沖永良部島民のアイデンティティと芸能

――エイサーの象徴的意味――

抄録

  In this paper, I explore the identity of Okinoerabu islanders from the aspect of performing arts, focusing on the ‘eisa’ dance. The people of Okinoerabu matter-of-factly regard themselves as residents of Kagoshima Prefecture, and are conscious that they differ culturally from those of residents of the neighboring administrative district of Okinawa. Nevertheless, they have throughout history received cultural influence from Okinawa and have empathy to the culture of Okinawa.

  Okinawan culture, more specifically the performing arts, have exerted influence on Okinoerabu, particularly after Okinoerabu came under the control of the Satsuma clan in the seventeenth century. At the end of the Edo Period (mid-nineteenth century), while still under Satsuma rule, every village of Okinoerabu was obliged to perform dances to express appreciation for the services of clan officials. Dancing masters from Okinawa were invited to instruct Okinoerabu dancers. By the middle of the Meiji Era (early twentieth century), the Okinawa Shibai, a commercial theatrical company performing court dances of the former Ryukyu Kingdom, frequently visited Okinoerabu and had considerable influence on the performing arts there. After the Second World War, persons wishing the master that dance form began to go to and train on the island of Okinawa.

  Another performing art, the ‘eisa’, was introduced into Okinoerabu in 1993 and soon became a popular performance, as well as being established as a new form of folk entertainment. Although Okinoerabu had in the past been influenced by Okinawa entertainment, the ‘eisa’ was embraced as a truly new form of entertainment. The ‘eisa’ dance accompanied by dramatic drumming, soon came to be accepted as a performing art sharing in common elements of existing performing arts. As such the ‘eisa’ became a familiar performance in Okinoerabu.

  Elements shared with existing Okinoerabu performing arts include melody, rhythm, musical scale, as well as a performance type. The ‘eisa’ is also a Buddhist invocation dance. All of these elements made the ‘eisa’ a welcome part of Okinoerabu performing arts and it spread quickly throughout the island. In fact, the people of Okinoerabu now consider ‘eisa’ to be a local tradition.

  In this way, the people of Okinoerabu feel empathy to the performing arts of Okinawa, while not being a part of Okinawa politics and prefectural administration. In other words, the people of Okinoerabu since 1993 welcomed the ‘eisa’ as one aspect of their identity expressed in the performing arts, and as such is a vehicle to derive part of their identity from Okinawa.