Kina-sut-kamuy (キナスッカムイ) is the
Ainu
Ainu or Aynu may refer to:
*Ainu people, an East Asian ethnic group of Japan and the Russian Far East
*Ainu languages, a family of languages
**Ainu language of Hokkaido
**Kuril Ainu language, extinct language of the Kuril Islands
**Sakhalin Ainu la ...
''
kamuy'' (''god'') of snakes in the Japanese mythology. He is a benevolent figure who is called upon for protection against various calamities.
Mythology
Kina-sut-kamuy is depicted as generally benevolent and helpful to humans. He controls the behavior of snakes, protecting those who venerate him from their bites. In Ainu mythology, snake spirits are believed to possess people and cause a variety of ailments such as eye disease and paralysis, and Kina-sut-kamuy is appealed to in order to exorcise these spirits from a victim. He also offers communities protection against other diseases, particularly
typhoid
Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...
.
[Ashkenazy, Michael. ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology''. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, 2003. 199]
He is generally said to be the brother of
Nusa-kor-kamuy, but the two are sometimes regarded as a single entity.
Notes
References
*Ashkenazy, Michael. ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology''. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, 2003.
*Etter, Carl. ''Ainu Folklore: Traditions and Culture of the Vanishing Aborigines of Japan''. Chicago: Wilcox and Follett, 1949.
*Munro, Neil Gordon. ''Ainu Creed and Cult''. New York: Columbia University Press, 1995.
Ainu kamuy
Snake gods
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