長久手市の秋の伝統的お祭りの「警固祭り」は、火縄銃の連続発砲が耳目を集めますが、忘れてならないのは大きな立派な標具(だし)が飾りつけられ、神社の境内を一気に駈ける「神馬(しんめ)」の存在です
あの「神馬」は秋になると風のように何処からともなくやってくるのではなく、長久手市内のある厩舎で愛情をもって育てられ飼育・管理されてきているのです。そのことはしっかり知っておくべきことなのだと思います
今回、神様に奉納される「神馬」が飼われている川長(かわちょう)牧場に向かい、オーナー川本健治さんにお話しを伺いました
長久手市東部一帯に広がる尾張東部丘陵
川名牧場はモリコロパークとジブリパークがある丘陵のちょうど南側、深い森林に隠れるようにあります。右手奥に見える白い建物が川長牧場の厩舎の屋根
この三ヶ峯地区の丘陵には、川長牧場が有する放牧場があり、和牛繁殖として飼われている大きな牛が草を食むのを目撃することがあります
一番奥に猿投山の頂きが見えます。山麓にある猿投神社には、かつて100を超える村々が飾り馬を献馬奉納していました。
県道215号・田籾名古屋線から少し入った森林地帯がはじまる麓に社屋・厩舎が見えてきます
後ろの森は、モリコロパーク東部ゾーンの森林
県道・田籾(たもみ)名古屋線 215号線から入ってすぐの所にある牛舎
牧舎の「マリンちゃん」。川長牧場で愛育されているのは祭礼用に特別に訓練された馬です。
頭部から頸にかけての白毛が特徴的。遺伝的にはクォーターとのこと
川長牧場の歴史は、長久手村だった頃にまで遡ります。モリコロパーク(愛・地球博記念公園)の前の「愛知青少年公園」が開園した1970年の当時、すでにこの場所にありました
さらに遡ると、川本さんのひいお爺さまの川本長太郎氏が、愛知医科大学の北側の土地で牛舎をはじめています
川長牧場の社名にある「長」は、長久手の「長」ではなくて、ひいお爺さまの名前「長太郎」からとられた」もの
(有)川長牧場社長の川本健治さんと「マリンちゃん」
後ろに少し姿が見えるのが「ブチョーさん」。名前の由来は、身体が「ぶち」柄になっているから。「ジチョウさん」や今はなき「カチョウさん」もかつてこの厩舎にいました
「まりんちゃん」は、今年の上郷の「警固祭り」で活躍しています
警固祭りの「警固」とは、「神の使いの馬を警固する」という意味です
とくに長久手新住民のかたにとって秋の「警固祭り」の「警固」とは、いったい何を「警固(警護とも)」するのかと思われるでしょう
「警固祭り」と呼ばれるようになったのは、郷土の神社に奉納(献馬)される標具(だし)飾りを付けた馬(「神馬」しんめ)を周りに付き添って警固(警護)することからだと言われています(諸説あり)
今で言えば要人を警護する「SP」です。棒の手隊と火縄銃を持った鉄砲隊もまた「神馬」を警固(警護)するための存在であり、いかに「神馬」が重要な存在だったかが窺えます
今年秋 上郷「警固祭り」での神馬「まりんちゃん」の勇姿
「警固祭り」が催される1カ月程前には、開催地区で選ばれた馬方の人たちが訪れ馬との関係を築いていきます
その間に馬に嫌われると祭りの当日に馬が言うことを聞いてくれない事態に
何年か前には、岩作の警固祭りで、馬が脱走し瀬戸信用金庫あたりまで県道を走って行ってしまったことも
馬は神様の使い。「神馬(しんめ)」です。長湫 景行天皇社の立派な「馬神像」
馬方が羽織る「一祭同心」の法被のこと
2023年度 長湫地区 警固祭りにて。一番左手で馬の様子を見ているのが川本氏
警固祭りで羽織るこの法被は、「一祭同心」を川本さんが提案。
コミュニティが昔のようではなくなってきたとことを実感していた川本さんが、同じ法被を着用し皆が心を一つに同じくすることが何より大切である思いを籠めて制作した法被である。
ある祭祀では馬方のメンバー同志がお互いをよく知らないことがあり祭祀に向け皆の心がばらばらだった事を感じ取り、それでは本当の祭祀はできない、そんなところに馬を貸し出すことはできないと突っぱねたら、後日、皆で血判状をつくって持ってきたことがあったという。お祭りが終わった後にみな号泣してましたわ、と川本さんは懐かしそうに語った
黒鹿毛(かげ)馬の「シャドー」ちゃんと「ボルト」ちゃん。「ボルト」は、世界最速のウサイン・ボルト選手から付けた名前
10年後、警固祭りに馬が提供できなくなるかも知れない
馬の飼育・管理について現在の状況から、近い未来へと思いを巡らした時、非常に厳しくなってくるだろうと川本さんは語ります。
馬を飼育する飼料の高騰(5割以上)と、管理費(電気代・水道代など)の高騰、そして引き継ぐ厩舎の担い手が現時点でいないことなど、厩舎を取り巻く環境が悪化の一途をたどっている。
後どれくくらい耐えられるか。今時点では、長久手を含め東尾張地域の「警固祭り」に神馬としての馬を貸し出すことができていますが、それは私自身の郷土の祭祀にかける思いや、馬の提供を通して地域へ貢献していることの実感があるためです。
しかしながらここ数年、これまでにない困難な状況にある事もまた事実です。とくにコロナ禍ではお祭りが中止になったり、はたまた開催予定だったものが急遽中止になったりもう無理かも知れないというところまで追い込まれました。馬はこの土地に現実に存在し食べ物を与え厩舎を清潔に保ち体調を管理しなくてはなりません。
また私なりに調べてみましたが祭祀の際、愛知県では「馬」には保険が掛けられないという事実。馬がケガや骨を折ったり見物人にケガを負わせても一切保険がありません。お祭り当日、警備はしっかりしていますが、当の「馬」だけは保険対象に入っていない。もし馬の飼育に関心がある方が出てきたとしてもそうした事実の前にひるんで一歩を踏み出せないのでは。ぜひ皆さんにはこうした現場の声、悩みを受け取って欲しいと思います。
コロナ禍の日々の中でとても有り難かったのは、ある日、瀬戸山口の郷社の宮司の方が直接来られて、祭礼がとりおこなわれなくとも馬を管理して下さっている、その志しですと飼育管理費を頂戴致しました。これにはほんとに感激致しました。
そうした思いや出来事の一つ一つが私の中でつながって、また秋になると”祭りバカ”となって熱くなってしまいます。(川本健治 談)
豪快な笑いが身上の川本健治さん。根っからの祭り男である
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