The Ainu
Who were these people in the past?
The Ainu are the descendants of the Jomon People, who lived in the Japanese during the Neolithic Age, which lasted approximately from 16 500 years ago to 3 000 years ago. They dwelled to the north of the main island of Japan, located in much of Sahkalin and the Kurile islands. They called their homeland “Ainumosir” which, in their language, meant “the quiet land for humans.” The Ainu people’s distinct culture emerged in the 13th century. The ‘Ainu Culture’ took place from around 1400 to the early 1700’s. One theory states that it developed from the Satsumon Culture, with the influences of the Okhotsk Culture. During this time period, the Ainu were slowly deprived of their economic resources by Japanese feudal lords and merchants.
In the middle of the 15th century, the Japanese people extended their influence over to Southern Hokkaido, which, at the time, was primarily Esashi and Matsumae. To resist the oppression that the Japanese were instigating on them, the Ainu started the Battle of Kosyamain in the year of 1457, the Battle of Syaksyain in 1669, and the Battle of Kunasiri-Menasi in 1789. Throughout each of the wars, the Ainu lost each time. Predominantly after the Battle of Kunasiri-Menasi, the Ainu fell completely under control of the Japanese. When the Meiji government came into power in 1868, under the government policy of assimilation, the Ainu were prevented from going about with their daily customs. They were given the status of former aborigines, and were forced to go about by the Japanese daily customs.
In the year of 1899, however, the Hokkaido Aborigine Protection Act was passed. The Protection Act was aimed particularly at providing much needed relief for the Ainu people, and to help them engage in agriculture. This may have worked if the act had not referred to the Ainu as former aborigines, thus clarifying the distinction between the Japanese people and the Ainu people. Later on in the Meiji era, the more and more Japanese settled in Ainumosir, the Ainu’s home. When they did this, they renamed Ainumosir ‘Hokkaido’. The Ainu land was taken on the assumption that it was ‘terra nullius’, the Latin expression meaning ‘Land belonging to no one.’
The Ainu are the descendants of the Jomon People, who lived in the Japanese during the Neolithic Age, which lasted approximately from 16 500 years ago to 3 000 years ago. They dwelled to the north of the main island of Japan, located in much of Sahkalin and the Kurile islands. They called their homeland “Ainumosir” which, in their language, meant “the quiet land for humans.” The Ainu people’s distinct culture emerged in the 13th century. The ‘Ainu Culture’ took place from around 1400 to the early 1700’s. One theory states that it developed from the Satsumon Culture, with the influences of the Okhotsk Culture. During this time period, the Ainu were slowly deprived of their economic resources by Japanese feudal lords and merchants.
In the middle of the 15th century, the Japanese people extended their influence over to Southern Hokkaido, which, at the time, was primarily Esashi and Matsumae. To resist the oppression that the Japanese were instigating on them, the Ainu started the Battle of Kosyamain in the year of 1457, the Battle of Syaksyain in 1669, and the Battle of Kunasiri-Menasi in 1789. Throughout each of the wars, the Ainu lost each time. Predominantly after the Battle of Kunasiri-Menasi, the Ainu fell completely under control of the Japanese. When the Meiji government came into power in 1868, under the government policy of assimilation, the Ainu were prevented from going about with their daily customs. They were given the status of former aborigines, and were forced to go about by the Japanese daily customs.
In the year of 1899, however, the Hokkaido Aborigine Protection Act was passed. The Protection Act was aimed particularly at providing much needed relief for the Ainu people, and to help them engage in agriculture. This may have worked if the act had not referred to the Ainu as former aborigines, thus clarifying the distinction between the Japanese people and the Ainu people. Later on in the Meiji era, the more and more Japanese settled in Ainumosir, the Ainu’s home. When they did this, they renamed Ainumosir ‘Hokkaido’. The Ainu land was taken on the assumption that it was ‘terra nullius’, the Latin expression meaning ‘Land belonging to no one.’
How did they lose their position in their country?
The Ainu people lost their position in their country for many reasons that should not ethically be the deciding factor in whether or not a group of people belongs in a place. The Ainu culture was very different from Japanese culture, the men would never shave after a certain age resulting in long beards and moustaches and the women tattooed their mouths starting at a young age. The differences in culture could have potentially driven a wedge between the Japanese people and the Ainu people, because they did not understand each other’s ways and were intent on changing the other. Or, it could have been something else. The word Ainu means humans, and their home, Ainumosir, meant land of the humans. They believed that everything in nature has a kamuy, a spirit or a god, on the inside. The most important to them included Kamut Fuchi, goddess of the hearth, Kim-un Kamuy god of bears and mountains, and Repun Kamuy, god of the sea, fishing, and marine animals. The Ainu could have wanted to protect their traditions and ways from the people who were trying to oppress them, which made them fight back in the Battle of Kosyamain, the Battle of Syaksyain, and the Battle of Kunasiri-Menasi. The defining point in the Ainu losing their position in Japan was probably these battles, because they lost all three of them.
The loss of these three battles, though they were many years apart, could have made the Japanese feel superior to the Ainu, and made them positive that the Ainu should be living like them. The oppression that the Ainu went through has now resulted in their being less than one hundred people speak their language nowadays.
The Ainu people lost their position in their country for many reasons that should not ethically be the deciding factor in whether or not a group of people belongs in a place. The Ainu culture was very different from Japanese culture, the men would never shave after a certain age resulting in long beards and moustaches and the women tattooed their mouths starting at a young age. The differences in culture could have potentially driven a wedge between the Japanese people and the Ainu people, because they did not understand each other’s ways and were intent on changing the other. Or, it could have been something else. The word Ainu means humans, and their home, Ainumosir, meant land of the humans. They believed that everything in nature has a kamuy, a spirit or a god, on the inside. The most important to them included Kamut Fuchi, goddess of the hearth, Kim-un Kamuy god of bears and mountains, and Repun Kamuy, god of the sea, fishing, and marine animals. The Ainu could have wanted to protect their traditions and ways from the people who were trying to oppress them, which made them fight back in the Battle of Kosyamain, the Battle of Syaksyain, and the Battle of Kunasiri-Menasi. The defining point in the Ainu losing their position in Japan was probably these battles, because they lost all three of them.
The loss of these three battles, though they were many years apart, could have made the Japanese feel superior to the Ainu, and made them positive that the Ainu should be living like them. The oppression that the Ainu went through has now resulted in their being less than one hundred people speak their language nowadays.
What is their reality today?
During the larger part of the 19th century, Japan and Russia were both looking to colonize the region of land that the Ainu called their home; the Kurile Islands and Sakhalin. Ever since then, Japan has been in control of the area of land known as Hokkaido, and the Ainu people who live there. In 1899 the government of Japan enacted the Hokkaido Former Aborigines Protection Act. This law was repealed in 1997 when the Law for the Promotion of the Ainu Culture and Dissemination and Advocacy for the Traditions of the Ainu and the Ainu Culture (Culture Promotion Law) replaced it.
After all of this time, though, the Ainu people are still facing discrimination and racism. In 1991, Japan recognized the Ainu people as an ethnic minority, but still refused to see them as an indigenous population. The government’ excuse for this was that there was no international definition of an indigenous people that could be used as criteria. In 2007, The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples did little to impact Japan’s view of the Ainu peoples rights even though they had agreed with it.
Currently, the Ainu language and traditions are dying, with supposedly less than one hundred speakers of the Ainu language alive today. Recently, though, people have been teaching the language to small groups and a dance group named the Ainu Rebels have been performing, despite the discrimination they have been facing. On January 1st, 2012, the Ainu Party was formed after a group of Ainu activists in Hokkaido announced that a political party would be formed for the Ainu. The Ainu Association of Hokkaido stated that Kayano Shiro, son of the former Ainu leader Kayano Shigeru, would lead the party. The parties aim is to help and contribute to the realization of a multicultural and multiethnic society in Japan, along with working to get rights for the Ainu.
During the larger part of the 19th century, Japan and Russia were both looking to colonize the region of land that the Ainu called their home; the Kurile Islands and Sakhalin. Ever since then, Japan has been in control of the area of land known as Hokkaido, and the Ainu people who live there. In 1899 the government of Japan enacted the Hokkaido Former Aborigines Protection Act. This law was repealed in 1997 when the Law for the Promotion of the Ainu Culture and Dissemination and Advocacy for the Traditions of the Ainu and the Ainu Culture (Culture Promotion Law) replaced it.
After all of this time, though, the Ainu people are still facing discrimination and racism. In 1991, Japan recognized the Ainu people as an ethnic minority, but still refused to see them as an indigenous population. The government’ excuse for this was that there was no international definition of an indigenous people that could be used as criteria. In 2007, The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples did little to impact Japan’s view of the Ainu peoples rights even though they had agreed with it.
Currently, the Ainu language and traditions are dying, with supposedly less than one hundred speakers of the Ainu language alive today. Recently, though, people have been teaching the language to small groups and a dance group named the Ainu Rebels have been performing, despite the discrimination they have been facing. On January 1st, 2012, the Ainu Party was formed after a group of Ainu activists in Hokkaido announced that a political party would be formed for the Ainu. The Ainu Association of Hokkaido stated that Kayano Shiro, son of the former Ainu leader Kayano Shigeru, would lead the party. The parties aim is to help and contribute to the realization of a multicultural and multiethnic society in Japan, along with working to get rights for the Ainu.