the ainu
well, i didn't get to see the volcanized houses: closed after all. so were the walking trails at the to of the volcano. and the ainu museum at the bottom. and the glassblowing lessons. all available in april. bugger that.
this village turned out to make the whole bunk day worthwhile: there was a talk about traditional ainu ways and language, followed by traditional dance, song, including their musical instruments (one of which is like a jew's harp). all of this took place inside one of their huts, made as it has been for ages. there were legions of salmon drying in the rafters, a fire in the pit, and all around the bamboo-straw (i have no idea what the real name is) thatched walls and roof. very cool. afterward i paid another 500yen and took a lesson in how to make said jew's harp-like instrument (called a mukkuri). 
although we did use modern chisels to carve it..... afterward there was a museum full of english explanations (when the native language isn't even japanese, it would seem you get a world of options - chinese, korean...) and plenty of old articles, like a dugout tree trunk boat and tools. it really is amazing how similar the culture is to native north american trends: they're animistic, and base a lot of respect for each other and nature on the belief in the presence of a spirit in all things; their decorative pattern resembles the haida ovoids (though it tends to include a single coninuous strand weaving its way around the pattern); they depend much on hunting & gathering salmon and forest plants.... i also scooped a book with english/japanese translations of some of their traditional stories. it's such a potent way to learn about a culture through its legends: they always expose most encouraged values, daily activities, religious beliefs, specialized activities and language... it'll make a great alternative to the book of old japanese stories that i've been working through.
so instead of spending the day there, i hitchhiked my way to the train station
(buses don't run till, you guessed it, april) and went to shiraoi, where there's a whole ainu village set up. for those who haven't heard of the ainu, they're the indigenous people of northern japan, and like most indigenous people they too got served by the more technologically advanced culture encroaching on their turf. one difference though: the japanese didn't put them onto reservations. instead, they usurped full control over their trading (previous to this the ainu did a lot of trade with the japanese, as the only other close civilization are soime remote russian islands) and limited what tax funding they could receive.
(buses don't run till, you guessed it, april) and went to shiraoi, where there's a whole ainu village set up. for those who haven't heard of the ainu, they're the indigenous people of northern japan, and like most indigenous people they too got served by the more technologically advanced culture encroaching on their turf. one difference though: the japanese didn't put them onto reservations. instead, they usurped full control over their trading (previous to this the ainu did a lot of trade with the japanese, as the only other close civilization are soime remote russian islands) and limited what tax funding they could receive. 
this village turned out to make the whole bunk day worthwhile: there was a talk about traditional ainu ways and language, followed by traditional dance, song, including their musical instruments (one of which is like a jew's harp). all of this took place inside one of their huts, made as it has been for ages. there were legions of salmon drying in the rafters, a fire in the pit, and all around the bamboo-straw (i have no idea what the real name is) thatched walls and roof. very cool. afterward i paid another 500yen and took a lesson in how to make said jew's harp-like instrument (called a mukkuri). 
although we did use modern chisels to carve it..... afterward there was a museum full of english explanations (when the native language isn't even japanese, it would seem you get a world of options - chinese, korean...) and plenty of old articles, like a dugout tree trunk boat and tools. it really is amazing how similar the culture is to native north american trends: they're animistic, and base a lot of respect for each other and nature on the belief in the presence of a spirit in all things; their decorative pattern resembles the haida ovoids (though it tends to include a single coninuous strand weaving its way around the pattern); they depend much on hunting & gathering salmon and forest plants.... i also scooped a book with english/japanese translations of some of their traditional stories. it's such a potent way to learn about a culture through its legends: they always expose most encouraged values, daily activities, religious beliefs, specialized activities and language... it'll make a great alternative to the book of old japanese stories that i've been working through.tomorrow i intend to take the long bus up north to abashiri. let's hope it's open before april.
posted by jesse @ 1:12 a.m.
2 Comments:
At 9:52 a.m.,
sharon said…
How curious, and yet not, that the ainu should be so similar to the west coast Canadian indigenous cultures. I am fascinated by the possiblity of how migrating adventurers may have crossed such expanses of ocean and ended up on North American shores to evolve along parallel cultural lines. I am envious of your experiences and insights!!
Rock on!
mom
At 6:03 p.m.,
jesse said…
there's still a lot of debate about where the ainu came from, and where they've migrated to - whether from russia, or southeast asia/australasia, or who knows where. same with the japanese origins, only with turkey, korea, southeast asia etc. funny how with all our technology we still can't figure these things out.
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