| A documentary film, TOKYO Ainu, now in progress, features Ainu, who inherit and promote their traditional
culture in Greater Tokyo (Tokyo and its surrounding Prefectures), away
from their traditional homeland, Hokkaido. Free from a common supposition
that all Ainu live in Hokkaido, the film captures feelings, thoughts and
aspirations of Ainu, who try to follow the Ainu way no matter where they
live. |
Helard-Asahi Article
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Not to mention the fact that many place names throughout the Japanese archipelago
are of Ainu origin, there is proof that the Ainu were indigenous to the
northern areas of Japan. In the Edo Period, when the prospering shipping
trade between the Northern and the Western parts of Japan prompted the
Japanese to extend their influence into the Ainu land called Ainu Mosir
(meaning “the quiet earth where humans live”), driving the Ainu further
north and exploiting them as laborers. In the process of colonizing and
developing Hokkaido by the new Meiji Government, the Ainu were deprived
of their land and culture, subjected to a turbulent history of displacement
and marginalization. The Ainu, however, have survived this hardship and
kept up their ancestral ties to this day.
In September, 2007, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This marks an important step toward facing up to colonialism, a dark stain on the history of modern states, and overcoming it with the concept of human rights, a universal value capable of counteracting economic and military powers.
The Japanese Government not only voted in favor of the historical adoption
of this declaration, but also spoke in explanation of position after the
vote. However, the speech was a hollow tribute based on the government’s
previous position that there are no indigenous peoples in Japan, despite
the UN official recognition of the Ainu as indigenous to Japan. How many
Japanese know this absurdity and feel indignation?
The Ainu living in Tokyo and its surrounding areas launched a signature campaign, demanding that the Japanese Government recognize the Ainu as an indigenous people in Japan and respect the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Their efforts were rewarded on June 6, 2008, when the Upper and Lower Houses of the Diet adopted a non-partisan resolution urging the government to officially recognize the Ainu as indigenous and promote relevant measures for them. It took as long as 140 years for lawmakers to move towards granting the Ainu their indigenous rights, which were taken away when the Meiji Government made Hokkaido virtually a domestic colony.
In July this year, the G８Summit will be held at the heart of Ainu Mosir--in
Toyako, Hokkaido. The main issue will be how to balance economic growth
and environmental protection against the backdrop of imminent crisis of
global warming. This puts in focus indigenous peoples of the world, who
have nurtured distinct cultures by living off forests, rivers and sea in
harmony with nature and-the people living on the environmental frontline.
Taking advantage of this occasion when the leaders of the world will gather
in Toyako, attracting global media attention, the Ainu and their supporters
will hold the Indigenous Peoples Summit in order to warn of the destruction of nature going on in this archipelago
and redress historical injustices inflicted on the Ainu.
TOKYO Ainu, a documentary film now in progress, sheds a common supposition that the
Ainu live only in Hokkaido, and transcends a stereotype seeing them only
from the perspective of the Ainu living in harmony with nature. Instead,
the film captures current images of Ainu people who live in Greater Tokyo
and inherit and promote their traditional culture and values. Not employing
usual archeological or natural history approaches, the director fixes his
gaze on Tokyo Ainu, who endeavor to walk the Ainu way no matter where they
live, bringing in sharp focus their aspirations and promises held for them.
The shooting commenced in spring, 2007, with an idea of featuring one Ainu “Ekashi” (elder) in Tokyo. Haruzo Urakawa has been single-handedly building facilities for Ainu cultural inheritance, called “Kamui-mintara” (“a garden where Ainu gods play” in the Ainu language) in Kimitsu, Chiba Prefecture. Along the way, however, the concept of the film was expanded to cover more Ainu living in Greater Tokyo. The title of the film was also changed from “Haruzo, an Ainu” to “TOKYO Ainu”. Its short, introductory version will be shown at the Indigenous Film
Festival to be held in Sapporo, Hokkaido, during the last week of June
and the first week of July as part of pre G8 Summit grass-root events.
The Ainu in Tokyo are active and there are locations and occasions in Tokyo
that allow you to witness their activities. There is an Ainu restaurant,
Rera-Cise, in Nakano, and the Ainu Culture Center in Yaesu, just a few minutes’ walk from JR Tokyo Station. In August, a
memorial service is held for the spirits of the deceased Ainu who were forcibly brought to Tokyo in the early years of the Meiji Period. In November, “Charanke Festival” is held jointly with people from Okinawa at a plaza near JR Nakano Station.
The director of the film is award winning Hiroshi Moriya, former TBS television
director, who is highly acclaimed for documentaries on indigenous peoples
in Siberiya and the Amazon. “The Philosophers of the Forest, the Mehinaku”
is one of his representative films. He has accepted the request from the
“TOKYO Ainu” Production Film Committee to direct the film in spite of fund shortage, and has been devoting himself to capturing the images of Ainu men and women in Tokyo, who constitute an important part of cultural diversity Japan. The “TOKYO Ainu” Film Production Committee welcomes your financial support to bring this project to completion.
The “TOKYO Ainu” Film Production Committee welcomes your financial support to bring this
project to completion.
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| "TOKYO Ainu" Film Production Committee |
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| A tentative footage uploaded on YouTube was withdrawn for further editing and addition. It will take a while to complete a promotional footage, but when completed, it will be shown on the Web. |
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The Production of “TOKYO Ainu” was conceived at the request of some Ainu living in Tokyo and its surrounding
areas. Those sharing the same vision came together and the shooting started
with a tiny seed money. The production of the film has been financed by
supporters’ purchase of cooperation vouchers and donations.
We need your support in order to complete the production and your financial contributions will be most appreciated.
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5,000 yen for one voucher with no limit to the number of vouchers one individual
can purchase.
With each voucher purchased, the purchaser is entitled to the following:
＊One special DVD containing promotional footages
＊Delivery of the “TOKYO Ainu” Film Production Committee newsletter
＊Invitation of two persons to a special preview
[Notes] The “TOKYO Ainu” Film Production Committee newsletter will be delivered
irregularly through a Yahoo mailing list to your mail address notified
at the time of purchase. |
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Groups wishing to show the film to an audience can purchase group cooperation vouchers. One voucher is 50,000 yen with no limit the number of vouchers one group can purchase.
With each voucher purchased, the purchaser is entitled to the following:
＊The right to show the film to an audience once
＊Two special DVDs containing promotional footages
＊Delivery of the “TOKYO Ainu” Film Production Committee newsletter
＊Invitation of five persons to a special preview
[Notes] The “TOKYO Ainu” Film Production Committee newsletter will be delivered
irregularly through a Yahoo mailing list to your mail address notified
at the time of purchase. |
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☆ For ordering by email
Please state the kind and quantity of the voucher you would like to purchase along with your name and e-mail address, phone number and address and send it by the following webpage.
 MAIL FORM
☆ For ordering by fax
Please state the kind and quantity of the voucher you would like to purchase along with your name and phone number and address, and fax it to the following number.
Fax number: 045-472-6349 （+81-45-472-6349） c/o: SPACE ALTA
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Japan Post Bank
Account： 00150-2-632153
"TOKYO Ainu" Film Production Committee
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