Ainu coming to Hawaii

Ainu are indigenous people of Japan. The delegation consists of Shizue Ukaji, Haruzo Urakawa, Ponpay Ishii and Makiko Urakawa. Their situation relate to modern Japanese is in many ways similar to that of Native Americans to European Americans, and Hawaii under U.S administration. More hunter and gatherer than settle agriculturalist. As the language culture has been suppressed. They and their allies a conjuring them are here both to share about their culture and to learn about and from the Hawaiian Renaissance and the ʻOlelo Hawaii Hawaiian Laungage rerival movement. The visiting Ainu perform traditional Kamuynomi Ceremony at the Waimea Cherry Blossum Festival this 2/1/2019. Community is invited to come learn their authentic heritage. 

Shizue Ukaji is a well-known poet expressing the suffering of living as an Ainu woman. Her Ainu embroidery telling the myth became a picture book and won an award. She post “Utari stand togather!” In newspaper adds leads to her to be an icon of femail human rights activist. 

She is working on her new biography and it’ll publish soon. 

Haruzo Ukaji is young brother of Shizue also iconic elder of Ainu. His story was in many documentary films. He is one of few elder who practicing ways of traditional Ainu life style. 

Next generation Makiko Ukaji is a daughter of Haruzo Urakawa and now she is committed practioner of Ainu tradition and bridging culture to non Ainu friends through crafts, songs, dance, cooking, laungage and ceremony.