendo discriminada y marginada, a pesar de formar parte del territorio japonés y poseer una tradición cultural muy amplia, en donde podemos apreciar muchos aportes culturales, gastronómicos, entre otros. Así, muchos de nosotros, los “nikkei-okinawenses”, podemos sentirnos orgullosos de poseer una identidad “tripartita”: peruana-japonesa-okinawense.
Pero, ¿de qué vale sentirnos orgullosos de nuestra identidad si muchos de nosotros no conocemos su origen o historia? A continuación, voy a mostrarles algunos aportes de Okinawa:
In Peru, we have a great variety of cultural traditions. The culture itself comprises all expressions of the people’s idiosyncrasy, which goes from the many languages and dialects (which still are spoken mostly in the mountains and jungle), to the different religious festivities, and to the delicious and very wide gastronomic variety, etc.
However, due to the effects of the-sometimes-demonized globalization, which often can even “uniformize” the idiosyncrasy of different people (understood as countries), we are on risk of losing our identity, or worse still, willing to forget our origins; as happened 20 years ago in Peru.
This last one happened due to the backwardness in which we lived, as result of the incipient government administration of those years (at the beginning of the 80’s) along with terrorism, (although I believe it was the result of the first one), which made us to want to deny all local products (Peruvian made products) and looking rather for foreign products (mostly clothes), for example, when I was 10 years old, my mother bought me a pair of sneakers, which I cannot remember the label, but they were from canvas and with a sole attached to the sneakers itself, and obviously, “made in Peru” and for that reason, of being “made in Peru”; I did not like them at all.
Twenty years later, this situation has changed: I can say that I prefer to buy high quality local products instead of foreign products, because the local products’ quality has indeed improved a lot. But I do not want to go on without telling you that a few days ago I bought two T-shirts: a foreign brand T-shirt and the other, of a local one, Topy Top. The first one cost 80 soles (approximately 30 dollars) while that of local manufacture, 17 soles (7 dollars) and after one washing, I could see the fabric’s quality: the foreign T-shirt turned out to be of poorest quality, while the local one looks still like new (despite the enormous difference in the prices).
Going back to the topic, I wanted to present a very brief summary about what Peru was 20 years ago respecting its national identity; but, ¿what is the reason for writing about national identity, of being proud of our autochthonous culture?
As happened in Peru and its one-time negation and discrimination toward Okinawa during the postwar time, and even before; Okinawa was discriminated and marginalized, despite being part of the Japanese territory and having a wide cultural tradition, in which we can see many contributions in culture, gastronomy and other fields. Thus, many of us, the “nikkei-okinawenses”, can be proud of having a three-way identity: Peruvian-Japanese-Okinawan.
But, ¿what is the point of being proud of our identity if many of us do not know about its origin or history? Next, I will show you some contributions of Okinawa:
In Peru, we have a great variety of cultural traditions. The culture itself comprises all expressions of the people’s idiosyncrasy, which goes from the many languages and dialects (which still are spoken mostly in the mountains and jungle), to the different religious festivities, and to the delicious and very wide gastronomic variety, etc.
However, due to the effects of the-sometimes-demonized globalization, which often can even “uniformize” the idiosyncrasy of different people (understood as countries), we are on risk of losing our identity, or worse still, willing to forget our origins; as happened 20 years ago in Peru.
This last one happened due to the backwardness in which we lived, as result of the incipient government administration of those years (at the beginning of the 80’s) along with terrorism, (although I believe it was the result of the first one), which made us to want to deny all local products (Peruvian made products) and looking rather for foreign products (mostly clothes), for example, when I was 10 years old, my mother bought me a pair of sneakers, which I cannot remember the label, but they were from canvas and with a sole attached to the sneakers itself, and obviously, “made in Peru” and for that reason, of being “made in Peru”; I did not like them at all.
Twenty years later, this situation has changed: I can say that I prefer to buy high quality local products instead of foreign products, because the local products’ quality has indeed improved a lot. But I do not want to go on without telling you that a few days ago I bought two T-shirts: a foreign brand T-shirt and the other, of a local one, Topy Top. The first one cost 80 soles (approximately 30 dollars) while that of local manufacture, 17 soles (7 dollars) and after one washing, I could see the fabric’s quality: the foreign T-shirt turned out to be of poorest quality, while the local one looks still like new (despite the enormous difference in the prices).
Going back to the topic, I wanted to present a very brief summary about what Peru was 20 years ago respecting its national identity; but, ¿what is the reason for writing about national identity, of being proud of our autochthonous culture?
As happened in Peru and its one-time negation and discrimination toward Okinawa during the postwar time, and even before; Okinawa was discriminated and marginalized, despite being part of the Japanese territory and having a wide cultural tradition, in which we can see many contributions in culture, gastronomy and other fields. Thus, many of us, the “nikkei-okinawenses”, can be proud of having a three-way identity: Peruvian-Japanese-Okinawan.
But, ¿what is the point of being proud of our identity if many of us do not know about its origin or history? Next, I will show you some contributions of Okinawa:
 | EL KARATE Las artes marciales son muy conocidas en todo el mundo: el tae kwon do (originario de Corea), el kung fu (China), el jiujitsu (Japón), el karate (Okinawa), etc. THE KARATE The martial arts are very well-known worldwide: tae kwon do (from Korea), kung fu (China), jiu jitsu (Japan), karate (Okinawa), etc. |
El karate 空手, que es originario de Japón (específicamente de Okinawa), significa en japonés “manos vacías”, porque utiliza solamente las manos y los pies para defensa y ataque.
Se practicó más intensamente en el siglo XVII a raíz de los diversos decretos que prohibían la posesión de armas entre sus habitantes (para evitar una revuelta contra los gobernantes), quienes comenzaron a perfeccionar y practicar el karate en secreto (los expertos en karate no intercambiaban sus técnicas de lucha con otros; iban a practicar o entrenar en cuevas, escondites; utilizaban los árboles como enemigos de lucha; etc.; para perfeccionar las técnicas de lucha).
Aunque no existen registros sobre el origen o historia del karate, se dice que se remonta hacia el siglo VII, cuando los monjes budistas chinos trajeron a Okinawa las artes marciales como el kenpo (como se pronuncia en japonés o chuan fa, en chino) y que fueron adaptadas y fusionadas con las artes técnicas locales conocidas como Te手, (mano).
Este sistema de lucha Te fue perfeccionándose, y bajo la influencia de las artes marciales chinas (que era la cultura de moda por aquella época) como el kenpo y las artes locales como el Te, dio paso a lo que se conoce como Tode 唐手 (“mano china”) y Okinawa-Te 沖縄手(mano de Okinawa). Esta última agrupaba a los distintos estilos que eran practicados en las ciudades de Shuri, Naha 那覇 y Tomari 泊 (en Okinawa), que eran el centro de reyes y nobles (Shuri), mercaderes y negociantes (Naha) y pescadores y agricultores (Tomari), llamándose asì: Shuri-Te, Nara-Te y Tomari-Te.
Pero recién en el siglo XX es cuando el karate ya era conocido como tal, puesto que antes se le conocía como Tode 唐手. Fonèticamente, se puede pronunciar de dos maneras estos kanji o caracteres唐 手(tode), que puede ser según la lectura japonesa kunyomi “kara” o según la china onyomi, “to”.
Con el propósito de expandir la práctica del karate en todo Japón y convertirlo en un arte marcial japonés (es decir, en Budo 武道), el mismo nombre debía de reflejar esa identidad y ese kanji 唐 (que significa “China”) no era conveniente.
El Tode 唐手 era pronunciado por los japoneses como “karate”, se decidió conservar esa pronunciación, pero cambiando el primer kanji唐 (que significa “China”) por la de 空”kara”, que significa “vacío” y que representaba mejor el significado del karate: “manos vacías”.
Ya para el siglo XX, el karate era conocido en todo Japón, cuando Ginchi Funakoshi realizó una demostración ante el emperador Hirohito en 1921 en el Castillo de Shuri y al año siguiente viajó a Japón para una exhibición realizada por el Ministerio de Educación. A partir de 1922, residió en Japón hasta su muerte en 1957.
Durante esos años, difundió el karate en el sistema educativo de las universidades como la de Keio en 1924 como curso de educación física, y posteriormente en la de Chuo, Tokyo y Waseda. Incluso despertó el interés por la práctica del karate entre los militares americanos, quienes solicitaron a Funakoshi que enseñase el karate en las bases militares en los Estados Unidos durante tres meses en 1953.
Con Funakoshi nació el sistema de grados (identificados con los cinturones de colores) y el uniforme blanco, como también se observa en el judo.
The karate 空手, coming from Japan (specifically Okinawa), means “empty hands” in Japanese, because it uses only hands and feet for attack and defense.
It was practiced more intensively on the 17th century due to the several decrees prohibiting the possession of weapons among the people (for avoiding a riot against the lords), who started to improve and practice the karate secretly (the karate-experts did not exchange their fighting techniques with others; they went to train or practice in caves, hideouts; they used the tress as enemies in fighting; etc.; in order to improve their fighting techniques).
Although there are no records about the origin or history of karate, it is said that it dates back from the 7th century, when the martial arts were brought to Okinawa as the kempo (as it is pronounced in Japanese or “chuan fa”, as in Chinese) and which were adapted and fused with local techniques known as Te手, (hand).
This fighting system Te was improving, and under the influence of the Chinese martial arts (which was the fashion culture of that time) like the kempo and local arts like the Te, was the origin of what is known as Tode 唐手 (“Chinese hand”) and Okinawa-Te 沖縄手 (“hand of Okinawa”). This last technique grouped the different styles which were practiced in the cities of Shuri, Naha 那覇and Tomari 泊(in Okinawa), being the centre of kings and nobles (Shuri), merchants and businessmen (Naha) and fishermen and farmers (Tomari), and thus these techniques were called: Shuri-Te, Nara-Te and Tomari-Te.
However, just in the 20th century, the karate was already known as such, since it was known as Tode唐手 before. Phonetically, these kanji or characters唐 手(Tode), can be pronounced in two ways: which can be either “kara” (in the Japanese reading way “kunyomi” or that of the Chinese “onyomi”, “to”).
With the purpose of expanding the practice of karate throughout Japan and turning it into a Japanese martial art (that is, in Budo 武道), the name itself had to reflect that identity and; that kanji 唐 (meaning “China”) was not suitable.
Tode 唐手was pronounced as “karate” by the Japanese, and thence, it was decided to keep that pronunciation, but changing the first kanji唐 (meaning “China”) for the kanji 空 “kara”, meaning “empty” and which represents better the meaning of karate : “empty hands”.
When karate was already known throughout Japan by the 20th century, Ginchi Funakoshi performed a demonstration to the emperor Hirohito in 1921 at the Castle of Shuri in Okinawa, and in the following year, he went to Japan for an exhibition organized by the Ministry of Education. Since 1922, he lived in Japan until his death in 1957.
During those years, he spread the karate in the education systems of the universities, like that of the Keio in 1924 as a subject of physical education and later, that of the Chuo, Tokyo and Waseda. He even awoke the interest for the karate in the American militaries, who asked Funakoshi to teach karate in the military bases in the United States for 3 months in 1953.
With Funakoshi started the grading system (identified with colored belts) and the white uniform, as seen in judo as well.
The karate 空手, coming from Japan (specifically Okinawa), means “empty hands” in Japanese, because it uses only hands and feet for attack and defense.
It was practiced more intensively on the 17th century due to the several decrees prohibiting the possession of weapons among the people (for avoiding a riot against the lords), who started to improve and practice the karate secretly (the karate-experts did not exchange their fighting techniques with others; they went to train or practice in caves, hideouts; they used the tress as enemies in fighting; etc.; in order to improve their fighting techniques).
Although there are no records about the origin or history of karate, it is said that it dates back from the 7th century, when the martial arts were brought to Okinawa as the kempo (as it is pronounced in Japanese or “chuan fa”, as in Chinese) and which were adapted and fused with local techniques known as Te手, (hand).
This fighting system Te was improving, and under the influence of the Chinese martial arts (which was the fashion culture of that time) like the kempo and local arts like the Te, was the origin of what is known as Tode 唐手 (“Chinese hand”) and Okinawa-Te 沖縄手 (“hand of Okinawa”). This last technique grouped the different styles which were practiced in the cities of Shuri, Naha 那覇and Tomari 泊(in Okinawa), being the centre of kings and nobles (Shuri), merchants and businessmen (Naha) and fishermen and farmers (Tomari), and thus these techniques were called: Shuri-Te, Nara-Te and Tomari-Te.
However, just in the 20th century, the karate was already known as such, since it was known as Tode唐手 before. Phonetically, these kanji or characters唐 手(Tode), can be pronounced in two ways: which can be either “kara” (in the Japanese reading way “kunyomi” or that of the Chinese “onyomi”, “to”).
With the purpose of expanding the practice of karate throughout Japan and turning it into a Japanese martial art (that is, in Budo 武道), the name itself had to reflect that identity and; that kanji 唐 (meaning “China”) was not suitable.
Tode 唐手was pronounced as “karate” by the Japanese, and thence, it was decided to keep that pronunciation, but changing the first kanji唐 (meaning “China”) for the kanji 空 “kara”, meaning “empty” and which represents better the meaning of karate : “empty hands”.
When karate was already known throughout Japan by the 20th century, Ginchi Funakoshi performed a demonstration to the emperor Hirohito in 1921 at the Castle of Shuri in Okinawa, and in the following year, he went to Japan for an exhibition organized by the Ministry of Education. Since 1922, he lived in Japan until his death in 1957.
During those years, he spread the karate in the education systems of the universities, like that of the Keio in 1924 as a subject of physical education and later, that of the Chuo, Tokyo and Waseda. He even awoke the interest for the karate in the American militaries, who asked Funakoshi to teach karate in the military bases in the United States for 3 months in 1953.
With Funakoshi started the grading system (identified with colored belts) and the white uniform, as seen in judo as well.
| EL CHAMANISMO El chamanismo se refiere al conjunto de creencias relacionadas con el contacto y comunicación con las almas de los familiares fallecidos. THE SHAMANISM The shamanism is the set of believes regarding to the contact and communication with the souls of dead relatives. |  |
Es una práctica muy difundida en todo el mundo, tanto en Perú como en Okinawa. Por el contrario, en Japón no se practica por la influencia del budismo y del shintoísmo, y prácticamente, en todas las religiones principales en el mundo, el contacto con las ánimas o espíritus no es aceptado.
En cambio, en Okinawa, se practica el chamanismo (término genèrico que uso) muy ampliamente, en donde se tiene contacto con los muertos, principalmente. Existen dos personajes religiosos muy importantes dentro de este chamanismo “okinawense”: el kaminchu y el yuta.
El kaminchu significa “seres divinos” y son sacerdotisas (Okinawa tuvo un sistema religioso predominantemente matriarcal) que se encargan de los ritos religiosos del pueblo. El papel de una kaminchu era hereditario y generalmente comenzaba en la edad madura de la mujer. La función de una kaminchu es más general, de prestar servicios religiosos a la comunidad.
El yuta es como se le conoce a una mujer que tiene poderes psíquicos, los que le permite comunicarse con los espíritus de los muertos, puede interpretar sueños, determinar las fechas propicias para abrir un negocio o mudarse, e incluso, adivinar el futuro. Una yuta se le reconoce como tal porque desde pequeña ha tenido premoniciones, visiones, entre otras facultades psíquicas. La función de una yuta es más privada, puesto que presta sus servicios a las familias que las contratan para resolver asuntos familiares relacionados con lo paranormal.
En la historia de Japón, el papel de ambos personajes fue censurado, muchas veces por la falta de comprensión del papel que desempeñaban. Se ignoró que es parte del folklore de Okinawa y por ello, se quiso desterrar todo indicio de chamanismo o animismo; por la simple razón que era una religión indígena (en el sentido de “atrasada”, y no de “autóctona”) y que no había lógica suficiente que pueda explicarlo.
Las manifestaciones que podríamos considerarlo como mágicas o inexplicables del chamanismo (término usado en el sentido de comunicación con los muertos), muchas veces nosostros los “nikkei-okinawenses” también las practicamos en casa.
¿Pero cómo? Para muchos de nosotros que poseemos un altar budista o butsudan, en donde veneramos la memoria de nuestros parientes fallecidos (en mi caso tengo dos butsudan: uno por parte de mi familia paterna y otro, por el lado materno); recurrimos a los servicios de un yuta para, generalmente, consultar sobre los días del obon (cuando vienen nuestros parientes fallecidos a visitarnos y que generalmente es en agosto) o cómo debemos de “cuidar” el butsudan (aunque se podría decir “administrar” el butsudan).
De esta manera, practicamos el chamanismo sin darnos cuenta, con simplemente tener en casa un butsudan; porque casi siempre recurrimos a los servicios de un yuta, que es el intermediario entre los difuntos y sus familiares vivos, para saber cuándo seria la fecha propicia para mover de sitio el butsudan o cuando nos mudamos de casa, la celebración de misas budistas, entre otros; llamamos a un yuta.
Pero no solamente se encarga de asesorarnos en el “mantenimiento” del butsudan, sino también funge de consejero espiritual. En este aspecto, si vemos que suceden cosas inexplicables en la casa (podría ser, por ejemplo, un periodo de una mala suerte inexplicable, o simplemente que experimentemos que “algo anda mal”), también podemos contratar de sus servicios; para que a través de diferentes métodos adivinatorios o de videncia, pueden dilucidar lo que está “andando mal”, ya sea tomando el pulso de la persona, leyendo el inciso o senko, otros medios adivinatorios más “occidentales” (tarot).
Tanto en Okinawa como en Perú, el papel de las yuta se concibe como una dupla psicológica-mística, porque se encargan de resolver los asuntos familiares que aparentemente no tienen solución racional sino que, más bien, se debe a algo “paranormal” (por ejemplo, una familia puede tener una crisis familiar sin razón aparente y atribuyen esa situación a que el familiar fallecido está enfadado o que la forma como están llevando el butsudan está mal, etc.) . Ellas dan consejos sobre como manejar una situación familiar, que puede ser resolviéndolo a través de rezos en los templos y también dando consejos a los miembros de la familia; sirviendo, así, no solamente como una intermediaria entre el mundo de los vivos con el de los muertos, sino como una "terapeuta".
This is practiced very widespread in the world, in both Peru and Okinawa. On the other hand, in Japan it is not practiced (openly) due to the influence of Buddhism and Shintoism, and basically, in all main religions in the world; the contact with spirits is not accepted.
By contrast, in Okinawa, shamanism (I use this generic term) is widely practiced, which has contact mostly with dead people. There are two very important religious figures in the Okinawan “shamanism”: the kaminchu and the yuta.
The kaminchu means “divine beings” and they are priestess (Okinawa has a religious system mainly matriarchal), who were in charge of the religious rites of the town. The role of the kaminchu was inherited and generally it started at the mature age of the woman. The function of a kaminchu is more general, of providing religious services to the community.
The yuta is a woman with psychic powers, which allow her to communicate with the spirits of dead people, she can analyze dreams, determine favorable dates for opening a business or moving, and even, to foretell the future. A yuta is recognized as such because from early age she had premonitions, visions and other psychic faculties. The role of a yuta is more private, since she provides her services to the families, who hire her to solve family affairs regarding the paranormal.
In the history of Japan, the role of both characters was censored, often due to the lack of understanding about their role. It ignored that it was part of the Okinawan folklore and for that, it wanted to disappear any trace of shamanism or animism; due to the plain reason that it was an indigenous religion (in the sense of “old-fashioned”, and not “autochthonous") and that there was no enough logic which can explain it.
The manifestations which we can consider as magic or unexplained of the shamanism (term used in the sense of communication with dead people), often, we the “nikkei-Okinawan” also practice them at home.
¿But, how? For many of us having a Buddhist altar or butsudan 仏壇, where we venerate the memory of our deceased relatives (in my case, I have two butsudan: one of my paternal family and the other one, of my maternal family); we ask the services of a yuta for, generally, consulting about the days of obon (when our deceased relatives come to visit us and; generally is in August) or how we should “look after” the butsudan (although we could say “manage” the butsudan).
In this way, we practice the shamanism without taking notice of it, by just having a butsudan at home; because we often ask the services of a yuta, who is the intermediary between the deceased people and their living relatives, to know when it will be the most favorable date to move the butsudan from place or when we should move, celebration of Buddhist mass, and other services; we call to a yuta.
But she do not only recommend us in the “maintenance” of the butsudan, but also she acts as a spiritual adviser. In this aspect, if we see unexplained things at home (could be, for example, a period of unexplained “bad luck” or just we are feeling that “something goes wrong”), also, we can hire their services; and thus, through different divinatory methods of clairvoyance, can explain what is going wrong, by either taking the pulse of the person, or reading the incense or senko, other more “westernized” divinatory methods (like the tarot).
Both in Okinawa as in Peru, the role of the yuta is considered as a duo “psychological-mystical”, because they solve the family affairs, which apparently do not have a reasonable solution but, it is rather due to something “paranormal” (for example, a family can have a familiar crisis without apparent reason and it is attributed that a deceased relative is angry or how a butsudan is being conducted, etc.). They give advises about controlling family situation, which can be solved by prayers at temples and also giving advises to the members of the family; performing not only like an intermediary between the world of the living people with that of the deceased, but also like a "therapist".
By contrast, in Okinawa, shamanism (I use this generic term) is widely practiced, which has contact mostly with dead people. There are two very important religious figures in the Okinawan “shamanism”: the kaminchu and the yuta.
The kaminchu means “divine beings” and they are priestess (Okinawa has a religious system mainly matriarchal), who were in charge of the religious rites of the town. The role of the kaminchu was inherited and generally it started at the mature age of the woman. The function of a kaminchu is more general, of providing religious services to the community.
The yuta is a woman with psychic powers, which allow her to communicate with the spirits of dead people, she can analyze dreams, determine favorable dates for opening a business or moving, and even, to foretell the future. A yuta is recognized as such because from early age she had premonitions, visions and other psychic faculties. The role of a yuta is more private, since she provides her services to the families, who hire her to solve family affairs regarding the paranormal.
In the history of Japan, the role of both characters was censored, often due to the lack of understanding about their role. It ignored that it was part of the Okinawan folklore and for that, it wanted to disappear any trace of shamanism or animism; due to the plain reason that it was an indigenous religion (in the sense of “old-fashioned”, and not “autochthonous") and that there was no enough logic which can explain it.
The manifestations which we can consider as magic or unexplained of the shamanism (term used in the sense of communication with dead people), often, we the “nikkei-Okinawan” also practice them at home.
¿But, how? For many of us having a Buddhist altar or butsudan 仏壇, where we venerate the memory of our deceased relatives (in my case, I have two butsudan: one of my paternal family and the other one, of my maternal family); we ask the services of a yuta for, generally, consulting about the days of obon (when our deceased relatives come to visit us and; generally is in August) or how we should “look after” the butsudan (although we could say “manage” the butsudan).
In this way, we practice the shamanism without taking notice of it, by just having a butsudan at home; because we often ask the services of a yuta, who is the intermediary between the deceased people and their living relatives, to know when it will be the most favorable date to move the butsudan from place or when we should move, celebration of Buddhist mass, and other services; we call to a yuta.
But she do not only recommend us in the “maintenance” of the butsudan, but also she acts as a spiritual adviser. In this aspect, if we see unexplained things at home (could be, for example, a period of unexplained “bad luck” or just we are feeling that “something goes wrong”), also, we can hire their services; and thus, through different divinatory methods of clairvoyance, can explain what is going wrong, by either taking the pulse of the person, or reading the incense or senko, other more “westernized” divinatory methods (like the tarot).
Both in Okinawa as in Peru, the role of the yuta is considered as a duo “psychological-mystical”, because they solve the family affairs, which apparently do not have a reasonable solution but, it is rather due to something “paranormal” (for example, a family can have a familiar crisis without apparent reason and it is attributed that a deceased relative is angry or how a butsudan is being conducted, etc.). They give advises about controlling family situation, which can be solved by prayers at temples and also giving advises to the members of the family; performing not only like an intermediary between the world of the living people with that of the deceased, but also like a "therapist".
 | EL VIDRIO Aunque el vidrio no ha sido una innovación de Okinawa, más bien, es algo relativamente nuevo que recién aparece en la época de postguerra, en donde los productos utilitarios y decorativos hechos en vidrio con la técnica propia de Okinawa, son muy hermosos y vistosos. THE GLASS Although glass has been an innovation from Okinawa, it is rather relative new, appearing during the postwar time, when the utilitarian and decorative products made of glass with the proper technique of Okinawa, they are very beautiful and bright. |
La técnica utilizada es la fusión de vidrios de diversos colores, y que se originó después de la segunda guerra mundial, cuando los insumos escaseaban, pero abundaban muchos artículos de vidrio usados por las bases americanas en Okinawa, como las botellas de vidrio. Ante la necesidad de materia prima, estos artículos de vidrio fueron reciclados en nuevos artículos y posteriormente, se convertieron en recuerdos para los turistas.
Los colores que más se utilizan son el rojo, el azul y el amarillo; y pueden observarse en vasos, jarrones, adornos, etc.
The technique used is the mixing of glass of several colors, and which appeared after the Second World War, when the material scarce, but glass products were very plentiful, which were used by the American bases in Okinawa, like the bottles of glass, beer. In view of the necessity of raw material, these glass articles were recycled into new ones and later, they turned into souvenirs for tourists.
The most used colors are red, blue and yellow; and they can be seen in glasses, vases, ornaments, etc.
The most used colors are red, blue and yellow; and they can be seen in glasses, vases, ornaments, etc.
FUENTES/SOURCES:
HONDA, Erumi
