Traditional Ainu Dance: Reviving Ancestral Memories 【EN/JP/RU】

【Coming Soon】簡中/繁中/FR/ID/ES/TH/VN Subtitles Traditional Ainu Dance is an indigenous dance form that was nurtured by Japan’s ethnic minority in northern Japan, mainly in Hokkaido. Its survival to the present is proof of the determined preservation and revival of Ainu culture in the face of a turbulent history. The Ainu believe that spirit-deities known as Kamuy exist in all things in the natural world. They have traditionally expressed their emotions of delight, anger, sorrow, and pleasure through dances rooted in their unique beliefs. These dances are for the enjoyment of both humans and the Kamuy who watch over their daily activities. Some of the dances disappeared as a result of Japan’s assimilation policy from the 19th century, but a variety have been handed down from generation to generation. They include votive dances dedicated to the Kamuy at festivals, dances that imitate the movements of living creatures, and entertaining dances that find joy in the details of daily life. The dances and singing diffe