Ainu Maori Exchange Program in need of support!

The Ainu Maori Exchange Program Story

In January 2012, a Maori leader, Te Ururoa Flavell visited Ainumosir (Hokkaido) and Tokyo and witnessed the work Ainu people are doing in their communities to revitalize their culture, language, and rights. He immediately suggested that Ainu youth come to Aoteroa (New Zealand) to see how Maori community members have been working to ensure cultural survival.

Immediately, the Aotearo-Ainumosir Exchange Program Committee to seek out participants. After a rigourous interview process, we chose 7 Ainu youth to go on the exchange starting end January for 5 weeks. Once they reach Aotearoa, they will study, experientialy, about the various ambitious endeavors of Maori people who have successfully revitalized their rights as indigenous people while living with strength in the society of New Zealand.

Their Struggle

The situation the Ainu people find themselves in Japan, while similar in many ways, is also very different from that of the Maori people. The Ainu were just recognized as the indigenous people of Japan in 2008 and the Japanese government has only just starting to draft proposals for Ainu policies. In New Zealand, the Maori have been successful in their tireless work to advance the revitalization of their rights as indigenous people since the 1970s. Furthermore, the Maori people are contributing significantly to the development of New Zealand society in all of fields, whether economic, social, cultural, or political. The Maori language is an official language along with English.

It is certain that through this exchange program Ainu participants will gain enormous encouragement from their Maori counterparts who are making great strides in society while maintaining their culture and values as indigenous people.

It will be an opportunity for young Ainu people in search of their Ainu identity to take their first steps on the Ainu path. Due to anxiety about deeply rooted discrimination which pervades society, or the inability for people to discover meaning in being Ainu, there are still many people who have yet to assert their Ainu identity. According to a Hokkaido Prefecture survey there are about 24000 Ainu people, however in reality there are several times more Ainu people than that figure leads us to believe. Out of the 5,000 to 10,000 Ainu people living in the Tokyo metropolitan area alone, only around 100 of them are active as Ainu.

What They Need & What You Get

They are sending 7 Ainu youth, 3 Ainu comittee members and 3 interpreters for 5 weeks from January 20th to February 22nd, 2013. The Maori will graciously cover the majority of food, transportation, and lodging, but they need to raise money for:

-the remainder of airplane tickets & travel insurance
-daily expenses in Aotearoa
-costs for holding reporting sessions and publishing reports
-funds to ensure we can continue the exchange in the future

They are now running this as a Flexible Funding Campaign on Indiegogo here.
All funds received, no matter how much, will go to the Aotearoa-Ainumosir Exchange Program and used to fund Ainu youth exchange trips.

They have unique perks all made by Ainu to offer to you. Contributions over $50 (including overseas shipping costs) receive a beautiful woodblock print or T-shirt made by Ainu Artist Koji Yuuki specially for this programme as a token of our appreciation.

AINU JAW HARP MUKKURI $25


ORIGINAL PROGRAM T-SHIRT IN BLACK OR WHITE (ALL ADULT SIZES) $50

AINU WOODBLOCK PRINT (SMALL) BY KOJI YUKI (PHOTO UNAVAILABLE) $100

AINU WOODBLOCK PRINT (LARGE) BY KOJI YUKI (PICTURED BELOW) $400

The Impact

Seeing with our own eyes the endeavors of our indigenous Maori brothers and sisters, coming in contact with their passion, touching it with our own hands, feeling it with all of our senses, will surely inspire us to come to terms with our sense of Ainu identity which some of us are still grasping for in the dark. We sincerely hope that this exchange will give us an opportunity to become aware, to see with brand new eyes, the deepness of the traditions that our tipuna (Maori word meaning ancestor(s)) have left for us. Participants in this program will become even more aware of the significance of being Ainu, and if they are able to stand firmly in their decision to travel on the Ainu path, they will be able to make important strides for a new future for the Ainu people. At the same time, we believe it will create an opportunity for Japanese society to become more a fair society- one that respects a diversity of values. We do not intend to have this program available only for this year, but rather, we hope to make this a mutually-beneficial exchange that lasts long in the future, where we not only send Ainu to New Zealand, but also have Maori people visit us where we live, further solidifying the bonds between the Ainu and Maori people.

Other Ways You Can Help

For those who prefer to make a money transfer within Japan:

●Individual contributions accepted from 1000yen in increments of 1000 yen
●Organizational/Corporate contributions in increments of 10,000 yen 　　
●Donation method- Bank Transfer Deposit:

Mitsubishi Tokyo UFJ Bank Hashimoto Branch
(Ordinary) 0526312
Aotearoa Ainumosiri koryu puroguramu jikkouiinnkai 　　
Postal Transfer: 0022-7-54530 Aotearoa Ainumosiri koryu puroguramu jikkouiinnkai

Actualize Ainu Self-determination Workshop @Kyoto Sunday, November 22nd- Featuring Kawamura Kenichi and Oki Dub Band member Kano Rumiko!

Pressured by the United Nations adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Japanese government is finally making a move to renew their policies about Ainu people. In deliberating these policies, it is paramount that the policies are not be decided in favor of Wajin, the majority Japanese, but rather understood as an issue of Ainu people’s self-determination. When it comes to the issues of Ainu people, shouldn’t Ainu people themselves be in charge of making decisions?

We have invited two Ainu guests from Yaunmosir (the island of Hokkaido) who have been active in various Ainu activities. We hope to learn and think deeply about the rights of indigenous people and the relationship between Japan and the Ainu people while also enjoying Ainu songs and dances.

Date: November 22^nd (Sunday)

Time: 17:30-20:00 (17:00 Open)

*There will be a dinner with the guests after the event. Please stay and socialize if you are interested.

Guest: Ainu rights advocate Mr. Sinrit-Eoripak-Ainu (Kawamura Kenichi) & Musiciaon Ms. Kano Rumiko (from the world reknowned Oki Dub Band)

SIMULTANEOUS ENGLISH TRANSLATION PROVIDED

Venue: Kazenone (7-2 Shimoyanagi-cho Tanaka Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8204)

Organized by Ainu-Okinawa wo Kangaeru Kai and other volunteers

Blog in Japanese: http://blog.namako.versus.jp/

email: ainu.okinawa@gmail.com

(Correspondence in English, Spanish, and Japanese. We will have a go at other languages)

Fee: 1000yen, 500yen (student discount, etc. please ask if you have special circumstances)

Below you'll find Sam Dreskin tagging the billboard displayed at Hyakumaben in front of Kyoto University.

The government has neglected to recognize the Ainu as indigenous people for years because recognizing their indigeneity means coming to terms with Japanese history, in particular, the Japanese colonization of the Ainu people and their land. This recognition comes in conflict with Japan’s desires for control over the distribution of resources, as confronting Japan’s colonial history comes part and parcel with providing apologies, compensation, and other rights.

The United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted in 2007 and it was publicly recognized in the eyes of international society that indigenous peoples around the world are entitled to indigenous rights. The declaration marks a breakthrough since Columbus’ colonization of the Americas- a global trend to revitalize collective indigenous rights.

In accordance with these international trends and pressures, the Japanese government recognized the Ainu people as indigenous people last year. The government has created a consultative body on Ainu issues and is in the midst of drafting new policies. However, their report is by no means satisfactory; although some constructive suggestions have been made, the report does not discuss the need for an apology and compensation for Ainu people.

Before discussing each policy recommendation, we have to ask why Wajin have the right to decide the future of the Ainu people. In the consultative body, there was only one Ainu representative. If Ainu people are not allowed to make decisions about their issues by themselves, if we look away from the issue of self-determination, then can we really assure the true revitalization of their rights?

Actualize Ainu Self-Determination Event @Kyoto 11/22(Sunday)

Sunday, November 22, 2009 at Kaze no Ne
6:30pm to 8:00pm (Social dinner to follow!)
More details coming soon...