Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-08-12
SAVAGES" IN JAPAN.
THE HAIRY AMOS AND THEIR RESER-
vATloNs IN THE EMPIRE.

vAliOE@S IN lite cWFtnS. -
odd Customs Practiced ~ These
Aboriginal % People or Japan.
Unique Styles In Baby Names.
Their Resemblance to Our Indians.
The Anus, generally known to Amer
leans and Europeans as 1.-The hairy
Ainos," are the only aboriginal people
now living in Japan. They are called
''hairy'' In contradistinction to the
smooth faced Japanese, Koreans and
Chinese. Their present home Is In Hok-
kaido, or Yesso, the most northerly part
Of the empire, although it is supposed
that in earlier times they occupied
most Of the entire country. Ancestors
of the Japanese Of today found them III
| possession and by force Of superior
arms and civilization gradually drove
them to the north, much In the same
way as the savages were driven back
toward the Pacific by the early settlers
in America.
The Anus live today pretty much as
the Indians on their reservations In the
west. They are still for the most part
half savage, and the Japanese name
for them, "Yesso," mean barbarian.
They are very skillful in hunting and
fishing, which are their chief occupa-
tons. They are under the protection
Of the imperial government and are
entirely separated from the Japanese.
The latest census showed that they
number very nearly 1900.
Among the many curious customs OF
the Anus perhaps the quaintest is their
method Of naming their children. They
observe a peculiar economy in giving
names. The infant must go without a
name until it shows itself worthy of
bearing one. If it is sickly and not
likely to live, it is not considered worth
while to waste a name upon it. AS
each child must by immemorial custom
have a brand new name, used by no
one in the community, names are scarce
and must be guarded. If the child
should be given a name borne by some
one else, the ghost of the former pos
SCISSOR Of the name may come back
from the underworld to avenge the
slight.
1t is customary to take a name from
some incident that occurred at. the
child's birth or it is left to the parents
afterward to choose n for it. Should
the infant come into the world with a
smiling face it might be called 1kishi-
| roa1,,11sr1 rrhinh roorc a cpofyn mr. fond
parents may call it Kamoissage "a
pulling rope OF the gods If they wish
their child to be in the. special care of
the gods.
From the age of 7 to 10 Ainu children
Of either sex have their heads shaved,
but after II they are allowed to have
long hair and wear the same clothes
as grown persons. They wear no cloth
ing unless the weather is very cold.
The favorite and almost exclusive or
nament is the earring, usually made o.
metal. What clothing is worn is made
Of straw. They never wear shoes OF
other covering for the feet except as 3
great luxury and mark of distinction
on ceremonious occasions. : -
The men carry small knives and to
bacco pouches, and the women carry
small looking glasses and knives. The
knife is used as symbolic. The nader
wears it with the blade bare. but wher
she marries It is worn in a sheath. The
women also paint their faces. using {
kind Of ink for the purpose.
The Anus live mostly by fishing ani
hunting. They hunt the bear and deer
catch salmon and other fish and grow
potatoes and millet- Whenever the.
can get it they eat rice, which they re
gard as the best food. though they d,
not raise it themselves. Both sexe
smoke tobacco and drink liquor.
The marriage customs differ widel,
from those Of the japanese. The ques
ton is first settled between the you'll
and maiden, who then refer the matte
to their parents through a mediator
who should be a relative of the pro
spective bridegroom. The man mus
send a present of lacquered ware
which is regarded by them as one 0
the most precious things in the world
This, however, is reclaimed by him j
his wife afterward seeks a divorce.
Anus live in dwellings OF about tn
same class as those of the America
Indians. The rude hut has two win
dows, one Of them for ordinary earthl
uses, the other reserved for the en-
trance Of the gods.
Woman is fairly treated and held Il
deep respect The man is not allowe,
to enter the house when the woman !
in 1t alone, and he is not permitted t
walk behind a woman. When a maj
meets a woman, he must salute first
BY smoothing his beard and rubin
his hands. Then she responds b,
touching her nose with a finger OF he
left hand. T. ~
During October the Anus hold d RI
ugious fete, which Ia called the bea
festival, because they sacrifice a bea
which has been carefully fostered 70
three years. :s4 = \
Judicial punishment among the Ainu
consists OF a. severe beating with
L a%3.f~En - s-k1.-5 49, LtgaE LAsY - rY1.