Kult Awashimy i jego zawiązki z kobiecą cielesnością
The cult of Awashima and its connections with female corporeality

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this article is to discuss certain ritual activities and beliefs related to Awashima (Awashima shinkō) with special reference to those involving the female body. It provides the historical background of Awashima based on historical and religious sources, supplemented by some literary examples. This article shows, that the origin legend of Awashima was transmitted by twofold mediums: the official one, promoted by the Awashima Shirine (Awashima Jinja) by means of booklets (such as Kada Awashima Jinja engi, Kada Awashima Jinja ryakuryaku engi), and the folk one (such as Chirizuka monogatari, Kokkei zōdan, Zoku Asuka-gawa), promoted orally by Awashima gannin (questors of Awashima). Both strains of the tradition emphasize women’s matters, such as their reproductive health, maternity, and marriage as areas in which the Awashima deities specialize. Following the analysis, the annual ritual of floating dolls (hina nagashi) on 3 March is presented as a contemporary manifestation of Awashima-related beliefs that only formally bear some similarities to purification rituals. The overall discussion is intended to shed light on a little known aspect of hina matsuri, the meaning of which exceeds that of a Girls’ Festival.

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