Fusamara

On Hateruma Island in the Yaeyama Islands, every year on the Obon Festival in the seventh month of the lunar calendar, people hold a sacrificial ceremony called "Msama". The unique visiting god "Fushamara" from the South will come to participate in the disguise parade. "Fusha" means grass, and "Mala" means rare visitor. In short, Fushamala is the relative of visiting gods such as "life stripping" and "cocoon stripping monster" in the northeast.

All local primary and middle school students dressed as Fushamara, they wear homemade masks, hold mountain palms, and are covered with vines.

Fushamala was originally the god of praying for rain and appeared in the ceremony of praying for rain. Summer in the Ryukyu Islands is dry and less rainy, as is Hateruma Island. Therefore, praying for rain is a very important sacrificial ceremony.

On Iriomote Island in the Yaeyama Islands, people set the water-related Ren (brother of water) and Ku (brother of water) day as the second day of harvest festival in the sixth month of the lunar calendar. Summoning Akama and Kuramata will be held. The ceremony of two gods. These two gods are the patron saints who bless the harvest of rice, and they are also known as "Fusamala". It is said that Fushamara is just another name that emphasizes his identity as a water god.

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