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D​Ō​J​Ō​JI / after 'Snake' & 'Ayakashi (Squid​)​'

from Three​-​Crossing River (after YOKAI) by Laura Sampson

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about

This track, inspired by looking at Maurer & Moore's 'Snake' and 'Ayakashi (Squid)' retells the story and structure of noh Dōjōji, where a rage-filled woman transforms into a demon, dives into a river in pursuit of her lover, and becomes eternally trapped in limbo. The text explores the story's' relationship to the mythical Three-crossing river, and the demonisation of angry women.

View these and the other images from YŌKAI at White Conduit Projects gallery, London (until 27/2/22) and at www.maurer-moore.com.

lyrics

If you can’t cross the river by bridge or on foot, you swim. But the water is full of things - currents, portals, dead hands. New creatures rise up after total immersion, and the water remembers what the ones that dive in head first, forget.

Not far from the green banks of the Hidaka River, there was a temple called Dōjōji.

Once, a young woman dived into that river, after a lover who had betrayed her. Men say her rage transformed her into a snake-demon, which found the lover hiding inside the temple’s bronze bell, coiled herself around it, and let friction do its work until he was nothing but ashes. Her rage was just getting started.

Years later, travellers gathered at Dōjōji for the dedication and hanging of a new bell. All male travellers - no women allowed - lessons of history.

Then a woman - a shirabyōshi [dancer - arrived. Because she was dressed as a man, they let her in to entertain all the gathered men, under the well-hung bell. .
The dance dazzled at first, but then it went angular. By triangles and parallels, straight lines, the dancer made curve-patterns - she undulated like a snake, faster and faster. She left burn marks on the ground on her way back to the riverbank.

The woman - demon - angry ghost - breathed fire but could only hurt herself.

And the men, finished their ceremony.
And the men told her story.
And the men left her flailing in that other river, never prayed for her release.

Who will pray for her release?

credits

from Three​-​Crossing River (after YOKAI), released February 15, 2022
Laura Sampson: Words, vocals
Sam Enthoven: Sounds, mixing
Stephan Barrett: Sounds

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about

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wordbird London, UK

Laura Sampson is a storyteller and writer from London, UK, inspired by world myth and folklore.

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