Next, we move onto the homes of the Noro, or female priestess. The treasure here is the three stones placed by the charcoal stove.
This is the Hinukan, an altar to the deity of fire.
Why are there three stones? Well, let’s imagine an old traditional charcoal-fueled stove.
You may be thinking of a pot sitting atop of these three stones.
The women of the household worship at the Hinukan, which is traditionally placed in the kitchen. Fire deities have been worshipped throughout history, all over the world, but it is rare for them to be enshrined in the kitchen, despite it being the closest place to our day-to-day lives. The Buddhist altar wasn’t introduced in Okinawa until much later, so to this day, the Hinukan is an important part of the household, and people will visit it first before moving on to the altar. The people of the house will pray to the Hinukan deity about their everyday wishes or worries. When they got married or gave birth, they would report this to the Hinukan and put ash from the bottom of the pot on their heads. On the morning of a school exam, family members would pray to the Hinukan for the child's success.
When the women of the household passed away, a new Hinukan would be prepared. The three rocks that make up the Hinukan can be found by the ocean, river, or fields. There are several rules about selecting the rocks. For example, they have to be taken from places that aren’t walked on and a word cannot be spoken while carrying them back to the home.
With the introduction of gas stoves and electric heating, people have stopped enshrining these stones in their homes, but there are still many who burn incense in their homes in memory of the Hinukan. To remember to pay reverence to this ancient power daily can also be considered a treasure to the Okinawan people.
