I have been fortunate to have lived in Okinawa for several years. Thus, I have become aware of an exciting mud festival in Miyako Island called Paantu. I have also read about similar festivals located within the Asia Pacific and desired to explore them a bit more. I find this to be a fascinating topic. And, while I can't yet put my finger on it, I decided to go ahead and start with the four events or practices that immediately came to mind.
This blog post is intended to be an introduction to similar cultural practices. However, it is in no way intended to be all-inclusive. Without further ado, let's get into the thick of it.
Paantu Festival
We begin our discussion with the Paantu Festival of Miyako-jima, Okinawa. This festival is unique to this small island within the Ryukyu archipelago.
In Miyako Island, a group of men from the town covers themselves in mud and vines to act the part of 'paantu', indigenous spiritual beings that protect against evil spirits. During the festival, Paantu can be seen walking the neighborhoods for the purpose of bringing good luck to people's homes or to help fend off bad vibes. What typically goes along with the territory is not just walking the neighborhood, but also scarring young children or smearing mud on as many spectators as possible. Targets for mud-slinging include unsuspected tourists who now flock to the island to witness the ritual and take part in the fun. The festival takes place between September and November every year. Although I have yet to visit Miyako Island, I would love to schedule a trip around the Paantu Festival so I can learn more about this event, and no doubt get a little dirty.
Taong Putik Festival
This is a popular event in the Philippines where people cover themselves in mud and vines to honor the feast day of John the Baptist, who in Biblical scripture, often "dressed like a beggar." Another noteworthy story suggests that it was done to help drive poisonous snakes away from the village. Yet another legend suggests that one reason for the continuance of this tradition is an instance that occurred during the Japanese occupation of the islands in 1944. The story of an attempt to execute a large group of male villagers is told.
"When Japanese soldiers were to execute all the men in Bibiclat to avenge the death of their compatriots, villagers went to the church and prayed hard...
...as the Filipinos were led to the firing squad, it rained so hard [that] some Japanese officers interpreted this as a sign of disapproval from heaven."
Fortunately, as a result of the torrential rain, the execution was called off. Perhaps bits of each legendary story are true and contribute to the ongoing tradition. The Philippines being a Catholic country, it seems deep prayer is the underlying theme regardless of the true origin.
In viewing the images above, it is easy to see that a major difference between the Paantu Festival in Miyako Island and Taong Putik in the Philippines is the sheer number of participants. In Miyako, a handful of male participants walk the neighborhood holding masks whereas in the Philippines, "hundreds of devotees would start early in the day and ...walk to the church from the muddy rice fields and pray to their patron Saint John the Baptist, thankful for the bountiful year of harvest."
Asaro Mudmen
From the Philippines, we head down to Papua New Guinea where the "mudmen" prevail. According to Brook Sabin, author of The Mystery of Papua New Guinea's Mudmen, "Legend has it the Asaro warriors were forced to retreat and hide in a river during war. The men disguised themselves with clay and tried to escape under the cover of darkness. Their aggressors caught them - but seeing their white bodies - thought they were highly feared spirits and fled."
Another popular version of the origin story is told via a BBC News online article. The author of Behind the Masks of Papua New Guinea's Asaro Mud Men relates the story of a man from Asaro Village who was preparing to attend a wedding ceremony but had no costume to wear. Rather than being the left the odd man out, he created a costume and mask out of the mud.
What I find particularly interesting in the three examples thus far; like the paantu of Miyako Island, the mudmen of Papua New Guinea also use the power of mud and spirits to help drive away unwanted beings. It is essentially using good spirits to combat evil spirits.
Even in the Philippines, with the Taong Putik Festival, participants are getting filthy to show their respect and spiritual devotion.
Kebo-Keboan
Lastly, we close off this comparison by virtually traveling to Indonesia, here in the villages Aliyan and Alasmalang, people paint themselves in mud and charcoal and impersonate water buffalo, a sacred animal in Indonesia as well as several other Asian countries. This is largely due to the importance that the animal plays in the production of rice.
During Kebo-Keboan, the festivities begin with a celebration or feast with the entire community of the respective villages. After the feast, dozens of people dressed like buffalo take part in a parade where a female participant who symbolizes Dewi Sri (the goddess of rice) is escorted throughout the village.
The festival is held during the dry season to ask for rain and a good harvest during the upcoming season. With that taken into consideration, it is conceivable that the water buffalo remains an important aspect of the annual event.
Like other festivals that I have discussed in this post, Kebo-Keboan began as a traditional event and grew to a larger festival where tourists pour in to join the action or simply document it by taking loads of photos and/or videos. Yes indeed, it appears that mud and culture share a special bond.
Speaking of the mud/culture bond, I focused on just 4 specific examples but there is no doubt several other festivals that could be uncovered if we took a deeper look into the fascinating traditions that span Asia. Not to mention, there are other continents such as Africa or South America where mud usage can likely be found. I'm sure these explorations would reveal more examples of mud and spirits going hand in hand.
Whether it is done to pray for the safety of the village, or to fend off evil spirits, or to hope for rain and good harvests, there is a similarity among regions when it comes to the implementation of mud. What related festivals did I miss? Feel free to fill me in on additional festivals that I should learn more about.
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