Japan Folklore: Miko
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Miko (巫女)
“Vergini del tempio”
Photo credits: pinterest.com
Abbiamo visto questa figura in diversi anime: Rei Hino aka la coraggiosa Sailor Mars di Bishōjo senshi Sērā Mūn, la misteriosa Kikyō di Inuyasha, oppure le simpatiche gemelle Hiiragi di Lucky Star.
Tutti questi personaggi avevano in comune la stessa occupazione: erano miko, quelle fanciulle che si prestano a tuttofare nei templi Shintoisti gestendo varie funzioni. Troviamo quindi le miko impegnate ad aiutare il sacerdote nelle sue funzioni, a tenere pulito il tempio e a raccogliere le offerte dei fedeli.
Definire questa figura secondo canoni occidentali è molto difficile. Le miko non sono assimilabili alle suore Cristiane, né sono dei veri e proprio Sacerdoti, benché nello Shintoismo è possibile che tale funzione sia ricoperta anche da una donna. Sono più simili forse agli oracoli dell’antica Grecia, o a delle sciamane, dato che nell’antichità a loro era data la possibilità di comunicare con i kami, divinità Shintoiste. Entrando in trance, esse potevano intercedere presso gli dei per poi comunicare il loro volere agli uomini. Le loro doti divinatorie e la loro capacità di comunicare con il mondo degli spiriti erano riconosciute come volere Divino.
Le origini
Photo credits: dannychoo.com
La loro origine risale al periodo Jōmon, la Preistoria Giapponese, che va da circa il 10000 a.C. al 300 a.C. Una delle menzioni più antiche e storicamente accertate di qualcosa si simile alla parola miko si ritrova nel nome della regina sciamana Himiko (175 circa – 248). Ella era la regnante dello Yamatai, il più potente tra i regni in cui era suddiviso il Giappone arcaico. Non sappiamo però se Himiko fosse una miko o meno.
La parola ‘miko’ è composta dai kanji 巫 (“shamano, vergine non sposata”), e 女 (“donna”), e generalmente viene tradotto come ‘vergine del tempio’. Anticamente era scritto come 神子 “Bambino di dio” o “Bambino divino”.
La forte connessione con le divinità era data anche dal fatto che le miko ballavano il Kagura (神楽), letteralmente “Intrattenimento per gli dei o musica degli dei”. Questa è un’antica danza sacra Shintoista che affonda le sue radici folklore giapponese legandosi alla dea dell’alba Ama-no-Uzume. Si dice infatti che la dea con questa danza riuscì a convincere Amaterasu, la dea del sole, ad uscire dalla caverna in cui si era rifugiata dopo aver litigato con il fratello Susanoo, il dio della tempesta.
La danza kagura veniva spesso presentata anche presso la corte imperiale da quelle miko che di fatto erano viste come le discendenti della dea Ama-no-Uzume.
Nell’antichità, le miko erano erano figure sociali essenziali, ed era questo un ruolo che prevedeva grossi impegni e responsabilità. La loro discendenza e connessione con il divino le identificava come messaggere del volere del kami, ma non solo. Le poneva infatti anche nella posizione di influenzare la vita sociale e politica, e di fatto quindi le sorti del villaggio presso cui prestavano servizio.
Attraversarono però una notevole crisi a partire soprattutto dal periodo Kamakura (1118-1333). Si cominciò infatti a porre un freno alle loro pratiche sciamaniche e le miko, senza più fondi, furono costrette a mendicare. Alcune scivolarono tristemente verso la prostituzione.
Dopo un periodo di grandi trasformazioni in epoca Edo, nel 1873, per volere del “Dipartimento degli Affari Religiosi” (教部), fu emanato un editto chiamato Miko Kindanrei (巫女禁断令). Esso proibiva ogni pratica spirituale alle giovani miko.
Come si diventava miko?
Photo credits: thirteensatlas.wordpress.com
Il percorso per diventare miko era lungo e difficile. Scelta dal clan in base alla propria forza spirituale o per discendenza diretta da una sciamana, la fanciulla iniziava la sua preparazione in giovane età, in genere con il primo mestruo. Ci volevano dai tre ai sette anni di per diventare una vera miko.
Le ragazze erano solite lavarsi in acque gelide, praticare l’astinenza, e compiere altri riti come atti di purificazione. Il tutto era volto a imparare a controllare il suo stato di trance.
Imparavano una lingua segreta che solo loro e gli altri sciamani conoscevano, e dovevano conoscere il nome di ogni kami rilevante per il loro villaggio. Imparavano anche l’arte divinatoria della chiaroveggenza e le danze per poter entrare in stato di trance e parlare con le divinità.
Al completamento di questo percorso si svolgeva una cerimonia che simbolicamente rappresentava il matrimonio tra la miko e il kami che avrebbe servito. Vestita con un abito bianco che ne rappresentava la vita precedente, la fanciulla entrava in uno stato di trance e le veniva chiesto quale kami avrebbe servito. Dopo di che, le veniva tirato un dolcetto di riso sul viso provocandone lo svenimento. Veniva poi adagiata in un letto caldo fino al suo risveglio, quando avrebbe vestito un kimono colorato per indicare l’avvenuto matrimonio tra lei e la divinità.
In virtù di questo legame con la divinità le giovani dovevano restare vergini. Ci sono state però miko con una particolare forza spirituale che hanno potuto continuare il servizio anche dopo il loro matrimonio.
Le miko oggi
Photo credits: muza-chan.net
Oggigiorno la figura della miko esiste ancora ma sono per lo più giovani ragazze universitarie che lavorano part-time presso il tempio. Assistono il kannushi o ‘uomo di dio’ nelle varie funzioni e riti del tempio, compiono danze cerimoniali, tengono pulito il tempio e vendono omikuji, fogli di carta cui è scritto una predizione divina. In genere non hanno bisogno di una preparazione specifica e non devono essere necessariamente vergini, anche se è ancora richiesto che siano non sposate. La danza kagura è divenuta una semplice danza cerimoniale e non più un mezzo per entrare in contatto con l’entità divina.
Il loro abito tradizionale e composto nella parte superiore da un haori bianco che ne rappresenta la purezza, e nella parte inferiore da un hakama, “pantalone” rosso fuoco. Rossi o bianchi sono anche i nastri che ne legano i capelli.
Durante le cerimonie usano campanelli, rametti di sakaki, o intonano preghiere suonando un tamburo. Tra gli altri oggetti rituali è presente anche lo azusa-yumi, un arco che veniva usato per cacciare via gli spiriti maligni. In passato usavano anche specchi per richiamare il kami o delle kataka.
Magari le miko hanno perso la loro connessione divina, ma non la tradizione millenaria che le lega alla cura del tempio, restando una delle figure femminili più famose del Giappone ancora ai giorni nostri.
Photo credits: pinterest.com
[:en]
Miko (巫女)
“The Shrine Maiden”
Photo credits: pinterest.com
We have seen them in many different anime: Rei Hino, the brave Sailor Mars from Bishōjo senshi Sērā Mūn, the mysterious Kikyō from Inuyasha, or the cheerful Hiiragi twins from Lucky Star.
All these characters shared the same occupation: they were miko, girls that serve as helpers in Shinto temples managing various functions. In fact, we find miko committed to helping the priest in his functions, they keep the temple clean and collect the offerings of worshippers.
Defining this figure by Western standards in very difficult. Miko are not comparable to Christian nun, nor are they actual Priests, even though in Shinto women are allowed to become priests. They are more similar to the oracles of ancient Greece, or to shamans, as in ancient times they were gifted with the possibility to talk with the kami, Shinto deities. By entering a state of trance, they could intercede with the gods and then communicate their will to the humans. These divinatory gifts and their ability to communicate with the world of the spirits were recognized as Divine will.
The origins
Photo credits: dannychoo.com
Their origin dates back to the Jōmon period, the Japanese Prehistory, which goes from around 10,000 BC. up to 300 AD. One of the earliest record of anything resembling the word ‘miko’ can be found in the name of the Shaman queen Himiko (c. 175 – 248). She was the ruler of the Yamatai, the most powerful among the kingdoms in which archaic Japan was divided. But we do not know if Himiko was a miko or not.
The word ‘miko’ is made of the kanji 巫 “shaman, unmarried virgin”, and 女 “woman”, and it is generally translated as ‘Shrine maiden’. An archaic form of the word is 神子 “Divine child”.
Their strong connection with the deities is also testified by the fact that miko danced the kagura (神楽), literaly “god-entertainment” or “music for the gods”. This is an ancient Shinto dance rooted in Japanese folklore that links to the goddess of dawn, Ama-no-Uzume. It is said that with this dance the goddess managed to convince Amaterasu, the goddess of sun, to leave the cave where she was hiding after quarreling with her brother Susanoo, the god of the storm.
The kagura dance was often presented at the imperial court by those miko who were in fact seen as the descendants of Ama-no-Uzume.
In ancient times, miko were considered essential social figures, and this role meant great commitment and responsibility. Their divine bond identified them as messengers of the will of the kami, but not only this. It also placed them in the position to influence the social and political life, and therefore the fate of the village where they served.
However, they underwent a considerable crisis starting mainly from the Kamakura period (1118-1333). In fact, there were attempts to try to take hold of their shamanic practices, and miko, without anymore funds, were forced into a state of mendicancy. Some of them sadly fell into prostitution.
After a period of great transformations during the Edo period, in 1873, the Religious Affairs Department (教部) issued an edict called Miko Kindanrei (巫女禁断令). It prohibited all spiritual practices of young miko.
How to become a miko
Photo credits: thirteensatlas.wordpress.com
The path to become miko was long and difficult. Chosen by the clan on the basis of her spiritual strength, or because she wa a direct descent of a shaman, the girl began her preparation at a young age, usually with the first menstruation. It took three to seven years to become a full-fledged miko.
The girls would wash in cold water, practice abstinence, and perform other purification acts. Everything was aimed at learning how to control their state of trance.
They learned a secret language only known to shamans, and they also needed to learn the names of all the kami relevant to their village. They also learned the divinatory art of fortune-telling and the dances they needed to perform in order to enter the state of trance necessary to talk with the deity.
At the completion of this training there was a ceremony that symbolized the marriage between the miko and the kami she would serve. Dressed in a white robe that represented her previous life, the girl entered a state of trance and was asked which kami would she serve. After that, a rice cake was thrown at her face causing her to faint and she was laid down in a warm bed until she woke up. Then, she would wear a colorful kimono symbolizing her marriage with the deity .
Due to this bond with the deity, young girls had to remain virgin. Still, there were cases of miko with a particularly strong spiritual power that continued their service even after marriage.
Miko today
Photo credits: muza-chan.net
Nowadays the figure of miko still exists but they are mostly young university girls who work part-time at the temple. They assist the kannushi or ‘man of god’ in the various functions and rites of the temple, perform ceremonial dances, keep the temple clean and sell omikuji, sheets of paper on which is written a divine prediction. They generally do not need any specific preparation and do not necessarily need to be virgins, though they are still required to be unmarried. The kagura dance has become a mere ceremonial dance and it is no longer a way of coming into contact with the divine entity.
Their traditional outfit consists of a white haori representing their pureness, for the upper part of the body, and a pair of red hakama. Red or white are the ribbons in their hair.
During the ceremonies they use bells, sakaki branches, or offer prayers playing a drum. Among other ritual objects there is also the azusa-yumi, a bow that was once used to ward off evil spirits. In the past they also used mirrors to attract the kami and katana.
Maybe miko have lost their divine bond, but they still retain the millenary tradition of taking care of the temple, remaining one the most famous figures of modern Japan.
Photo credits: pinterest.com
[:ja]
Miko (巫女)
“The Shrine Maiden”
Photo credits: pinterest.com
We have seen them in many different anime: Rei Hino, the brave Sailor Mars from Bishōjo senshi Sērā Mūn, the mysterious Kikyō from Inuyasha, or the cheerful Hiiragi twins from Lucky Star.
All these characters shared the same occupation: they were miko, girls that serve as helpers in Shinto temples managing various functions. In fact, we find miko committed to helping the priest in his functions, they keep the temple clean and collect the offerings of worshippers.
Defining this figure by Western standards in very difficult. Miko are not comparable to Christian nun, nor are they actual Priests, even though in Shinto women are allowed to become priests. They are more similar to the oracles of ancient Greece, or to shamans, as in ancient times they were gifted with the possibility to talk with the kami, Shinto deities. By entering a state of trance, they could intercede with the gods and then communicate their will to the humans. These divinatory gifts and their ability to communicate with the world of the spirits were recognized as Divine will.
The origins
Photo credits: dannychoo.com
Their origin dates back to the Jōmon period, the Japanese Prehistory, which goes from around 10,000 BC. up to 300 AD. One of the earliest record of anything resembling the word ‘miko’ can be found in the name of the Shaman queen Himiko (c. 175 – 248). She was the ruler of the Yamatai, the most powerful among the kingdoms in which archaic Japan was divided. But we do not know if Himiko was a miko or not.
The word ‘miko’ is made of the kanji 巫 “shaman, unmarried virgin”, and 女 “woman”, and it is generally translated as ‘Shrine maiden’. An archaic form of the word is 神子 “Divine child”.
Their strong connection with the deities is also testified by the fact that miko danced the kagura (神楽), literaly “god-entertainment” or “music for the gods”. This is an ancient Shinto dance rooted in Japanese folklore that links to the goddess of dawn, Ama-no-Uzume. It is said that with this dance the goddess managed to convince Amaterasu, the goddess of sun, to leave the cave where she was hiding after quarreling with her brother Susanoo, the god of the storm.
The kagura dance was often presented at the imperial court by those miko who were in fact seen as the descendants of Ama-no-Uzume.
In ancient times, miko were considered essential social figures, and this role meant great commitment and responsibility. Their divine bond identified them as messengers of the will of the kami, but not only this. It also placed them in the position to influence the social and political life, and therefore the fate of the village where they served.
However, they underwent a considerable crisis starting mainly from the Kamakura period (1118-1333). In fact, there were attempts to try to take hold of their shamanic practices, and miko, without anymore funds, were forced into a state of mendicancy. Some of them sadly fell into prostitution.
After a period of great transformations during the Edo period, in 1873, the Religious Affairs Department (教部) issued an edict called Miko Kindanrei (巫女禁断令). It prohibited all spiritual practices of young miko.
How to become a miko
Photo credits: thirteensatlas.wordpress.com
The path to become miko was long and difficult. Chosen by the clan on the basis of her spiritual strength, or because she wa a direct descent of a shaman, the girl began her preparation at a young age, usually with the first menstruation. It took three to seven years to become a full-fledged miko.
The girls would wash in cold water, practice abstinence, and perform other purification acts. Everything was aimed at learning how to control their state of trance.
They learned a secret language only known to shamans, and they also needed to learn the names of all the kami relevant to their village. They also learned the divinatory art of fortune-telling and the dances they needed to perform in order to enter the state of trance necessary to talk with the deity.
At the completion of this training there was a ceremony that symbolized the marriage between the miko and the kami she would serve. Dressed in a white robe that represented her previous life, the girl entered a state of trance and was asked which kami would she serve. After that, a rice cake was thrown at her face causing her to faint and she was laid down in a warm bed until she woke up. Then, she would wear a colorful kimono symbolizing her marriage with the deity .
Due to this bond with the deity, young girls had to remain virgin. Still, there were cases of miko with a particularly strong spiritual power that continued their service even after marriage.
Miko today
Photo credits: muza-chan.net
Nowadays the figure of miko still exists but they are mostly young university girls who work part-time at the temple. They assist the kannushi or ‘man of god’ in the various functions and rites of the temple, perform ceremonial dances, keep the temple clean and sell omikuji, sheets of paper on which is written a divine prediction. They generally do not need any specific preparation and do not necessarily need to be virgins, though they are still required to be unmarried. The kagura dance has become a mere ceremonial dance and it is no longer a way of coming into contact with the divine entity.
Their traditional outfit consists of a white haori representing their pureness, for the upper part of the body, and a pair of red hakama. Red or white are the ribbons in their hair.
During the ceremonies they use bells, sakaki branches, or offer prayers playing a drum. Among other ritual objects there is also the azusa-yumi, a bow that was once used to ward off evil spirits. In the past they also used mirrors to attract the kami and katana.
Maybe miko have lost their divine bond, but they still retain the millenary tradition of taking care of the temple, remaining one the most famous figures of modern Japan.
Photo credits: pinterest.com
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