Ashitaka, the protagonist of Princess Mononoke, cut his hair as a profound ritual symbolizing his permanent departure from his village and all that it represented.
The Weight of the Curse and Departure
Following the attack by a cursed boar god, Ashitaka was afflicted with a deadly curse on his arm. This pivotal event compelled him to leave his home, a sacred duty for one carrying such a malady. His journey was not merely a temporary exile but a definitive severance from his former life and responsibilities within the Emishi tribe.
The Ritual of Severance
Cutting his hair was a deeply meaningful act, signifying a complete and irreversible break from his past. In many cultures, hair can symbolize identity, status, and connection to one's lineage and community. By cutting it, Ashitaka was:
- Embracing a New Destiny: He was setting forth into unknown lands, driven by the need to find a cure for his curse and potentially understand the origins of the blight affecting the natural world.
- Relinquishing His Role: As the last prince of the Emishi, his departure, marked by this ritual, meant he was stepping away from his leadership duties and the possibility of return to his prior life.
- Symbolizing Finality: This act underscored the permanent nature of his departure, making it clear that he had no intention of coming back to the village as the same person, if at all.
This ritualistic act cemented his resolve to travel to the lands to the West, the very direction from which the boar had come, in his desperate search for a cure. His journey became a solitary quest, one that would lead him into the heart of a conflict between humanity and nature, far removed from the peaceful existence of his isolated village.
