“Ainu culture isn’t limited to language or ceremonies or dance. It is Ainu life itself. Whatever happens every day within the household is Ainu culture.”

AinuAinu - PR

May 10

Ryoko Tahara (yoh-koh tah-hah-rah)

chairperson Ainu Women's Association

IMAGE SOURCE: “Welcome to Ainumosir (Ainu land).” Blog post. Cemipos.org. 16 Aug. 2017. | TEXT SOURCE: Francesco Bassetti. “Japan opens the Upopoy Museum, the first dedicated to Ainu indigenous identity.” Lifegate. 22 Jul. 2020.

QUOTE CONTEXT: “To promote an apolitical notion of Ainu culture whilst sidelining political and economic rights is problematic. Particularly as Ainu customs, beliefs and ceremonies are intrinsically linked to nature and the land on which they have lived for centuries.”

QUOTE QUESTION: How do you define the word “culture” as it applies to your People?

IMAGE CONTEXT: At the International Conference on Policy towards Indigenous Peoples in Sapporo, Ainumosir, winter 2017.

IMAGE QUESTION: What clothing do you wear to welcome international guests to your People’s place?

MEDIA LITERACY CONTEXT: The quote is from the website of social change organization. The photo is from a blog post.

MEDIA LITERACY QUESTION: Who are your media partners in sharing the work of your People?

“Ainu culture isn’t limited to language or ceremonies or dance. It is Ainu life itself. Whatever happens every day within the household is Ainu culture.”

Ryoko Tahara (yoh-koh tah-hah-rah)

“We demand that…peoples recognize reciprocally the freedom of each ethnic group to use its own language and acknowledge the fact that there exist different ethnic cultures.”

“We are a living people. We are not a culture only. It is no use if only our culture is preserved. We would like to recover our rights as human beings.“