CHENNAI: A flurry of good morning messages, whipping up favourite meals, and teasing nicknames — a parent’s love for their child may not verbalise itself in so many words but finds form in other languages. In ancient Japan, words of love were embedded in dolls. Before the arrival of wrinkly, squalling newborns, expectant mothers speedily sought out sticks, cotton and bits of fabric to craft soft, white amagatsu dolls. Often used in imperial courts, these T-shaped figurines — resembling a woman with her arms out — were used to protect children from misfortune. A community’s hopes were pinned onto the doll, their love, and protection stitched into it.
Centuries later, the communities’ need to protect their children continued but their dolls have evolved. Those searching for the amagatsu can spot them among the 67 dolls at the Japan Foundation’s Travelling exhibition in the Government Museum in Egmore. For the first time, the exhibition is on display in the city after wowing audiences in Indonesia and Korea. Inaugurated on 31 August, the exhibition shows that “The history of the Japanese doll can be traced back to the ancient rituals to ward off bad luck and to pray for a healthy and happy life, and these rituals were led to Sekku, a festival to pray for the health of one’s baby. The court and other upper classes favoured the Japanese dolls, which were refined in terms of craftsmanship,” says a press release.
Housed inside the chill contemporary art gallery, the ‘NINGYO: Art and Beauty of Japanese Dolls’ is a trip through Japan’s folktales, rituals, superstitions and narratives through figurines. Each section from the formation of dolls, and ningyo as fine art to the present day, explores traditions of fine art, and folk arts from different traditions of Japan, explains Janavi MJ, volunteer and MA student at Loyola college.
The parallels between Indian and Japanese traditions of dolls are visible in the Hima Matsuri festival. “We have the Indian tradition of setting up golu during Navaratri, like that they also have tiered structures and there, the imperial couple is at the first and then the little Sannin-kanjo three female servants follow in the next tier, then Gonin-bayashi, the five musicians and so on,” Janavi explains.
Folktales & fortunes
In popular culture, the island country is synonymous with cherry blossoms, speedy trains, and anime. Yet, one could explore its history through dolls; The hall echoes with folktales — the brave Momotaro born from a peach, the first emperor of Japan, and the short Fusuke who draws customers to shops.
By the 17th century, ningyos moved from being rites-based, and just for children. They depicted people in society and the clothes, hair, and adornments of a figure spell out their class status, a volunteer points out. At the Ningyo as fine art section, the volunteer points out, “dolls with hair tied, and hats signify the class, and where you’re from. Another woman dressed elegantly and a similar tied-up hairstyle shows she might be a dancer or musician, one with a common bow and open hair shows she is a commoner.”
From sumo wrestlers in Shiga, Nipopo wooden children dolls from Hiroshima, to Ryuku Hariko horse riders, each doll is a map to a region, each telling tales of dialects, varied histories and religion through time. Moving from mother’s dolls, the section ‘Spread of Ningyo culture’ covers the diversity of dolls and reminds us that human love for dolls is often rooted in love for children, and creativity, and acts as a medium to hold and whisper stories through history.
‘NINGYŌ: Art and Beauty of Japanese Dolls’, will be on display till September 22 at Contemporary Art Gallery, Government Museum, Pantheon Road, Egmore.