Some books are published before the happy ending even happens, which can give readers the wrong impression. So it is with this otherwise enlightening story of Ainu history and culture.
"Land of Elms" was originally written in Japanese in 1994, in an atmosphere of political activism. At that time, a campaign was under way to get official recognition for the Ainu as an indigenous people, and a new law was being considered in the Diet to promote Ainu culture. Well, both goals were reached in mid-1997. The angry tone of this book, now translated into English, therefore seems old.
Of course there is still a long way to go before the Ainu people get all the rights and respect they deserve, but this is no time for fierce protests or impassioned pleas. This is a new era in which we want to celebrate Ainu culture while working to rebuild and restore Ainu life as much as possible.
Thankfully, there is also a great deal of fascinating culture in this book, in addition to the politics. Anyone planning a trip to Hokkaido should read "Land of Elms" as preparation. Those interested in the global issue of native peoples or indeed anyone seriously studying the cultures of Japan would also do well to read this book.
Apparently, the Ainu have lived on Hokkaido, Sakhalin and other nearby islands for thousands of years. They hunted the mammoth and produced Jomon-style pottery. The author states, "The Ainu people lived an unusually stable life as hunters, fishers and gatherers. One reason for this may be the diversity of the forests of Hokkaido that allowed for the existence of a wide variety of wild animals."
Like many native peoples, the Ainu's spirituality was intimately linked with nature. Since the U.S. Smithsonian Institution's special exhibit of Ainu culture this summer, many people have learned of the bear "iyomante" ceremony celebrating the return of a bear's spirit to the spirit world. This ceremony was perhaps the most important for the Ainu, but in fact they performed innumerable such rituals whenever they cut down a tree, caught a salmon, killed a deer or in any other way partook of nature's bounty.
The humility and gratitude toward nature seen in such ceremonies is one of the main characteristics distinguishing Ainu culture from the so-called advanced cultures like that of Japan or the West, which aggressively take control of the land and subdue nature for human purposes. It is also one of the reasons why preserving indigenous cultures is so important.
In addition to the customs and spirituality of the Ainu people, their language is a priceless heritage, which should be preserved. One excellent aspect of this book is that the author explains and uses many original Ainu words, and there is a glossary listing some 100 terms in the back. This way, the reader not only learns about the old Ainu customs, but can actually hear the sounds and to a certain extent feel the feelings of the old ones.
The middle section of the book deals with the unfortunate history of the Ainu people's relations with their Japanese neighbors to the south. Just as Native Americans were steadily overwhelmed by Europeans from 1492 on, Ainu territory was gradually annexed by Japan starting around the same time.
The parallels between the colonization of North America and Hokkaido are striking. At first, the indigenous people were not particularly hostile to the newcomers. As the cultures clashed, however, a series of short wars of resistance took place. The Ainu people, like the Native Americans, had some successes but were eventually overwhelmed by their more populous and technologically sophisticated enemies.
The colonizers in both cases had no clear intention to oppress; they merely wanted to take the land and reap its resources. From their point of view, the land was empty and unused, since the indigenous people had no farms, fences or cities. It is appropriate that "Land of Elms" should be translated into English, considering the common history of cultural hegemony that Japanese and Americans share.
The author, Toshimitsu Miyajima, is himself a third-generation Japanese immigrant to Hokkaido. He grew up knowing little of Ainu culture or history, but since he "had the opportunity to meet large numbers of people who call themselves Ainu and see the discrimination which they experience for that reason alone," he decided to join the movement for the restoration of Ainu rights and write this book.
In the final section, Miyajima presents some grassroots anecdotes of present-day Ainu people rediscovering their heritage and taking up the task of rebuilding "Ainu Mosir," the land of the Ainu. These personal efforts, including learning the Ainu language, building traditional Ainu houses, recording the ancient Ainu tales and doing research from the Ainu point of view, provide hope for the continuation of the culture.
Readers inspired by this book to learn more might pay a visit to the Ainu Culture Center in Tokyo right near Tokyo Station (Chuo Ward, Yaesu 2-4-13). It has a small library and offers Ainu-language classes. There is also an Internet site (www.frpac.or.jp/).
For people heading up to Hokkaido, furthermore, the 12th Ainu Cultural Festival is coming up Nov. 28. It will take place at the Chitose City Culture Hall, with traditional dances and theater performances, exhibitions and video presentations, lectures and symposiums. Admission is free.
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