() are Ainu sagas that form a long rich tradition of oral literature. In older periods, the epics were performed by both men and women; during the 19th and early 20th centuries, when Ainu culture was in decline, women were generally the most skillful performers. Traditional tales describe floating worlds with , or the land of the humans (as opposed to , the land of the gods), resting on the back of a fish whose movements cause earthquakes.

Translation history

Professor Kyōsuke Kindaichi collected and translated them into Japanese.

In August 2006, the reported in its article that Japan's Agency of Cultural Affairs () would discontinue funding by fiscal year 2007 of the project to translate and transcribe the compilations of Imekanu, , which consists of 92 stories written in romaji with the tenth story lost and 49 stories left untranslated. It is said that the stoppage was because of Shigeru Kayano's death in May 2006. The Ainu epic is a major example of the style.

Common themes in narratives

The trade and parents' death are two common themes in .

Trade

The trade happens between the Ainu and the Wajin, which refers to the ethnic Japanese. The trade between both sides persisted from the 14th century to the middle of the 19th century. This long-term trade with Wajin becomes a common theme in the narrative. There are a variety of risks associated with trading activities, including conflicts with foreigners, assaults by inland invading foes, and troubles in Wajin town. In the Ainu language, trade with the Wajin is referred to as . The Ainu-Wajin trade began as a friendship trade. However, this relationship changed as Wajin aimed to control and rule Ainu through trade.

There are two story patterns about trade:

  1. The trade-difficulty pattern. It is about heroes stumbling into a problem in a Wajin town. However, the protagonists manage to overcome those difficulties and become wealthy in the end.
  2. The trade-murder pattern. It is about heroes getting murdered in a Wajin town.

Both story patterns are about the risk and danger associated with trading. The difference is whether or not the main protagonists can solve these problems. In the first story pattern, the story's ending reveals that all problems are resolved, and the heroes live long lives. They become wealthy and successful. In the second pattern, some of the key characters in story are killed. One hero survives and has the responsibility of carrying on their family line.

The observation and creation of nature in literature emerge from their generations of hunting, gathering and fishing experiences in nature. It is very different from Western science's perspective of the natural world, which is distanced and objective. Ainu people first participate in nature and then depict the creatures they see and their living environment. In the narrative, the repeated rhythmic phrase imitates a cry, scream, gnawing, or slithering of the animal spirits. It also mimics behaviour such as a snake moving through the grass. Hirame Karepia's recitation of the (fox spirit) has a refrain that begins with the sound pau. It is the traditional onomatopoeic presentation of a fox's cry in Ainu culture.

See also

  • Ainu music
  • Ainu religion
  • Joik – Sami folk songs
  • Rekilaulu – a Finnish "sleigh song"
  • Kamuy

References

  • Project U-e-peker2