Similarities Hawaiian Religion V.S. Shintonism with Animism + Buddhism : Similarities Hawaiian Religion V.S. Shintonism with Animism + Buddhism
Yuiko Miyazaki
Introduction: Introduction Purpose for this project:
To find similarities between Hawaiian religion & major Japanese religion.
Japanese religion mixes with Shintonism, Animism, and Buddhism.
Compare two different regional religion from seven different points
Polytheistic: Polytheistic Hawaiian Religion
Believing in more that 40,000 Gods.
5 main Gods
Kane…Sunlight, fresh water, natural life
Ku… Peace, fertility, clouds, winds, rain, & seas
Kanaloa…Ocean depths
Pele…Fire, volcano
Guardian god
The spirits protecting family (ex.) sharks, owl, rocks etc.
Believing that God resides in those objects
Polytheistic (Cont.): Polytheistic (Cont.) Shintonism with Animism + Buddhism
Believing in more that 8 million kami
Considering almost anything has a spirit
(ex.) stones, trees, wind, rain, & even words.
Words have spirit?
I was told not to use bad words because bad words create bad words of spirit, “kotodama.”
Then, they do bad things to me.
Polytheistic (Cont.): Polytheistic (Cont.) Gods reside in a grain of rice?
Major Kami
Amaterasu…the sun goddess
Tsukuyomi…the moon god
Inari… the god of rice & fertility
I was told not to leave even a grain of rice in my rice bowl because 7 Gods live in each grain of rice.
If I don’t eat and waist it, there will be much unfortunate in my life.
Polytheistic (Cont.): Polytheistic (Cont.) Susanoo…the god of storms
Sarutahiko…kami of earth
Fujin…the god of the wind
Seven lucky Gods
Believing that they bring many fortune to us.
Putting a picture of these Gods to make good things happen to us
Polytheistic (Cont.): Polytheistic (Cont.) Daikokuten…God of harvest & good fortune
Ebisu… God of harvest & fortune for family businesses
Bishamonten…God of plenty & courage
Benzaiten…Goddess of wisdom
Fukurokuju…God of longevity & fulfillment
Jurohjin…God of harmony at home & lngevity
Hotei…God of peace & luck
Harmony: Harmony Hawaiian Religion
Mana
--God’s force, Supernatural power
-- This force exists in trees, wind, rocks etc.
--This force controls human and nature
Pono
--Meaning universal harmony;
seeking for harmony between every
creature and the entity
--Meaning the proper balance
among the gods, the land,
and the people.
Harmony (Cont.): Harmony (Cont.) --Disruption of Pono
Resulting in tsunami, wars, eruption of volcano, etc.
--Personification…Gods are angry,
so natural disaster such
as above occurs.
--Human beings are
just a part of nature.
Harmony (Cont.): Harmony (Cont.) Shintonism with Animism + Buddhism
Kami (Similar to Mana in Hawaiian Religion)
--This force controls nature
--Nature’s sudden changes is explained by Kami
--This force is more like other power than inner power
--Nature is something humans can’t control.
--Necessary to keep good relationship with nature, Kami
--If fail, offerings are given to Kami to make it calm down.
Festivals: Festivals Hawaiian Religion
During November for about 1 month
Playing games
Accompanied with music
Aim to make lands take a rest & thank to the Gods
Festivals (Masturi): Festivals (Masturi) Shintonism with Animism + Buddhism
During the time of coming the farming season, harvest and local historical events
Holding over several days (3 to 4 days average)
Shrine’s Kami is carried through the town in mikoshi (palanquins).
Accompanied by drum, music and decorated floats.
Aim to celebrate good harvest & thank to the Gods
Festivals (Masturi): Festivals (Masturi) Festival Floats Mikoshi
Use of Natural Objects for Purification: Use of Natural Objects for Purification Hawaiian Religion
Ti leave
Wrapping offering in order to
keep the evil spirits away
Salt
Mixing with sea salt & fresh water for rituals of cleasing
Ti Leave
Use of Natural Objects for Purification (Cont.): Use of Natural Objects for Purification (Cont.) Shintonism with Animism + Buddhism
Salt
Used by purification
Water
At the entrance of shrines, the purification fountain is placed.
Rinsing your hands and mouth
Purification Fountain
Offerings: Offerings Hawaiian Religion
Depending on what a person wishes
(ex.) Good harvest rice
Good fishing fish
For rain & agricultural fertility
(ex.) pigs, vegetables, and tapa (bark cloth)
to the God, Lono
Offerings are important to make their wishes come true & to maintain good relationships with nature.
Offerings (Cont.): Offerings (Cont.) Shintonism with Animism + Buddhism
Throwing a coin ( any amount)
Into the offering box at shrines
Offering food called “shinsen” meaning fresh
Rice, rice wine, water, & salt
Offering leaves and flowers
This is important to make their wishes come true & maintain good relationship with nature.
Offering Box
Places for worship: Places for worship Hawaiian Religion
Heiau (Temples)
--Place for offering
--Size varies; single houses
surrounded by a wooden fence
to the massive open-air temples
with teraces & large stone platforms
--There is separated heiau for agriculture one and war one.
Built with natural objects & adjust in nature Heiau
Place of Worship (Cont.): Place of Worship (Cont.) Shintonism with Animism + Buddhism
Shrines/Tempes
--Public Shrines are made in wood.
--Private ones are usually places at home.
Called “kamidana” meaning kami shelf
Offering fresh food (ex. Rice, water etc)
My grandpa offers rice every morning at kamidana before we eat rice. The point is that the first rice should be offered. After we touch or eat rice, that rice is no longer appropriate for offering. Kamidana
Place for Worship (Cont.): Place for Worship (Cont.) Casual Shinto Shrine Formal Shinto Shrine Built with natural objects & adjust in nature
Theology: Theology Hawaiian Religion
Traditional gods are in rocks, trees, etc. so we are able to talk to them.
Not premised on original sin
No need a savior like Christianity
No concept of burden of guilt & life time seeking atonement
Believing in the existence of evil spirits and want to keep away from them by purification
Humans are good and having an idea of spirit
Theology (Cont.): Theology (Cont.) Shintonism with Animism + Buddhism
No absolute right & wrong
Optimistic faith
Humans are thought to be fundamentally good
Evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits
The purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers & offerings to the Kami.
No concept of sin in Humans & having an idea of spirit
Conclusion: Conclusion Similarities in Hawaiian Religion & Shintonism with Animism + Buddhism
Polytheistic
Harmony
Importance of relationship with nature (=supernatural force & Gods)
Festivals
To thank to Gods for benefits people gain
Use of Natural Objects for Purification
Leaves, salt and water (natural objects) are used.
Conclusion (Cont.): Conclusion (Cont.) Offerings
To make people’s wishes come true & maintain good relationship with nature (=supernatural force & Gods)
Places for Worship
Build with natural objects, such as wood & try to make them adjust in nature
Theology
No concept of sin in Humans & focusing of ideas of spirits
Conclusion (Cont.): Conclusion (Cont.) Because of major seven similarities, Hawaiian religion and Shintonim with Animist and Buddhism in Japan share common characters.
Even though there are some differences between two religions, both of them especially emphasize the relationship between nature and humans. Nature is a big frame, and humans just reside inside that. Thus, both religions can’t strength their spirits without thinking of interconnection with nature.
Because of this idea, if humans considered more importance of communication and harmony with nature, we could avoid many of the global environmental problems we confront today.
Works Cited: Works Cited Ahu'ena Heiau. (2006). HawaiianWeb. Retrieved Nov 11, 2007 from http://www.hawaiiweb.com/hawaii/html/sites/ahuena_heiau.html
Ancient Hawaiian Gods. (2003). Retrieved Oct 28, 2007 from http://hawaiiandance.com/gods.htm
Goulart, Catherine. (2007). What Hawaii Travel Guides Don’t Tell You. Retrieved Nov 1, 2007 from http://www.helium.com/tm/238827/aikapu-ancient-hawaiian-religionaikapu
Hi-Chi-Fu-Ku-Jin. Retrieved Nov 11, 2007 from http://www.page.sannet.ne.jp/hifu/ENG.html
Works Cited (Cont.): Works Cited (Cont.) (Kepalo, Personal Communication, Sep 24, 2007).
(Pang, Benton Kealii, Personal Communication, Nov 1, 2007).
(Personal Communication, Oct 2, 2007).
Religion in Japan. (2007). Japan-guide.com. Retrieved Oct 28, 2007 from http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e629.html
Religious Concept. (2004). LiveJournal. Retrieved Nov 1, 2007 from http://momentbymoment.livejournal.com/1310.html
Works Cited (Cont.): Works Cited (Cont.) Visiting a Shrine or Temple. (2007). Japan Roads. Retrieved Nov 11, 2007 from http://www.japanroads.com/traveltips/shrines_temples.htm
(Wendt, Mahealani, personal communication, Oct 3, 2007).