Local residents enthusiastically celebrate traditional Great Tug-of-War of Henoko

Local residents enthusiastically celebrate traditional Great Tug-of-War of Henoko

The traditional Great Tug-of-War of Henoko takes place once every three years. At around 8:40 p.m. on August 19, Henoko residents split into East and West teams and compete in a tug-of-war in Henoko, Nago City. (Photograph provided by Naoya Oshiro)


August 20, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

On August 19 the traditional Great Tug-of-War of Henoko was held at the Henoko Ground.

The community split into East and West teams for tug-of-war, and the West team won with one victory and one draw.

This event, where Henoko Ward reseidents come together to compete, takes place once every three years.

 

Starting at 5:00 p.m. the two sides paraded their team captains, and local children carried portable shrines, chanting “Wasshoi, wasshoi.”During a Henoko youth group’s Eisa performance, loud drum sounds cut through the area, and the youth danced with energy and vigor.

There was also a powerful demonstration of Bojutsu (martial arts with a stick) on the stage.

Young people carrying torches made a circle and bustled about the place chanting, “Tei, bii, gaa, ehh.” Ward residents and American soldiers rushed into the circle waving things like handkerchiefs at the falling sparks and yelling, “Saa, saa, saa.”

Amongst the reverberating sounds of conch shells, drums, gongs, and more, the male and female sides of the rope were attached by inserting the kanuchi stick.

With a signal from the stage, the tug-of-war commenced.

The first match resulted in an overwhelming victory for the West.

In the second match the rope was pulled both to the West and the East, but resulted in a draw.

Ward leader and head of the tug-of-war action committee Munekatsu Kayo said: “We will take seriously handing down to future generations the traditional culture that has been handed down to us.

Let’s deepen the bonds between us as ward residents.”

 

(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)

 

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