Map of those who share a mountain ridge: Sanka territory and the landscape of their companions (Showa Period)

Map of those who share a mountain ridge: Sanka territory and the landscape of their companions (Showa Period)
The mobile life of the Sanka was supported by an exquisite order, even though it appeared to be free and unrestrained. As rural society moved toward modernization in the mid- to late-Showa period, the people of the Sanka maintained a tacit understanding with each other that they would not violate each other's territory by protecting their own areas of activity, known as "teri. Information such as which valley to ascend, which village to visit each year, and which stream to set up a temporary hut in were passed on not by blood, but by experience and trust. This was not only to avoid conflicts, but also to protect the mountain resources by not overcutting bamboos.
The use of nicknames and nicknames different from the real names of fellow members symbolized their skills and temperaments. Despite the small size of the society, there was a solidarity among them, and greetings and exchanges of information among those who shared the same territory were essential.
It is noteworthy that this territorial system did not lead to conflicts between villages. Rural villagers accepted mobile workers as half-villagers whom they could rely on when necessary, rather than as complete outsiders. The relationship between the Sankha and the villagers was one of mutual respect, with the Sankha asking the villagers to repair their tools or reinforce their baskets, and occasionally exchanging small talk with them.
The Sanka's territory and fellowship was a unique harmony born between wandering and settling, a quiet system of cooperation that lived on in the mountain society during the transitional period of the Showa period. The map did not remain on paper, but it has been drawn by the memories and steps of the people.