#ritualisedbehaviour

TSUNA The Japanese word tsuna means rope, but acquired a whole new dimension in the context of the shinto religion, and therefore in that of sumo. In fact, the tsuna as we know it in sumo has its origins in the shimenawa, a sacred rope hanging across the torii (the gate at the entrance of a shinto shrine) or sometimes wrapped around a tree also at the shrine entrance. Very often it features hanging goheis, zigzag-folded paper strips that signify the presence of a kami, i.e., a shinto divinity, god or spirit. source http://www.lemondedusumo.com/english/MDS14_tsuna.php?mag=mds&num=14

title BRIDGE project Nawa photography in collaboration with Lonneke van der Palen 

TOME ISHI - SEKIMORI ISHI a tome ishi (stop stone) or, to use its more descriptive name, a sekimori ishi (boundary-guard stone). It is a device used in Japanese gardens, particularly those with tea houses, to guide visitors along a prescribed route. You occasionally see them elsewhere, such as outside a traditional restaurant to indicate it’s closed, but these whimsical wrong-way markers are most strongly associated with tea gardens. source http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/02/19/reference/tome-ishi/#.V8bBUT595bU

NAWAPEDIA online encyclopedia of Japanese bondage and related kinky activities source http://www.nawapedia.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

ROPE IN CONTEXT source photo made by Aliki during study trip to Japan on invitation of the Dutch Crafts Council in the context of the knowledge exchange Indigo: Sharing Blue

Samue (作務衣 samue?) is the work clothing of Japanese Zen Buddhist monks, worn when engaged in same. Made from cotton or linen and traditionally dyed brown or indigo to distinguish them from formal vestments, samue are worn by monks of most Japanese Buddhist traditions. performing labour duty such as temple maintenance and field work. In modern times they have become popular as general casual or work wear. source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samue A rakusu (絡子) is a traditionally Japanese garment worn around the neck of Zen Buddhists who have taken the precepts.  source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakusu

SHIMENAWA - SHIMEKAZARI Shimenawa (標縄・注連縄・七五三縄, literally "enclosing rope") are lengths of laid rice straw rope used for ritual purification in the Shinto religion. They can vary in diameter from a few centimetres to several metres, and are often seen festooned with shide. Shimekazari, the crops of the harvest are offered to the gods in thanks and to pray for good harvests in the coming year. The prawn is also a symbol of a prayer for longevity. source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimenawa

title TSUNA project Nawa photography in collaboration with Lonneke van der Palen