music

narrator
soprano
tenor
SATB chorus
clarinet
2 trombones
synthesizer doubling autoharp 
2 percussion
  1: cowbell, glockenspiel, guiro, harmonica, sizzle cymbal,
      snare drum, tam-tam, triangle, vibraphone
  2: bass drum, claves, guiro, harmonica, marimba, 2 suspended cymbals,
      2 temple blocks, 
2 woodblocks 
cello

duration 22'

first performance: Bemidji University Music Department / Mainstage, Bangsberg, BSU Bemidji / 
March 8, 1992


LIBRETTO
The Creation of Heaven, Earth, and the Gods
Narrator
Heaven and Earth were not yet separated, nor were the IN and the YO, the masculine 
 and feminine principles, separated.
All was in a mass; formless, egg-shaped, the extent whereof is not known, which held the 
 life principle. 
The purer, tenuous essence, ascending, gradually formed heaven, the heavier portion 
 sank, becoming Earth. 

Chorus and Spoken Chorus 
Kojiki 

Narrator
When Heaven and Earth began, there was something in the emptiness whose shape cannot 
 be described.
Something appeared; something like a white cloud.
From it came into being three gods in the High-Sky- Plain: 

First, AME-NO-MINAKA-NUSI-NO-KAMI 

Chorus and Spoken Chorus
Master of the August Center of Heaven 

Narrator
Next, TAKA-MI-MUSUBI-NO-KAMI 

Chorus and Spoken Chorus
High Producing Wondrous Deity 

Narrator
Next, KAMI-MUSUBI-NO-KAMI 

Chorus and Spoken Chorus
Divine Producing Wondrous Deity 

Narrator
These three gods came into existence and their forms were not visible.
While the earth was young, resembling floating oil and drifting like a jellyfish, something clear 
 and bright sprouted up, like a horn, like crystal, like a reed-shoot when it first emerges from
 the mud. 

Chorus
ASI-KABI 

Narrator
From this two more gods came into being and their forms were not visible.
Then, spontaneously, the Seven-Sky-Generations of gods, including the paired gods: 

Chorus and Spoken Chorus
Lord-Mud-Earth
Lady-Mud-Earth
Germ-Integrator
Life-Integrator
Great-Place-Elder
Great-Place-Elder-Lady
Perfect-Face
Awful-Lady
He Who Invites
She Who Invites 

Izanami and Izanagi enter.

Narrator
That is: IZANAGI and IZANAMI. 


The Creation of Onogoro Island
Narrator
Now all the Heavenly-Deities commanded IZANAGI and IZANAMI to solidify the Earth. 

Chorus and Spoken Chorus
Complete this drifting land. 

Narrator
Saying "Complete this drifting land." 

Chorus and Spoken Chorus
Complete and solidify this land. 

Narrator
So, a heavenly-Jeweled-Spear, whose staff was of coral, was given to them. 

Chorus
AME NO NUBOKO 

The Heavenly-Deities give the Jeweled-Spear to Izanami and Izanagi, who walk to the 
Heavenly-Floating-Bridge. 

Narrator
Now all the Heavenly-Deities commanded IZANAGI and IZANAMI to solidify the Earth. 

Izanami
There is something here like floating oil, perhaps there is an island in its midst. 

Izanagi
Surely there must be a land. 

Narrator
They stirred the brine with a churning-churning sound. 

Chorus and Spoken Chorus
KOWARU
KOWARU
KOWARU
KOWARU
KOWARU
KOWARU 

Izanami and Izanagi
Stir!
The sea is plain but surely there is land.
Let us create the land. 

Narrator
When they withdrew the spear brine dripping from its point piled up and became an island.
ONOGORO. 

Chorus
The Island Self Curdling, ONOGORO 

Narrator
The Spontaneously-Congealing-Island,
The Island-Self-Curdling
ONOGORO.
At that IZANAMI and IZANAGI rejoiced. 

Izanami and Izanagi
Good! There is a land!
We have completed and solidified this drifting place.
Good! 


They Marry and Bear Offspring
Izanagi
Izanami, let us descend from the Heaven and erect a palace on ONOGORO.
Let us live on the Earth, marry and give birth to countries and territories. 

Izanami
That will be good. They descend to Earth.

Izanagi
Then let us, you and I, walk in a circle around this land, and meet, and marry.
You walk around from the right, and I'll walk around from the left and meet with you. 

They walk around and meet. 

Izanami
How delightful!
ANANIYASI!
I have met a lovely youth! 

Izanagi
O, comely and loveable maiden!
How delightful!
But I am the man
I should have spoken first.
This was unlucky.
Unlucky.

Narrator
Nevertheless, IZANAMI took IZANAGI's hand and they were married.
Their first offspring was a Leech-Child; a jelly-like creature without arms or legs.
The Leech-Boy displeased them—even at the age of three it could not stand.
They set it adrift in a boat of reeds.
They put it to sea, abandoning it to the winds and the currents.
Their next offspring was APA, Foam-Island; an island of foam.
This too they would not accept as their child. 

Izanami
The children we have borne are not good.
We must ask the Heavenly-Deities why this is.

Izanagi
It is best we report this matter to the Heavenly-Deities. 

Narrator
They did. Izanagi and Izanami ascend to Heaven. 

Spoken Chorus
We have performed a Great-Divination.
How can one think of the woman speaking first!
Go back and perform the meeting and marriage ritual again.
And now the man must speak first. 

They return to Earth and once again walk around the land and meet. 

Izanagi
Ah! What a fair and lovely maiden.
ANANIYASI. 

Izanami
Ah! I have met a beautiful youth. 


Izanami's Death
Narrator
IZANAMI and IZANAGI bore many islands. 

Chorus
Great Mountain Gate Fertile Dragonfly Island.
Double Name Island.
IKI Island.
SADO Island.
OKI Island.
Island of KOSHI.
Deer Blood Island.
Two Children Island.

Izanami 
All of our islands when first born were small and feeble things.
They grew in strength and gained their present size as humans do.

Izanagi
The smaller islands were born from the bubbles of the salt, salt water.
But nothing is over the land we have made save morning mists which everywhere shed 
 their perfume. 

Narrator
IZANAGI blew these away with his breath.
IZANAGI and IZANAMI bore many deities. 

Chorus
Great Door Sun Lord.
Great Ocean Possessor.
Foam Calm.
Sky Ten Thousand.
Tree Elder.
Sky Dark Door.
Earth Dark Door. 

Izanami and Izanagi
We have borne the Eighty Countries.
We have borne the Eighty Islands.
We have borne the Great Eight Island Land, the sea, the rivers, the mountains, the trees, 
 the plants. 

Izanami
Now I must give birth to fire, to Fire Shining Swift Male, to KAGUTSUCHI the god of Fire. 

Izanami gives birth to Fire. She screams. 

Izanami
The fire burns me in my womb.
Izanami dies.

Izanagi
My wife, my lovely younger sister!
Alas, that I have lost my beloved spouse for this one child!
Giving birth to Fire she has burned with a burning fever.
She has burned, she has sickened with fever and lay down.
Alas, that I have lost my beloved spouse for this one child!
I shall crawl on my belly around your head, 
I shall crawl on my belly around your feet.
From my tears shall be born the Weeping Woman,
Alas,
Alas,
My wife, my beloved wife, IZANAMI,
I shall crawl,
I shall crawl,
I shall crawl,
Aiee. 


In the Land of Yomi
Narrator
IZANAGI longed to see his dead wife.
Out of his yearning and grief he followed after her to the land of YOMI, the Land-of-the-
Yellow-Stream, the Underworld. 

Izanagi descends to YOMI. 

Izanagi
It is dark, and cold, in this Land of Gloom.
Beneath the Earth,
Far from the Heavens.
I shall recover IZANAMI, we shall return from this dark and polluted place, and all will be 
 as before.
It is hard to see in this dull gloom,
I think there is a door,
Yes! the Palace Door.
He knocks. Izanami opens the door.
O, my beloved spouse, my lovely younger sister, come back.
The lands we made are unfinished, I am alone, you must return.
O, my beloved spouse, come back.

Izanami
Alas, my august husband, 
Alas, that you came not sooner,
I have eaten at the furnace of YOMI, and am bound.
Alas, that you came not sooner.
My desire is to return, I yearn for you as I did in life.
I am overpowered by your presence here in this dark and polluted place.
Stay here.
I shall go to discuss with the gods of YOMI.
Stay here and wait for me.
I beseech you do not follow.
Stay here and wait.
IZANAGI do not look upon me! 

Narrator
IZANAMI reentered the Palace.
It was dark, and she tarried such a long, long time.
IZANAGI could not wait, he became impatient, standing in the gloom.
He broke a tooth from the comb he was wearing.
He lit it as a torch.
He entered the Palace.
Maggots were squirming and roaring in the corpse of IZANAMI.
Her dead body, bloated,
Rotten matter flowed from her.
Eight Thunder Gods sat on her body:
Great-Thunder,
Fire-Thunder, 
Black-Thunder, 
Crack-Thunder, 
Young-Thunder, 
Earth-Thunder, 
Hill-Thunder, 
Moor-Thunder.
IZANAGI shrank back in loathing and terror.

Izanami
Why did you not obey my warning?
Now I am shamed.
You have seen my nakedness, and I will in turn see yours!
Yah! 
Here!
Ugly Hags of YOMI.
Pursue him and compel him to remain! 


Pursuit and Separation
Narrator
With a hideous sound the Ugly-Hags-of-YOMI pursued IZANAGI. 

Spoken Chorus
sss hah! yo ah oo 

Narrator
In full flight he threw down his black headdress.
Instantly it turned into grapes which the Ugly-Females stopped to devour.
IZANAGI fled on. 

Spoken Chorus
sss hah! yo ah oo 

Narrator
When again they pursued him he pulled out his close-toothed comb and threw it down.
Instantly bamboo-shoots sprang up. 
The Ugly-Females pulled them up and ate them.

Spoken Chorus
sss hah! yo ah oo 

Narrator
When again they pursued him he passed water against a large tree, 
this instantly became a great river which the Ugly-Hags must cross.
IZANAGI fled on. 

Spoken Chorus
sss hah! yo ah oo 

Narrator
Now IZANAMI herself came in pursuit.
By this time IZANAGI had reached the pass which is the entrance to YOMI.
He pulled up a tremendous boulder and closed the pass. 

Izanami
If you do thus, my lovely elder brother, I will each day strangle to death one thousand people 
 of your land. 

Izanagi
O my beloved spouse, if you do thus I will cause each day fifteen-hundred women to give 
 birth, thus each day though a thousand people die, more will surely be born. 

Narrator
Thus were Birth and Death created. 

Izanagi
Our relationship is severed. 

The Kojiki