초록 열기/닫기 버튼

일본 가고시마현 세토우치지역 유이마을의 음력 8월 15일 풍년제에 나오는 줄자르기의 성격에 대해 고찰했다. 쯔나키리(綱切り)는 신성한줄 자르기다. 큰뱀자르기라는 맥락에서는 한 세계의 죽임이요 또 한 세계의 창조다. 세 번에 걸쳐 낫으로 자르는 행위는 시작 기점을 완성하는 의미로 독해할 수 있다. 하쯔도효(初土俵) 또한 당 해에 태어난 신생아를 도효에 첫발을 내딛게 한다는 맥락에서 시작, 출발이라는 의미를 지닌다. 간농사마노 도효미마와리(観音翁の 土俵見回り)는 관음불의 巡視다. 가토돈(ガットどん)은 맹인이 강을 건너면서 복통을 일으켜 배변을 한다는 무언극이다. 강을 건넌다는 것도 이런 맥락에서 경계를 넘는 행위로 보이며 복통은 산통을, 배변은 출산을 뜻한다. 유이 풍년제는 겉으로는 한 해의 농사풍년에 대해 신에게 감사드리는 ‘추수감사제’의 성격을 지녔다. 이면에는 달과 풍요, 여성, 출생, 뱀, 재생 등의 의미를 담고 있다. 한국의 대보름, 추석 의례와 같다. 그 모티프는 탯줄자르기에서 비롯되었다. 이것은 시작의례(Tape cutting on opening ceremony or opening ritual)에 해당된다. 본고의 의의는 세 가지다. 첫째, 총의로서의 ‘줄다리기’에서 ‘줄자르기’로 논의를 확대했다. 둘째, 신성한 줄자르기가 탯줄자르기 모티프에서 출발한 것임을 확인하였다. 셋째, 오늘날까지 광범위하게 진행되는 오프닝 세러모니의 ‘테이프 커팅’이라는 의미를 민속학적 측면에서 연구할 단서를 마련했다.


Yui Village is a part of SeotoUchi area(瀬戸内町) in AmamiOshima(奄美大島), Japan. There is a special festival held every year on the 15th of August in the lunar calendar called Yui Harvest Festival. It is a divine and sacred ritual of cutting the straw rope. The straw was taken from the harvest on that season. It is known as Tsunakiri(綱切り). This long straw line is compared to a huge snake. The ritual is performed by two groups play the straw on each end as in a tug of war, and a man wearing a Lion's mask holding a sickle will cut through the straw. When the straw has been cut, the two groups of men from the east and west sides of the village, previously holding the straw will tie it again. This ritual is done three times which signifies the beginning of the harvest festival. In this festival several rituals are performed which includes the followng. Another ritual follows called Hatsu Dohyo(初土俵). In this ritual, when a newborn baby steps on the ground for the first time, the Dohyo ritual begins. It is almost similar to Sumo wrestling. It is some kind of a sport. KannonSamano Tohyomimawari(観音翁の 土俵見回り), a certain group of people watching and observing the rituals. Kanon(観音) is a one of the Buddha. There is a pantomime performed called Gato Don(ガットどん). It is a story about a blind man crossing the river. As he was doing so, he had sudden abdominal pain and was not able to control his bowel. This play signifies three meanings. First, crossing of the river means leaving the old world for the new world. The stomach -ache represents the labor pains of a woman giving birth. And the bowel, the birth of a child. The whole festival, in my analysis, has two meanings. First is the surface (superficial) which signifies the harvest. Last one has a deeper meaning which includes the moon, woman, birth, snakes, and reincarnation. This is a symbolism of life. The cutting of the straw in the ritual signifies the birth of life just like in the cutting of the ribbon in a ceremony where a new company starts or begins its operation. The significance of this paper holds true on the following debate: First, "the tug of war" to cutting of the rope; Second, rope is compared to the umbilical cord; Third is the opening ceremony which has a broader meaning in Folklore study. A hint was suggested in this ritual. I believe that a further study should be taken.