Glad you've highlighted the Ainu. I've read there are some differing accounts of their origins, with evidence that, based on their haplogroup, they originated out of the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean up through the Indian subcontinent and into central Asia then into Siberia and from there, the Kamchatka Peninsula, then Sakhalin (which Japanese called Karafuto when it was part of Japan before 1945), and then down through the Kurils and into Hokkaido. An alternate theory holds that they originated in south-central Asia and migrated to south-eastern Siberia, then into Kamchatka, then down into Sakhalin, and so forth.
There is strong evidence that the Ainu made their way into northern Honshu, as there are some place names in Aomori and some of the other northern prefectures that have Ainu language origins.
I'm always struck by some similarities in their dress to some of the northernmost Pacific Coast indigenous peoples of British Columbia and the narrow southern part of Alaska. Despite the genetic evidence, there may yet be a link based on the land bridge between North America and northeastern Asia. (just my thought and nothing more!)
This is another one of my favorite groups of humans. There are traditions that survive as well as the genetics. However I have never heard of any stories, fables, or mythologies. The hair and the lip tattoos, and bear rituals, I believe are significant clues to lineage. When I first heard of the Ainu, I was stuck on Northern Japan, and completely ignored the geographical proximity to Russia.
Thank you for sharing. This is my first introduction to the Ainu - so interesting.
Very welcome :)
Really interesting and beautiful work. Thank you, Mai!
Glad you've highlighted the Ainu. I've read there are some differing accounts of their origins, with evidence that, based on their haplogroup, they originated out of the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean up through the Indian subcontinent and into central Asia then into Siberia and from there, the Kamchatka Peninsula, then Sakhalin (which Japanese called Karafuto when it was part of Japan before 1945), and then down through the Kurils and into Hokkaido. An alternate theory holds that they originated in south-central Asia and migrated to south-eastern Siberia, then into Kamchatka, then down into Sakhalin, and so forth.
There is strong evidence that the Ainu made their way into northern Honshu, as there are some place names in Aomori and some of the other northern prefectures that have Ainu language origins.
I'm always struck by some similarities in their dress to some of the northernmost Pacific Coast indigenous peoples of British Columbia and the narrow southern part of Alaska. Despite the genetic evidence, there may yet be a link based on the land bridge between North America and northeastern Asia. (just my thought and nothing more!)
Very interesting. I will be in Japan from the US for several months later this year.
What a great adventure, look forward to some posts Nancy
This is another one of my favorite groups of humans. There are traditions that survive as well as the genetics. However I have never heard of any stories, fables, or mythologies. The hair and the lip tattoos, and bear rituals, I believe are significant clues to lineage. When I first heard of the Ainu, I was stuck on Northern Japan, and completely ignored the geographical proximity to Russia.