 |
| Promotion
of Ainu Culture |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
Ruumpe (cotton clothing)
Property of the Ainu Culture
Promotion Foundation |
|
Makiri (knife)
Property of the Ainu Culture
Promotion Foundation |
|
Sarorunchikappurimuse
(the Crane Dance)
Shiraoi Folk Performing Arts
Preservation Society |
|
The Ainu, though small in number,
are a race that is considered to have inhabited Hokkaido together with Wajin
("The people of Wa" or Japanese) in the period following the end
of the Medieval Period. The Ainu had their own unique traditions and culture,
including language. However, following the rule of the Matsumae Han (feudal
fief, or clan) and the so-called assimilation policy for the modernization
of Japan conducted during the Meiji Period these traditions and culture
that were a source of pride to the Ainu people received a decisive blow
making it difficult to say that they are being preserved and transmitted
today.
Because of this, in July 1997, the Ainu Culture Promotion and
Dissemination of Information Concerning Ainu Traditions Act was enacted
to promote a policy for the realization of a society where the Ainu people's
racial pride in their culture is respected. Based on this law, in November
of the same year the Ainu Culture Promotion / Research Foundation (Ainu
Culture Promotion Foundation) was made a designated corporation to engage
in various projects as a comprehensive national project.
This foundation undertakes various projects to promote Ainu
culture, including the language, Ainu traditions and the spreading of information
about the culture.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry
of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology subsidize about half
of these projects by taking charge of measures related to the promotion
of research (Hokkaido assisting with the remainder).
In 2005 a basic plan for the restoration of traditional Ainu
living habitats (Ioru) was drawn up. From this point on, the actual materialization
will be undertaken by the united effort of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure
and Transport, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology,
Hokkaido, and Ainu-related organizations. |
| Promotion of measures related
to improvement of Hokkaido Ainu living environment |
According to the Hokkaido Utari
Survey of Actual Living Conditions conducted in 1999, 23,767 Ainu now live
within the jurisdiction of the sub-prefectural Hidaka and Iburi offices.
The first survey, taken in 1972, revealed a large gap between
the living environment and children's education of Ainu and other people
living in the area. Since 1974, Hokkaido has conducted Hokkaido Utari Welfare
Measures (ending in 2001) to improve the Ainu people's social and economic
situation in Utari. At present Hokkaido is promoting fundamental measures
aimed at (1) secure life, (2) solid education, (3) stable employment, and
(4) industrial growth, under a program called, A Promotion Policy for the
Improvement of Ainu Life (2002-2008).
To support these measures, the Hokkaido government has created
the Hokkaido Ainu Life Improvement Measures Related Ministries Liaison Conference,
constituted from seven ministries, aimed at close cooperation of government
offices and related governmental agencies. The office of the Ministry of
Land, Infrastructure and Transport is striving for comprehensive promotion
of measures such as securing Ainu life, stable employment, solid education,
improvement of living environment and promotion of industry as a window
of this liaison conference.
(In the Ainu language, the word for man is "Ainu,"
and the word for brethren is "Utari.") |
 |
The Ainu Language: Although the
language system is uncertain, it is undisputed that Japanese and Ainu
are of different origin.
The Ainu language has no writing system, so when it is written, Japanese
kana or the Roman alphabet is used.
Today there are very few people who can speak the Ainu language freely. |
| |
Ainu Culture: The Ainu culture
is closely related to traditional Ainu lifestyle and peculiar to the
natural environment, such as paths along rivers, and lead to hunting,
gathering and fishing as the chief occupations.
Examples of Ainu culture:
| · |
The Ainu language |
| · |
Courtesy, an example being "Iomante"
(a ceremony in which prayers are made that the next meeting
one has with a bear appearing in their community will be in
heaven) |
| · |
The unique Ainu pattern (used for
clothing, handicrafts, etc.) |
| · |
Oral literature, such as "Yukara"
(a heroic epic) |
|
|
| Outline of the Ainu Culture
Promotion Act |
| No. 1 The Gist (Significance) of the Legislation |
| No. 2 Outline of this Act |
| 1. |
Definition of Ainu Culture
Ainu culture means the Ainu language, music, dance, crafts, and other
cultural artifacts inherited by the Ainu people, and cultural artifacts
which developed from these. |
| 2. |
Responsibilities of the nation and municipal
authorities |
| |
| (1) |
The nation needs to try to advance
measures for the promotion of Ainu culture. |
| (2) |
Municipal authorities need to strive
for the implementation of measures aimed at promoting Ainu culture
with respect to conditions of the area. |
|
| 3. |
Things to be considered respecting these
measures
In implementing measures aimed at the promotion of Ainu culture, the
nation and municipal authorities should take into consideration the
intentions of the Ainu people themselves and respect their pride in
their race. |
| 4. |
Basic policies
The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Minister
of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology should define
the statement of principles of the measures for the purpose of promoting
Ainu culture. |
| 5. |
Master plan
Prefectures are appointed by government ordinance, in accordance with
basic policy, to establish a basic plan for measures to be taken to
promote Ainu culture. (In Article 6, Clause 1, Hokkaido is designated
by the "Ordinance Ordering the Formation of Prefectures"
in the "Act for Spreading and Educating Knowledge about Ainu
Culture Promotion and Ainu Traditions") |
| 6. |
Designated corporations
The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Minister
of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Education may
restrict and designate a Civil Code corporation to perform unified
operations to promote Ainu culture throughout the nation. |
| 7. |
Supplementary provisions
Abolishment of the old "Hokkaido Aborigines Protection Law"
and the old "Asahikawa City Aborigines Preserved Land Disposal
Law." |
|
| Contents of main enterprises currently undertaken
by the Ainu Culture Promotion Foundation |
| (1) |
Promotion of a comprehensive practical
survey of the Ainu people
The Ainu Culture Promotion Foundation grants funds for research and
publication about Ainu society and culture for the purpose of training
and supporting researchers. |
| (2) |
Promotion of the Ainu Language
The Ainu Culture Promotion Foundation trains Ainu language instructors
(leaders) to make up for the current shortage, and develops full-fledged
classes both inside and outside Hokkaido. Also, the Ainu Culture Foundation
promotes broadcasts of lectures on the Ainu language for beginners
twice a week which are re-broadcast on STV (Sapporo Television Broadcasting)
radio. |
| (3) |
Promotion of Ainu Culture
In museums and art galleries throughout Japan collections of ethnic
clothing and tools used in everyday life are exhibited to develop
interest among Ainu people of their own inheritance, and folk craft
exhibits are held to introduce Ainu culture. Also this foundation
holds an Ainu Cultural Festival introducing Ainu culture comprehensively
through Ainu traditional dance and oral literature (Yukara). |
| (4) |
Spreading education about Ainu tradition
and culture
The Ainu Culture Promotion Foundation holds lecture meetings for the
public on Ainu tradition and culture throughout Japan. This foundation
manages the Ainu Cultural Exchange Center which primarily offers information
about Ainu for metropolitan areas while providing a place for presenting
cultural activities of Ainu people residing in Japan. |
|
|
