Techniques of Ritual Performance and Local Aesthetics : the Rise of Muthappan Worship in Kerala, South India

ギレイ　パフォーマンス　ノ　ギリョウ　ト　ローカルナ　シンビガン　ミナミ　インド　ケーララ　シャカイ　ニオケル　ムッタッパン　シンコウ　ノ　リュウセイ

タケムラ, ヨシアキ

Takemura, Yoshiaki

オオサカ ダイガク ダイガクイン ニンゲン カガク ケンキュウカ シャカイガク ニンゲンガク ジンルイガク ケンキュウシツ

Sociology, Anthropology and Philosophy, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University

ムッタッ パン

大衆宗教画

パフォーマンスの技量

ローカルな審美限

Kerala

Mutthapan

God Posters

performance technique

local aesthetics

In modem society as a result of the globalization of capitalism economy, people, commodities and cultures flow across various territories. The question to be asked in this paper is how the local and traditional bodily movement culture, while being linked to the world system, is enjoyed and consumed. The purpose of this paper is to examine, based on a case study of Muthappan, a ritual performance traditionally practiced by Scheduled Castes (former "Untouchables") in a local Hindu society, in northern part of Kerala, South India, how various aspects of this bodily movement culture plays a new role in modem society. Muthappan was originally the name of a god of a tribal people inhabiting in the mountains. However， when people of the upper castes migrated into the area, they took over and transformed it into a Hindu god. Then, people of the lower castes, who acquired financial benefits from the land revolution, became the main worshippers of the god. Today, Muthappan appears in various contexts. For example, in consumer society, the "God posters" of Muthappan have become a very popular commodity, being printed and widely distributed; in a local context, people of a newly rising wealthy class among lower castes sponsor the ritual in private frequently; and also the worship has spread among communities of those who migrated from Kerala， which is also accepted by other Hindu people. Another notable development is that, although the ritual practice of Muthappan has been inherited by people of the Scheduled Castes as their traditional occupation, recently some specific performers among them have become particularly famous and practice it often. In this paper, while examining the background of the rise and spread of Muthappan worship, I will investigate the current situation of Muthappan, especially the popularity of some ritual performers, with specific focus on perfomance technique and local aesthetics.