Program

History of Ainu Race and Background
The Ainu race is an indigenous race that lives in the northern part of the Japanese archipelago, particularly in Hokkaido Prefecture,with their unique language and culture. The Ainu people are believed to have maintained the original form of Japan’s ancient culture
called “Jomon Culture” that flourished between 15,000 B.C. and 3000 B.C. to some extent as opposed to other races in Japan, whichwere exposed to the influence of foreign cultures such as Chinese and Korean cultures.
The Ainu culture is particularly known for its beautiful patterns on their traditional clothes and the oral culture known as “Yukar”.
A number of present-day people have been inspired by the Ainu’s unique world-view and have come to recognise the Ainu culture as
the important cultural asset of Japan. The Ainu people, who suffered greatly from Japan’s modernisation policy in the past, haveregained their pride and are taking a step forward to disseminate their culture to the world.
The Japanese Diet has unanimously adopted the resolution to recognise the Ainu as “Japan’s indigenous race” in 2008 andestablished the Office to Promote the Ainu Culture in the office of Prime Minister. The Japanese government plans to establish theNational Ainu Museum in Hokkaido by 2020, when Japan hosts the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Thursday, November 28
Kolkata■ Ainu Performance■ Guest Program : Purulia Chhau'Chau' is a vigorous form of martial dance and drama popular in the Chotanagpur plateau areaof Eastern India. There are more than 500 Chau groups in Purulia .Tribes like Bhumij, Mahato,Munda, Ho, Santhal, Oraon, Dom perform this dance.
Elaborate masks, dazzling costumes, rhythmic drum beatings, powerful acrobatic movements
and somersaults in the air make the dance a marvel to watch. Traditional Chau dance wasbased on stories from Indian epics and mythology. Chau dancers are now developing
innovative productions based on Shakespeare's Macbeth, Tagore's Chitrangada and KalMrigaya.

The Ainu Traditional Dance Performance
The Ainu traditional dance is one of Japan’s significant intangible folk cultural assets. It is also registered as the World Intangible
Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO in 2009.
The Ainu people use only a handful number of instruments such as Jew's harp and harps that resemble Japanese harp, which itself
signify the Ainu culture is extremely old. Their traditional clothes for dancing have unique patterns and their movements are derived
from the movements of birds and other animals.
The Ainu people consider themselves as part of the nature. They regard things that exist in the world such as animals, plants, water,and even diseases as Kamui, or the gods, and Kamui and humans live together by supporting each other. Therefore, when the Ainu
people dance, they express their feelings of joy and sorrow to share them with the gods.

Saturday, November 30
Mumbai■ Ainu Performance■ Guest Program : Ms. Penaz Masani
A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of lovein spite of that pain. Those beautiful feeling is sung melodiously in the most extraordinary way to touch the heartof the listener.
Penaz is known as the Queen of Ghazals and her Guru is the very talented ‘Madhurrani “ ji.

Prgram of Traditional Ainu dance Performance
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Tapkar (Stamping Dance)
Cyapiyak (Rain Swallow Dance)
Hararki (A crane flying in Sky)
Anna Hore (Birds Dance)
Sapo Tapkar (Children playing with baby sparrows)
Yaisama (Impromptu Song)

24681012Upopo (Sitting Dance)
Ku Rimse (Bow Dance)
Iyonnokka (Lullaby)
Emus Rimse
Hararki (Crane playing in Wetland)
Horippa (Ring Dance)

The program is sometimes changed without notice.

Performer, Biratori Ainu Culture Preservation Society JapanKAWANANO KAZUNOBUKIBATA SACHIKOKAIZAWA KOICHITOYOTA REIKO

KAWANANO EIKO

FUJIKAWA MACHIKOSEKI MOTOKOKAIZAWA HIROKOHIRAMURA HARUMIKIMURA HIROMIMURAYAMA RUMIKOOIKAWA NAOMISORA YUKO

ORITA KUMIKO

NAGANO IKUMISEKINE KENJI

KAIZAWA TAICHIARAI MIKIKO

Monday, December 2Delhi■ Ainu Performance■ Guest Program : Enka singer Chadha
Enka is a popular Japanese music genre which resembles traditional Japanese musicstylistically. The first non-Japanese singer of enka is Sarbjit Singh Chadha from India. Hisenka album was released in 1975 which became a success in Japan, selling 150,000
copies. He went back to India a few years later, but returned to Japan in 2008 to continue
singing Enka.

■ Guest Program : Seraikela Chhau
Singhbhum - an area that finds reference in the Puranas as a part of the ancient region of Utkal. Seraikella, from where the unique maksed
dance form of Seraikella Chhau originates is in part of eastern India. This energetic and spirited dance evolved from martial art techniques thatwere earlier practiced in this region by soldiers of the royal army. The etymology of the word chhau, itself explains the nature of this art form. This
word traces its origin to the Sanskrit word Chhaya which means shadow. The thematic contents of the compositions arc mostly abstract and aresteeped in symbolism.
SHASHADHAR ACHARYA is the fifth generation in the family of traditional performers who have significantly contributed in the evolution anddevelopment of this art form.