田代大念仏剣舞

その昔、300年ほど前の飢饉で多くの餓死者が出たとき、宮古代官所の前で田代の人々が剣舞を舞って供養をしたことに始まると言われている。その後も盛んに踊られ、毎年盆の16日には今年一年の新仏の家をまわって死者を供養し、田代地区の永光寺と久昌寺で祖先の霊をなぐさめている。盆の門打ちでは、「施餓鬼拝み」と言って舞手が位牌に向かい、扇を水平に上下させながら「南無阿弥陀仏」と唱える。

The origin of this kembai is said to trace back to 300 years ago, when people in this area danced in front of Miyako magistrate office as a prayer for the victims of a great starvation. Having become a vital tradition, the dancers nowadays go around houses to pray for the recently departed, and to Eiko-ji temple and Kyusho-ji temple in Tashiro community to appease the souls of ancestors on 16th of August every year. When they visit a house, they hold a ritual called segaki ogami; they face to ihai (Buddhist mortuary tablet) and chant Buddhist sutra, waving the fan vertically. Since 1966, they also give classes to children at Kigaku Elementary School to maintain the tradition.

【Movie】
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96iJ3jH99xc