Читать книгу Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters онлайн

31 страница из 66

A HEROIC EPISODE

During the Kingdom period, the ayajou-uugina (tug of war) was always a spectacular event in the old castle town of Shuri. Supported by the people of Mitara district, and authorized by the sanshikan (top three ministers in office), the tug of war was an event held primarily for Okinawa’s kemochi. The rope used in Naha had a diameter of three shaku and each side measured thirty ken (54.54 meters) in length, for an overall length of sixty ken (109.08 meters). The rope used in Shuri was twice the size of that used in Naha, and measured a magnificent 120 ken (218.18 meters) in length.

An event not taken lightly, the tug of war was a contest governed by strict rules. According to Naha City Magazine, the tug of war committee consisted of a buuhai (head of tug of war), chinahoo (maker of the rope), teehoo (maker of the lanterns), shitaakuhoo (maker of the costumes), chinkuhoo (conductor of the music), kanichihoo (maker of the wooden bo), suneehoo (chief of the parade guards), and hatahoo (maker and coach of the flags).