The doctrine of God is a fundamental concept in theology, exploring the nature and attributes of God. This is because “kami” is a broad term, meaning not only “god” but less specifically “concentration of spiritual energy”; thus, in the example of the especially ancient ancestors, they are treated as kami because of their power. The line between kami, ancestors, and other spirits may be faint in community ancestor worship, such as when especially ancient ancestors are worshipped as with the same respect as other, never-corporeal kami. Also considered dangerous may be to approach a tomb without proper authority (such as relation to the family) or to visit a tomb at night. Although responsibilities may vary on a case-by-case basis, generally it is the oldest male of a family whose financial responsibility is upkeep for existing tombs and establishment of new tombs if anything should happen to the old, including becoming too full.

The mabui of a dead person may cling to a living person, requiring a ritual of separation (mabui-wakashi) or a conveyance from the place of death to a proper resting place (suukaa). Mabui can be lost as the result of fright, stress, loneliness, or helplessness, any circumstances in which a person suffers from a sudden shock or a lack of psychological/physical resources. Like mana, mabui is transferable by contact: if a person is left their grandmother’s wedding ring, that ring – as an effect often in contact with the grandmother and only the grandmother – will have taken on the mabui of the grandmother. In this case, a yuta, or several yuta, are usually contracted to contact the offended spirit and determine both how the offending individual can recompensate for their trespass, and whether or not the spirit can be brought to terms with the aims of the individual for the spirit’s area. Just as the soul in many traditions is immortal, so is mabui; also like the soul, one’s mabui is one’s defining characteristic, unique to the individual. That’s not to say that all traditions are — or should be — serious business.

Today, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of Americans who report having no childhood religious affiliation say they still are unaffiliated as adults, rivaling that of established religious traditions. The noro or nuuru priestesses are the oldest kaminchu in the Ryukyu Islands. Belief in kijimunaa is representative of the spiritual power of trees in the Ryukyu belief system. Kijimunaa are known for playing harmless pranks. The deep-sea explorer and the child making sand castles on the beach can fully enjoy the same ocean while playing at different levels. Though the spirit can almost always be pacified, it many times cannot accept the disturbance of its space, and thus the area is marked by the community as forbidden territory for development or travel. The most-often worshiped gods are undoubtedly those of the home; however, especially powerful deities are revered by the community as a whole, and certain legendary creatures exist who are not worshiped, but are respected. Community worship most often involves that of marine and mountain deities, who determine the success of agricultural, shipping/trade, and fishing pursuits. They enjoy fishing and eating fish. In Quran Allah mention that If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your companions, your families, the prosperity which you have got, the trade where you fear decline and houses with which satisfy you, are more adored to you than Allah and His Messenger and war with opponents in His reason, then wait until Allah performs His knowledge.

The only thing they fear is the octopus. The most sacred spot in an utaki is the ibi and the area around it (the ibi nu mae). Only the noro may enter the ibi to make offerings and prayers on the ibi nu mae. A yuta, a Buddhist monk, or a Shinto priest may be called upon to banish the spirit. Although men may display some of these abilities and often assist in rituals, women are the primary interlocutors between humans and spirits or gods in the Ryukyuan religion, therefore are highly respected. Their primary duty is to officiate at communitywide (that is, “official”) festivals and rituals. Two rituals are performed in relation to mabui: mabui-gumi if one has lost their mabui, and uchatou-mintou to stave off mabui loss. More formally, a special ceremony can be performed by the family’s matriarch at the place of supposed loss of the mabui. Performed as the result of the loss (or potential loss) of mabui.