House Ōkami
A Samurai with no group and no horse is not a Samurai at all. -Yamamoto Jin'-emon
House Ōkami (狼氏, Ōkami-shi) is the collection of Samurai in the Kingdom of Ealdormere. Their goal is to promote the SCA through the reenactment of the ways of the Samurai of Japan.
In Japanese, the character Ōkami means “wolf”. This represents the fact that House Ōkami styles itself the Japanese Wolf of Ealdormere - and the Ealdormere populace symbol is, of course, the wolf. House Ōkami therefore always flies the banners of the wolf and of Ealdormere, as they hold allegiance to the kingdom and to the King and Queen, until the Emperor calls them back home to Nippon.
The house follows the seven Tenets of Bushido and official “belted” members take an oath to these during a private ceremony.
Activities the Ōkami include Armor Making Woodworking, Way of the Bow, Chanting, Story Telling, Sewing and Garment Making, Calligraphy, Poetry, and, of course, Sake Brewing. Plans are afoot to add Taiko Drum Making, Metalworking, Tent-Making and other activities of the Medieval Japanese.
History
What began as armoring sessions at Yamamoto's Do'no's house quickly evolved into a collection of Japanese persona that wanted to fight and learn the arts of Japan. Started in A.S. 44, House Ōkami started out as a fighting household, but it has evolved into a way to collect Japanese persona in Ealdormere and give a path to follow for future Japanese samurai. House Ōkami at one point boasted over 22 official members and numerous “Friends of the House ” members.
Lord Yamamoto led the house for eight years. In A.S. 52, Yamamoto Morikazu Do'no and his lady, Mi'namoto Natsume Do'no, were recalled to Kyoto by the Emperor. House Ōkami is currently led by Yamagata Tokim'une Do'n and his Yamagata Yukiko Do'no with the help of the trusted retainers of the House.
House Members
Membership in House is divided between official “belted” members (called the Hatamoto), and Friends of the House. To become a belted member, one must have a Japanese persona or alternate persona; have contributed to the house in a manner that satisfies the Daimyo; and have participated in the wider SCA, including learning the skills and service prized by the Society. A belted member is given an Obi - a sort of cloth belt - in a private ceremony where they take an oath to uphold the tenants of Bushido. The obi reflects the wearer's SCA rank; thus a white obi is reserved for a member of the Order of the Chivalry, a red obi represents a squire, and so on. Some members of the House also wear a necklace or token to show their dedication to the House.
Hatamoto (Full Members with Obi):
- Yamagata Tokimune Hachi-i , Daimyō (Leader)
- Yamagata Yukiko Shichi-i (Alieana of the March)
- Ōkami-no-Ishigane Hachi-i (Lord James Mac Donald), Jitō (Treasurer)
- Shimazu Nobuhisa Hachi-i, Sobayonin (Secretary)
- Atai Yoshina San-i
- Oikawa Katsu Roku-i
- Akashi Terumoto Roku-i
- Ichijō Kinaki Hachi-i
- Hattori no Sabarou Akihira Hachi-i
- Tanegashima Hiromoto Hachi-i
- Tanegashima Masako Hachi-i
- Sakuran no-Ōkami Hachi-i
- Kagutsuchi Itto
- Takeda Seishin
Retired Hatamoto:
- Kajia Hachi-i
- Yamamoto Morikazu Hachi-i
- Mi'namoto Natsume Hachi-i
- Heroshi Heisui
- Hoshi No-Ōkami
Friends of the Ōkami (Honorary Members):
- Kenshin Hachi-i of Æthelmearc
- Seishi Hachi-i of Æthelmearc
- Artemis
- Daisuke No-Ōkami
- Geishi
- Inabe Yasue
- Kurosawa
- Liambeth
- Mori Shiome Hachi-i
- Raiden
- Ren
- Seimei No-Ōkami
- Sakura
- Shimazu Mitsunaga Hachi-i
- Yasu No-Ōkami
- Yoshikuri Nagayori Shichi-i
Contact
House Ōkami can be contacted by joining the Facebook group. There is also a Discord channel where most of the house communications take place.
