25
An Ainu chief performs a ceremony
to honor the spirit of a slaughtered
bear as it returns to the divine world,
in a photograph taken in 1946.
See also: Living the Way of the Gods 82–85 ■ Devotion through puja 114–15
PRIMAL BELIEFS
inanimate objects, are considered
immortal, after death a person’s
house may be burned to ensure
that his or her kamuy will have a
home in the other world; their tools
and implements may also be broken
(to release the spirits inside) and
buried with the body, for use again
in the next world.
The power of words
Some kamuy have roles in both
the supernatural and human worlds.
Kotan-kor-kamuy, for example, is the
creator god, but he is also the god
of the village, and may manifest
himself on earth as a long-eared owl.
Humans and kamuy have a
close relationship—so close that
kamuy have been described as
“gods you can argue with.” The
kamuy can be prayed to, using
special carved prayer sticks, but
the ritual relationship is based
more on mutual respect and correct
behavior than on worship. If
someone has angered a god by
carelessness or disrespect, they
must conduct a ceremony to
express their remorse. If, however,
a person has treated a god with
due respect and performed all the
appropriate rituals, yet still receives
bad luck, the Ainu can ask the fire
goddess, Fuchi, to compel that god
to apologize and make recompense.
In Ainu belief, even words are
spirits, and the use of words is one
of the gifts that humans have thatSpirit-sending rituals
Hunting rituals were central to
traditional Ainu life and were
used to appease the gods who
visited earth disguised as
animals. In return for offerings
and rituals, the gods left behind
the gift of their animal bodies.
After killing and eating a
bear, the Ainu would perform
the iyomante spirit-sending
ritual. The spirit of the bear—
revered as the mountain beargod Kimun-kamuy—was
entertained with food, wine,
dance, and song. Arrows were
fired into the air to aid Kimun-
kamuy’s return to the divine
world, where he would invite
other gods to share the gifts of
sake, salmon, and sacred carved
willow sticks with which he
had been honored on earth.
An iwakte spirit-sending
ceremony was also held for
broken tools and objects that
had come to the end of their use.I also continue forever to
hover behind the humans
and always watch over
the land of the humans.
Song of the Owl Godgods and things do not. Words
can be used to make bargains
with both gods and things, and
also to give pleasure to the gods.
For example, the Ainu epic songs
known as kamuy yukar, or “songs
of the gods,” are sung in the first
person, from the perspective of
kamuy rather than humans, and
it is said the kamuy take delight
in watching humans dance and
sing the songs of the gods. ■