Tonight is the last night of Obon, which is a Buddhist celebration to commemorate the return of ancestor spirits. Eisa dancers walk all through the neighborhood and stop to perform at each Okinawan home as a means of entertaining and consoling that families ancestors. They have been drumming for hours now, up and down the all of the streets and they are just as loud and energetic now as they were three hours ago when they were right in front of our street.
I know the chanting by heart at this point and find myself saying "Ei SA SA!" in my head a lot.
It's just the coolest frickin' thing ever. I was looking for a picture or a video that would help share what it's like but none of them are good enough. It's like the difference between listening to a song on the radio or having that artist give you a private concert. I mean the drums are vibrating through your body and you can smell the big meals they've prepared, and the crazy whistling that they do..it's just an all senses experience. It helps that the night breeze is cool and there's a full moon out as well. It's very weird, to go outside and see this culture so different from my own and to smell the incense and just be so blatantly reminded that I'm not in America anymore, and then to walk back in my apartment to my very American life.
Just before midnight tonight they will set out lanterns on the water to guide the spirits back. If I knew what water they did this at I would go and be a spectator..but I don't and to be honest I kind of feel rude watching their celebration.
This blog post just isn't doing it justice. I guess there are some things you just have to see for yourself.
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