Kojiki Tale: First 8 Islands
A continuation to:
Position Paper March 2001
Where have I come in the matter of Ainu language
as related to old Japanese
Land Creation Myth
Creation of the first 8 islands
orig: 2001/05/22
In Kojiki, there is a story about creation of Japan islands. After they created Onokoro Island as in Page 21, they created 8 major islands. An excerpted translation of a part relative to the creation of the first 8 islands goes like this.
Izanagi (a male god) and Izanami (a female god) then created islands. In the following list, Shima means an island.
  1. Awaji-No-Po-No-Sawake-Shima
  2. Iyo-No-Futana-Shima, having four faces each having a name, Iyo-country is called Ye-Hime, Sanuki-country called Ihi-Yori-Hiko, Aha-country called Oho-Getsu-Hime and Tosa-country Take-Yori-Wake.
  3. Oki-No-Mitsugo-Shima, alias being Ame-No-Oshikoro-Wake
  4. Tsukushi-Shima, also having four faces each having a name, Tsukushi-country is called Shira-Hi-Wake, Toyo-country called Toyo-Hi-Wake, Hi-country called Take-Himuka-Hi-Toyo-Kuji-Hine-Wake and Kumaso-country called Take-Hi-Wake
  5. Iki-Shima, alias being Ame-Hitotsu-Hashira
  6. Tsu-Shima, alias being Ame-no-Sate-Yori-Hime
  7. Sado-Shima
  8. Oho-Yamato-Toyo-Akizu-Shima, alias being Ama-tsu-Misora-Toyo-Akizune-Wake

Now, let's examine some of them in detail.

2. Iyo-No-Futana-Shima, having four faces each having a name, Iyo-country is called Ye-Hime, Sanuki-country called Ihi-Yori-Hiko, Aha-country called Oho-Getsu-Hime and Tosa-country Take-Yori-Wake.

Iyo is a proper noun, meaning undecided.

No is a suffix to a noun, making a meaning, in this case, Iyo's, or "No" just works as a copula.

Futana in Japanese can mean "two names".

Now, in Ainu, "two names" can be said [tu re], the first part meaning "two" and the last part meaning "name(s)".

In Ainu, there is a word [tures] that means a sister(s). If the four names of the four faces are examined, one will find there are two female names and two male names. Thus, the conclusion here is that the Ainu word [tures] appears to mean both the two possible sisters and "two names" simultaneously.

Another approach to "Futana" or "two names" or [tu re] comes from an Ainu tale which goes like two female persons taught people that a kind of lily bulb and a kind of an onion (or garlic) were edible. The ladies were spirits of these plants. The lily bulb in Ainu is [turep], very close to [tu re]="two names"="Futana". The kind of onion in Ainu is [kito] which I associate with one of the four names, Oho-Getsu-Hime. (Here, Oho=big and Hime=a respected lady, a queen or a princess.) Thus, the conclusion is that "Futana"="two names" comes from the lily bulb and that the princess' name contains the name of the kind of onion, [kito].

There is no reason for calling this island an island of two names in Japanese. But, if the name is deciphered by using Ainu words, we start to see the meaning.

In the next page, 23, I'll present Oki-No-Mitsugo-Shima.

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