Nulatu

Nulatu is an isolated, unorganised folk belief system mostly practiced by the Imisuta people on the island nation of Tokushima.

The Imisuta religion consists of a pantheistic animist structure, in which the world is founded on interactions between humans and Kamuy. Within all living beings, natural forces, and objects there is a Uluk (sacred life force) that is an extension of a greater Kamuy. Kamuy are gods or spirits that choose to visit the human world in temporary physical forms, both animate and inanimate, within the human world. Once the physical vessel dies or breaks, the Uluk returns to the Kamuy and leaves its physical form behind as a gift to the humans. If the humans treated the vessel and Kamuy with respect and gratitude, then the Kamuy would return out of delight for the human world. Due to this interaction, the Imisuta generally live with deep reverence for nature and all objects and phenomena in hopes that the Kamuy would return. The Imisuta believe that the Kamuy granted objects, skills, and knowledge to utilize tools to humans, and thus deserve respect and worship. Daily practices included the moderation of hunting, gathering, and harvesting to not disturb the Kamuy. Often, the Imisuta would make offerings of an Inau (sacred shaved stick), which usually consisted of whittled willow tree wood with decorative shavings still attached, and wine to the Kamuy. They also built sacred altars called Nusa (fence-like row of taller Inau decorated with bear skulls) separated from the main house and raised storehouses and often observed outdoor rituals.

The Imisuta people also observe a ritual that would return Kamuy, a divine or spiritual being in mythology, to the spiritual realm. This Kamuy sending ritual was called Omante. A tiger cub would be captured alive during hibernation and raised in the village as a child. Women would care for the cubs as if they were their children, sometimes even nursing them if needed. Once the tigers reached maturity, they would hold another ritual every 5 to 10 years called Iyomante. People from neighboring villages were invited to help celebrate this ritual, in which members of the village would send the tiger back to the realm of spirits by gathering around it in a central area and using special ceremonial arrows to shoot it. Afterwards, they would eat the meat.

Other rituals were performed for things such as food and illness. The faith has a ritual to welcome the salmon, praying for a big catch, and another to thank the salmon at the end of the season. There was also a ritual for warding off Kamuy that would bring epidemics, using strong-smelling herbs placed in doorways, windows, and gardens in order to turn away epidemic Kamuy. Similarly to many religions, the Imisuta also gave prayers and offerings to their ancestors in the spirit world or afterlife. They would also pray to the fire Kamuy to deliver their offerings of broken snacks and fruit as well as tobacco.

Type

Religious, Other