Post date: May 3, 2014 11:17:29 PM
This week, I researched about cultural situation of Ainu people, especially aboutAinu’s oral literature. I’m very interested in Ainu’s culture, they have veryunique customs and culture without any alphabets and characters. They had toldtheir children their history and custom with songs and story. I think thosecultures are similar to Basque’s culture, the one of the world’s most famous ethnic group, they are famous their storytelling.
And this week, I researched about language situation of Ainu. It is very interesting for me that it is said that there are about 15 families which can speak native Ainu language in Hokkaido. Once there are many people who can speak native Ainu language in Hokkaido and Kuril/Chishima islands, include dialect, but in 1994 the last native speaker in Sakhalin died, so now, as we know, Ainu language faces to crisis of the vanishing from the world. And many people who have Ainu background in Japan can speak only Japanese. Now some people try to revive Ainu language, such as lectures and publishing textbooks for learning Ainu language. It is very important act, I think. I will research more about culture of Ainu, especially about Ainu’s oral literature next week.
(200 words)
Omiglot - Ainu Itak
Hokkaido Ainu Culture Research Center