Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days (Bringing out a Body from the Pit)
1958 - 1963

Mukashi no Yama (Shisha no Hakobidashi)
[Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days (Bringing out a Body from the Pit)]
21.2 x 30.3 cm Ink Painting

It was believed that after coal miners died underground, their souls stayed there or wandered as ghosts. Therefore, a victim's coworkers laid his/her body in a mine car and rode together in several other mine cars, which were slowly wound up. While they were going up, they called the name of the victim loudly in turn and cried (orabu in dialect), "Hey, we're at a certain level! We're ascending!"
It was said that the reason why all miners hated wearing facecloths that covered their hair, ears, and cheeks was because they could not hear these cries. Of course, it was also because miners could not hear the warning sounds of wedges (kamisashi) breaking on pillars due to increased rock pressure.
When the mine car carrying the deceased reached the pit mouth, the miners tore off the talisman of the pit deity, which had been nailed on the decorative frame of the pit mouth, and cried, "We're on the surface!"

Text at the Bottom Left
Blasting accidents rarely occurred in the past, because dynamite was not often used to blast coalfaces.


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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