In the Yaeyama Islands, autumn marks the start of events such as the Setsubun Festival, the Final Wish Festival, and the Seed-Gathering Festival, which mark the conclusion of agricultural rituals or the final settlement of wishes and the starting point of agricultural rituals. Some villages even hold these festivals in January of the following year, making it a season to give thanks to the gods for bountiful harvests and pray for a good harvest in the coming summer.
It has been passed down since ancient times and is held in each village and each remote island. After three difficult years of cancellations and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this autumn it will be held without restrictions for the first time in four years.
On October 9th, the Iriomote Island Festival, a national intangible folk cultural asset, was held in two villages, Sonai and Hinatachi, in the west of Iriomote Island. On the same day, the Kohama Island Kegan Festival, a national intangible folk cultural asset, was held on Kohama Island. This season, freed from the COVID-19 pandemic, coincided with the last day of the long weekend, and was blessed with fine weather, making it a fulfilling event.
At Kabone Utaki in the north of Kohama Island, the morning started with an entrance called Milk no Zamar from Kitamura. After the appearance of the taiko drum corps and lion, the Fukurokuju from Minamimura also appeared with a taiko drum corps and lion. After that, the Kitamura and Minamimura each offered a stick.
After these performances in the Ontake Garden were finished, a 6m square stage was set up in the garden and the dedication performances began, featuring a variety of spectacular performances at the closing ceremony.
Milk appeared on stage and showed off her beautiful figure to the people around her, then the entertainment started with Gozenfu. After Minamimura's Fukurokuju appeared, the entertainment was also performed with Akauma-bushi.
After this, a kyogen performance called "Hatsuban" from Kitamura is added, and the performance begins with a relaxed intonation in the unique Yaeyama dialect. The kyogen performance from Minamimura, Kagiyadekaze, is delivered in a different intonation in the dialect of Okinawa's main island, giving a sense of a certain historical mystery about the Kohamajima Island's final festival. Minamimura was established later, and the mystery is that the kyogen performances there are written in the dialect of Okinawa's main island.
After the opening piece, Kita to Minami, the program continued with a series of other spectacular pieces, including Bupiki, Kanzaku Kyogen, Kashikaki, Inamazun, Tenkanashi, and Happira, creating a buzz in the audience.
(Ryusugi group)
