KAMUI & KAMI | ANAKI77

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The Ainu

The Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan, have a distinct culture, language, and history that set them apart from the dominant Japanese population. Historically inhabiting Hokkaido, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and parts of northern Honshu, the Ainu lived as hunters, gatherers, and fishers, deeply connected to nature.

The origins of the Ainu trace back thousands of years, with connections to the Jomon culture, one of Japan’s earliest civilizations. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Ainu inherited elements of Jomon life, including their subsistence strategies and spiritual practices.

The Ainu maintained an independent existence until Japan’s expansion into Hokkaido during the Edo period (1603–1868). As Japanese influence grew, the Ainu faced forced assimilation, loss of land, and cultural suppression. Despite these challenges, the Ainu identity endured, and efforts to revitalize their culture have gained momentum in recent years.

Despite centuries of marginalization and cultural suppression, the Ainu have preserved many aspects of their traditions. This guide explores the rich heritage of the Ainu, including their social organization, spiritual practices, and cultural contributions, shedding light on their enduring legacy in Japan.

Ainu Cosmology

Ainu cosmology consists of three realms:

Kamui moshir (the world of the gods/spirits): This is where the kamuy reside and govern the natural world.
Ainu moshir (the world of humans): The earthly realm where humans live and interact with the physical manifestations of the kamuy.
Yanukara moshir (the world of the dead): This is where human spirits go after death.

The Ainu believe that the barrier between these worlds is thin, and through their rituals, they can communicate and interact with the kamuy to maintain harmony between the spiritual and physical realms.

The Concept of Kamui (Spirits)

At the heart of Ainu spirituality is the concept of Kamui, which refers to the spirits or deities that inhabit everything in the world. These spirits are believed to control the forces of nature, and each kamuy is associated with specific natural elements or objects.

There are several types of Kamui, each associated with different aspects of life and nature:

Animal Kamui: Spirits that reside in animals, such as the bear (Ikor), salmon (Sikuh), fox and deer.
Plant Kamui: Spirits linked to plants and trees, believed to provide sustenance and healing.
Elemental Kamui: Spirits associated with natural elements, such as wind, water, fire, and earth.

Pakor Kamui: The god of mountains, who governs the mountains and all living creatures within them, especially wild animals like deer and bears, which the Ainu hunt for food.
Toyokap Kamui: The god of the sea, responsible for providing marine resources such as fish and seals, which are essential to the Ainu diet.
Kimun Kamui: The god of bears, one of the most important deities in Ainu belief. Bears are seen as powerful spiritual beings, and their presence is highly respected.
Kamui Fuchi: The goddess of the hearth, who is central to Ainu household rituals and prayers. She is the guardian of the home and the family, providing protection and blessings.

The Ainu believe that when an animal, plant, or object “dies” or is no longer useful, its spirit returns to the spirit world. However, before the spirit departs, it must be honored with offerings and rituals to ensure that it will return to bless the Ainu people again in the future.

The Role of Nature in Ainu Beliefs

Nature is at the core of Ainu spirituality. The Ainu people believe that they are stewards of the land and have a responsibility to live in harmony with the natural world. Unlike many modern societies that seek to dominate or exploit nature, the Ainu see themselves as part of the natural environment, with their survival intricately linked to their relationship with the spirits of the land, sea, and sky.

This respect for nature is reflected in their hunting practices, as the Ainu believe in hunting only what is needed for survival, and they always give thanks to the spirit of the animal for providing sustenance. Overhunting or killing for sport is seen as an offense to the kamuy and disrupts the balance of nature.

The Ainu Creation Mythology

The Ainu legend goes that at the beginning of the world, there was only water and earth mixed together in a sludge. Nothing existed except for the thunder demons in the clouds and the first self created kamui. The first kamuy then sent down a bird spirit, moshiri-kor-kamui, to make the world habitable. The water wagtail bird saw the swampy state of the earth and flew over the waters, and pounded down the earth with its feet and tail. After much work, areas of dry land appeared, seeming to float above the waters that surrounded them. Thus, the Ainu refer to the world as moshiri, meaning "floating earth". The wagtail is also a revered bird due to this legend.

Ape-Kamui

Once the earth was formed, the first kamui, otherwise known as kanto-kor-kamuy, the heavenly spirit, sent other kamui to the earth. Of these kamui was ape-kamui (see also kamui-huchi, ape huchi), the fire spirit. Ape-kamui was the most important spirit, ruling over nusa-kor-kamui (ceremonial altar spirit), ram-nusa-kor-kamui (low ceremonial altar spirit), hasinaw-kor-kamui (hunting spirit), and wakka-us-kamui (water spirit). As the most important kamui, ape-kamui's permission/assistance is needed for prayers and ceremonies. She is the connection between humans and the other spirits and deities, and gives the prayers of the people to the proper spirits.

"Sending-back" Rituals

The Ainu have rituals in which they "send back" the kamuy to the heavens with gifts. There are various rituals of this type, including the iomante, the bear ceremony. The rituals center around the idea of releasing the kamui from their disguises, their hayopke, that they have put on to visit the human world in order to receive gifts from the humans. The kamui in their hayopke choose the hunter that will hunt them, giving them the flesh of the animal in turn. Once the hayopke is broken, the kamuy are free to return to their world with the gifts from the humans.

Iomante

The iomante (also spelled iyomante) is a ritual in which the people "send-off" the guest, the bear spirit, back to its home in the heavens. A bear is raised by the ritual master's wife from a cub. When it is time for the ritual, the men create prayer sticks (inau) for the altar (nusa-san), ceremonial arrows, liquor, and gifts for the spirit in order to prepare for the ritual. Prayers are then offered to ape-kamui, and dances, songs, and yukar are performed.

The main part of the ritual is performed the next day, taking place at a ritual space by the altar outside. Prayers are offered to various kamui, and then the bear is taken out of its cage with a rope around its neck. There is dancing and singing around the bear, and the bear is given food and a prayer. The men shoot the ceremonial decorated arrows at the bear, and the ritual master shoots the fatal arrow as the women cry for the bear. The bear is strangled with sticks and then taken to the altar where the people give gifts to the dead bear and pray to the kamuy again. The bear is dismembered, and the head brought inside. There is a feast with the bear's boiled flesh, with performances of yukar, dances, and songs.

On the third and final day of the ritual, the bear's head is skinned and decorated with inau and gifts. It is then put on a y-shaped stick and turned to face the mountains in the east. This part of the ritual is to send the bear off to the mountains. After another feast, the skull is turned back towards the village to symbolize the kamui's return to its world.

Major Deities in Ainu Mythology

The major deities in Ainu mythology are known as Kamui. They hold significant influence and power over various aspects of life. The Kamui are categorized into different groups. Each group of deities plays a vital role in maintaining balance and harmony in the world.

Kamui: Gods of the Natural World

The Kamui of the Natural World embody the forces of nature, such as rivers, lakes, trees, and animals. They are revered as guardians and protectors of the environment, representing the interconnectedness between humans and the natural world.

Kanno-Kamui: Gods of the Sky and Weather

Kanno-Kamui are the deities associated with the sky, weather phenomena, and celestial bodies. They control elements like wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, playing a vital role in shaping the weather patterns and influencing agricultural practices.

Kim-un-Kamui: Gods of the Mountains and Forests

Kim-un-Kamui are the gods of mountains and forests, representing the sacredness and spirit of these earthly realms. They are often associated with hunting, gathering, and the abundance of natural resources found within these environments.

Kamui-Fuchi: Goddesses of Hearth and Household

Kamui-Fuchi are the goddesses of the hearth and household. They are responsible for protecting the homes and ensuring the well-being of individuals and families. These goddesses are invoked during rituals for blessings, fertility, and domestic harmony.

Lesser Deities and Spirits in Ainu Mythology

In addition to the major deities, Ainu mythology also includes numerous lesser deities and spirits. These beings have specific domains and roles, such as guardian spirits of specific animals, plants, or natural phenomena.

They are considered important mediators between humans and the divine realm.

Other Notable Kamui

Ae-oina-kamui, a culture hero who taught humans the domesticated and sacred arts
Kotan-kar-kamui, god of creation
Tokapcup-kamui, the goddess of the sun
Kunnecup-kamui, the god of the moon
Mosirkara-kamui, creator of the earth
Repun-kamui, the killer whale, the god of the sea
Waka-ush-kamui, the goddess of fresh water
Kandakoro-kamui, the prime originator, the god of the sky
Kanna-kamui, the god of thunder and lightning
Shiramba-kamui, the god of wood, grains, and vegetation
Kim-un-kamui, the god of mountains and bears
Apasam-kamui, the god of the threshold
Hoyau-kamui, dragon god
Cikap-kamui/Kotan-kor-kamui, the god of owls and the land
Cironnup-kamui, god of foxes
Kina-sut-kamui, the god of snakes
Yushkep-kamui, the goddess of spides
Hasinaw-uk-kamui, goddess of the hunt
Kamui-huci, the goddess of the hearth
Nusa-kor-kamui, messenger to the gods and representative of the dead
Pauchi-kamui, an evil spirit responsible for insanity
Kenas-unarpe, a blood-drinking monster who preys upon hunters
Sarorun-kamui, the god of the marshes. The personification of the red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis), which lives in the wetland habitats of east Hokkaido and southern Sakhalin. Other species of resident and migratory birds are also given the name Kamui.

Shinto, indigenous religious beliefs and practices of Japan. The word Shinto, which literally means “the way of kami” (generally sacred or divine power, specifically the various gods or deities).

Kami (Japanese: 神) are the deities, divinities, spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. Kami can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, beings and the qualities that these beings express, and/or the spirits of venerated dead people. Many kami are considered the ancient ancestors of entire clans (some ancestors became kami upon their death if they were able to embody the values and virtues of kami in life).

In Shinto, kami are not separate from nature, but are of nature, possessing positive and negative characteristics. They are manifestations of musubi (結び), the interconnecting energy of the universe, and are considered exemplary of what humanity should strive towards. Kami are believed to be "hidden" from this world, and inhabit a complementary existence that mirrors our own: shinkai (神界, "the world of the kami"). To be in harmony with the awe-inspiring aspects of nature is to be conscious of kannagara no michi (随神の道 or 惟神の道, "the way of the kami").

In ancient animistic Japanese belief, kami were understood as simply the divine forces of nature. Worshippers in ancient Japan revered kami of nature which exhibited a particular beauty and power such as ghosts, the ocean, the sun, waterfalls, mountains, boulders, animals, trees, grasses, rice paddies, thunder, echoes, foxes and fox spirits, and Asian dragons. They strongly believed the spirits or resident kami deserved respect.

Some etymological suggestions are:

Kami may, at its root, simply mean spirit, or an aspect of spirituality. It is written with the kanji 神, Sino-Japanese reading shin or jin. In Chinese, the character means deity or spirit.
In the Ainu language, the word kamui refers to an animistic concept very similar to Japanese kami. The matter of the words' origins is still a subject of debate; but it is generally suggested that the word kami was derived from Ainu word kamui.

Amatsukami and Kunitsukami are categories of kami in Japanese mythology. Amatsugami are also called Tenjin, and Kunitsukami are called Chigi (地祇). Some people believe that the names "Tenjin Chigi (天神地祇)" and "Jingi (神祇)" are derived from the Chinese classics.

Amatsugami is a generic term for the gods in Takamagahara or those who descended from Tenson-kōrin, while Kunitsugami is a generic term for the gods who appeared on the earth (Ashihara no Nakatsukuni).

In Japanese mythology, the acceptance of the transfer of the land (Ashihara no Nakatsukuni) by the Kunitsugami to the Amatsu deities led by Ninigi is described as Kuni Yuzuri. It is thought that the deity worshipped by the people of the region (Emishi, Hayato, etc.) who were pacified by the Yamato Kingship became the Kunitsugami, and the deity worshipped by the imperial family and powerful clans of the Yamato Kingship became the Amatsukami. Many of the original traditions of the Kunitsugami were altered when they were incorporated into the Chronicles, and many of them have not survived. The Chronicles of Japan cites certain passages (e.g., "Ichi Sho Saying" and "Aru Hon Yun" in most volumes of the Nihon Shoki), but the original recorded documents have been lost in later generations.

Another similar concept is Tenchi Shinmei. 天地神明 (Tenchi-Shinmei) is a Japanese four-character idiom that refers to the gods of heaven and earth. It is used in expressions such as "I swear by the gods of heaven and earth" and conveys a sense of reverence and commitment. The origins of the term can be traced back to ancient Chinese classical texts, where the expression "天地" (Tenchi) and "神明" (Shinmei) were often used together to refer to the gods of heaven and earth, or to the gods and the universe as a whole. However, there are also instances where the expression was used to refer specifically to the gods of heaven and earth. In Japan, the term 天地神明 has been in use for centuries and is often associated with the image of the numerous gods and deities that have been worshipped in Japanese folklore and mythology.