Re: [sumo] literal meanings

[Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda@yahoo.com>]

I am sure my esteemed friend from NZ didn't write this
to mean the origin of them. 

Actually the history of Yokozuna is relatively short
as the rank was not even there in the Edo Era.

Initially it was not even a rank as it was a license
given to put on the rope (yokuzuna mawashi) to do a
dohyo-iri.  The Yokozuna designation did not get on
the banzuke until the 16th Yokozuna Nishinoumi (the
first) in the Meiji era.

The term Yokozuna actually derives from Shinto
religion. When they started building of a new shrine,
castle or noble's houses, they had an Ozeki coming in
to do a groundbreaking  ceremony by stomping on the
ground to appease the god. The license was provided to
do this and it was called as an offering from
Yokozuna.  And this is how a dohyo-iri ceremony
started and yokozunas traditionally do their dohyo-iri
at shrines such as Ise and Meiji Shrines.



--- Jones Earle <earle.jones@comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> On Mar 31, 2005, at 5:18 PM,
> h.gilbert@auckland.ac.nz wrote:
> 
> > AS you suggest, yokozuna means "sideways rope" and
> ozeki means "great 
> > barrier".
> > Sekiwake means "to the side of the barrier" and
> komusbi means "a small 
> > knot"
> > or "a small connection". Maegashira means "leading
> (front) head"
> >
> > Howard
> 
> *
> These are obviously literal translations and have no
> connection with 
> the original etymological origins.
> 
> Note to Abe Masumi san:  Can you please give us the
> benefit of your 
> knowledge of these terms.  Many thanks!


.....Jonosuke 
  <  Heart  Technique  Physique      &#24515;&#12288;&#25216;&#12288;&#20307;&#12288;>

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[EndPost by Joe Kuroda <joe_kuroda@yahoo.com>]