Seko - Seko

People in charge of driving out birds and animals in group hunts. They are also called kariko, makiko, sawanari, etc. In group hunts, people who can drive out the prey by involving the mountains and valleys are needed against the "shooters" who lie in wait at the tachiba and tatsuma (archery ranges), and there are naturally certain rules for the number and placement of these people depending on the target of the hunt. In some places, the people who drive in from the bottom of the valley are called narikomi, and the people who drive in from above are called oobiki. The people who direct these are the "chiefs" of the hunt, called sukari or shikari. In the old days, many "seko" were mobilized for large-scale "makigari" hunts conducted by feudal lords, but most of them were farmers who were called in temporarily. In professional hunter groups, the roles of the "seko" were generally fixed, and they were also involved in the distribution of the hunting results. In some places, they were called "kakedamasu." Also, after the Meiji period, many schools held "rabbit hunting" as a school event, but the "seko" at that time were all students, and a few "hunters" were hired to act as "archers." This is probably a remnant of the old "makigari" hunting. However, since professional hunting groups such as Matagi have now lost the basis for their livelihood, and the general "makigari" hunting has completely disappeared, the name "seko" can be considered a thing of the past.

[Toshimi Takeuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

集団の狩猟で、鳥獣を駆り出すことを受け持つ人々。カリコ、マキコ、サワナリなどともいう。集団猟では、タチバ、タツマ（射場）に待ち伏せている「撃ち手」に対し、山谷を巻き込んで獲物を追い出す人々が必要で、その数や配置にも狩猟対象ごとに一定のきまりがおのずからできていた。谷の下から寄せるのをナリコミ、上から寄せるのをオオビキとよんでいた所もある。それを指揮するのがスカリ、シカリなどとよぶ狩猟の「頭目」であった。また旧時、大名などの行った大掛りな「巻狩り」には、たくさんの「勢子」が動員されもしたが、その多くは臨時に駆り出された農民であった。専業的な狩人(かりゅうど)団では「勢子」の役割もおおむね固定していて、狩猟成果の配分にもあずかった。それを「カケダマス」とよんでいた所もある。また、明治以後には学校行事として「兎(うさぎ)狩り」が行われた所が多かったが、その際の「勢子」はすべて生徒たちであり、若干の「狩人」が雇われて「射手」になっていた。古い「巻狩り」の名残(なごり)であろう。しかしマタギなどの専業的狩猟団は生業の根拠をいまや失い、一般的な「巻狩り」もまったく消失したので、「勢子」の名も過去の存在となったとみてよいであろう。

［竹内利美］

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