Divine Marriage and Possession : The Origin of the Tales of Hybridism(<Special Issue>Language and Shamanism)

Abstract

There are many tales about divine marriage in Kiki and Fudoki. They are usually narrated by possessed mediums who were supposed to be gods' wives in ancient society. There are two types of possession which can be classified as "regular" and "irregular." The tone of each tale thus depends on whether the medium is in "regular" or "irregular" possession. In the latter, the medium usually experiences an extremely awe-inspiring moment. Perhaps the tales of hybridization between gods and human beings, which reflect ancient people's fear of divine power, come from such "irregular" supernatural experiences.