Ainu culture in transition

Abstract

While indigenous rights are being widely discussed and cultures of indigenous peoples are becoming more known to the world, the current status of the indigenous Ainu people and their culture in contemporary Japanese society has not been fully explored. According to a 1999 Hokkaido local government survey, there are approximately 23,767 Ainu people living in Hokkaido and about 5000 in the Kanto area. However, very few of these individuals speak any Ainu language or practice the traditional way of life. This paper discusses the history and culture of the Ainu, and examines the social transformations that have taken place within this society since the enactment of the Ainu New Law in 1997, and the intervention of some innovative institutions aimed at supporting and revitalizing Ainu culture. It also presents material from ethnographic fieldwork interviews that reveal how some Ainu consider their cultural traditions and identity in Japan.