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The opening of the exhibition “The world of the fair peoples Ainu. Co-authorship with the gods in the universe” in the City Museum of Hakodate |
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The display of Ainu shoos and ritual clothes in the Hakodate City Museum. |
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Besan Hirosava. The Dance (Tapkal). From the series “History and customs of Ainu”. 1862 |
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The display of the fest and ritual clothes. |
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Visitors at the exhibition “The world of the fair peoples Ainu. Co-authorship with the gods in the universe” in Obihiro Centennial Museum |
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The exhibition “The world of the fair peoples Ainu. Co-authorship with the gods in the universe”.
Since July 2009 in Japan, on Hokkaido (jap. "northern sea lanes" "way to the northern seas") the exhibition "The world of the fair peoples Ainu. Co-authorship with the gods in the universe." is displayed. 269 ethnographical exhibits late XIXth - early XXth century from the Russian Museum of Ethnography that are shown at the exhibition, were collected by V.N.Vasilev in 1912 and 12 unique watercolours painted by Japanese artist of the XIXth century Besan Hirosava from the Omsk Museum of Fine Arts n.a. Michael Vrubel told us about culture of this mysterious and amazing people. From ancient times Ainu ("a human" "real human") settled in the Lower Amur, in the southern part of Sakhalin, in the south of Kamchtka, on islands of the Kuril ridge, on Honshu island and in the very northern island of Japanese archipelago Hokkaido. Situated on the civilization junction of the Pacific Ocean basin, Ainu differed and still differ from all people of this region not only by their language, but also by their appearance. Surrounded by the peoples Mongoloid race Ainu as a small island of a race isolation in this region, wide shape of their eyes, swarthy skin and a high percent of the curly hair, men wear thick beard.
Ainu's tradition culture is unique. It includes fragments of culture of northern and southern peoples of this vast region. Feeling themselves as a part of Nature Ainu lived in harmony with it, and attributes soul to surrounding world. They believed that people's wellbeing and successful hunting depended on god-creators of their culture and the help of their ancestor. Ainu's legends tell us that clothes made of elm-tree bass for high being Aioina son of the elm-tree goddess was made by the sister of God of a waterfall. Clothes which was richly decorated, especially ritual, was always a striking symbol of Ainu culture. Ikunisi/ ikupasy - special praying sticks had the same characteristic. With there help Ainu appealed to gods, and made ritual sprinkled with sacred liquid sake, made of millet. Ainu prayer sticks - inkunisi were covered with rich carving in shape of bears or their parts (paws, heads etc.), images of fish and sea animals, richly ornamented fest and ritual clothes, different wooden utensils covered with the carving, breast decorations, amulets and children toys are broadly displayed at the exhibition. Watercoloures of the Besan Hirosava, who communicated directly with Ainu, vividly reproduced their appearance and mode of the middle of the XIXth century, when the culture and way of the life of these people were still preserved.
At present the culture of this people has changed greatly. The previous ethnic territory of Ainu's settlement was reduced and Ainu, running to 20 thousand people, live in different prefecture-levels of Hokkaido. Modern Ainu culture doesn't differ from the modern culture of Japan. Only small island ethnographical villages such as Shiraoi and museum exhibits familiarize numerous tourists and Japan inhabitance with the striking traditional culture of this people.
Opening of the exhibition "The world of the fair peoples Ainu. Co-authorship with the gods in the universe" on July 18th 2009 on Hokkaido in the city of Hakodate wasn't unexpected. In this city 150 years ago as a result of the establishing of the diplomatic relationships with Russia, Japanese self- isolation from the world which lasted for 2,5 centuries was over. The exhibition after successful displaying in the City Museum of Hokodate opened on September 18th 2009 on Hokkaido in two Obihiro museums - in the Obihiro Centennial Museum and The Hokkaido museum of Art. Its closing stage will be ancient capital of the Japan - Kyoto from November 2009 to Februaró 2010. The exhibition "The world of the fair peoples Ainu. Co-authorship with the gods in the universe" as a result of 12 year cooperation of The Russian Museum of Ethnography with researchers and museum workers of Japan prepared within the bounds of joint operation with the Omsk Museum of Fine Arts n.a. Michael Vrubel give an opportunity to feel not only the richness of the Ainu culture which united two countries and also to realize that the world is interesting by its diversity of cultures, that contribute to mutual understanding between peoples.
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