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Ainu from past to present: The rich story of the Ainu people is found throughout Hokkaido, the northern region of Japan. From colonization to protection acts, the history of the Ainu has spanned around thirteen thousand years. This research mainly focuses on the origins of the Ainu as well as the distinction between this indigenous population and others in Japan.
image: five native Ainu people dressed in their traditional clothing.
The Ryukyuan languages: too many to brush aside! - Along the Ryukyu archipelago resides another group: the Ryukyuan people. The Ryukyu islands are home to six different endangered languages, all with their various dialects: Amami, Okinawa, Kunigami, Miyako, Yaeyama, and Yonaguni. Due to suppression campaigns over the last century, these languages have been losing native speakers, but revitalization efforts are being made to save them from extinction.
Image: Traffic safety signs written in Japanese (center), and Okinawan (left and right), in Kin, Okinawa
Ainu music and dance, as a Tourist Trap! - For many years, the Japanese Ainu have been inhabiting the Northern region of Japan "Hokkaido" as their living place. Along with the many years they spent here, their culture developed a strong love for dancing and music. Many of their dances are seen as dynamic, active, and authentic. Researchers will focus not only on the cultural effects of Ainu music on Japanese society but also on the cultural effects of Ainu dancing.
Image: Ainu LIFE: village women dancing and chanting ancient songs.
colonization :D - about our group's research
colonization :D - about our group's research
Although there are only two indigenous populations in Japan, there are far too many integral subjects in each group’s identity to define either in just a few subtopics. However, defining significant practices and the history of each indigenous population is an important step in distinguishing lesser-known groups from the standard knowledge about Japan. By researching the Indigenous populations through multiple lenses, we were able to determine and identify in which ways their cultures have influenced Japanese culture. We decided to divide our focus into three lenses: historical analysis, language analysis, and cultural analysis.
A common theme in our research was the threat of colonization and cultural erasure. Despite each population existing for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, their cultures and languages are currently facing endangerment due to previous Japanese government actions. Without appropriate revitalization efforts and education, both populations are at significant risk of language or cultural death within the next century. However, as of the last few decades, protests have persuaded the government to protect Indigenous rights in Japan.
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