The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-11
THE ABORIGINAL JAPANESE.
Curious Customs of an Interesting
Tribe Known as Anus.

The Anus, generally known to Ameri-
cans and Europeans as the hairy Amos.
are the only aboriginal people now living
in Japan. They are called hairy in
contradistinction to the smooth-faced Jap
anese. Koreans, and Chinese. Their pres
ent home is in Hakaido, or Yezo, the most
northerly part of the empire, although 1t
is supposed that in earlier times they oc-
cupied most of the entire country. An
cestors of the japanese of today found
them In possession. and. by force of SUI
perior arms and civilization, gradually
drove them to the north, much in the
same way as the savages We're driven
back toward the Pacific bv the early set
tiers 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, "YeZo." means barbarian. They
are very skiilful in hunting and fishing.
which are their chief occupations. They
are under the protection of the Imperial
Government. ard are entirely separated
from the Japanese. The latest census
showed that they number very nearly
Il $50
Among the many curious customs of the
Anus, perhaps lilc NudlNlSSl IL tIcii
method of naming their children. Thsy
observe a peculiar economy in giving
names The infant must go without a
name until it shows itself worthy of bear
ing 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 immomorial custom. have a
brand new name. used by no one in the
md
be guarded. If the child should be giv"n
a name borne by some one else, the gho-'
of the former possessor of the name may
come back from the underworld to aYeng E
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 after
ward to choose one for it. Should the in
FAINT come into the world with smiling
face it might be called "Ikishimatbura, -
which means a smile. Or 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 seven to ten Ainu chill
dren of either sex have their heads
shaved, but after eleven they are allowed
to have long hair and wear the same
clothes as grown persons. They wear no
clothing unless the weather is very cold.
The favorite and almost exclusive orna-
ment is the earring. usually made OF met
al What clothing is worn is made of
straw. They never wear shoes or other
covering for the feet, except as a great
luxury and mark of distinction on cere-
monious occasions.
The men carry small knives and tobacco
DoIIchgS nd he women carry small look
ing glasses and knives. The knife is used
as symbolic. The maiden wear it with
the blade bare, but when she marries. 1t
is worn i'll u sheath. The women also
paint the faces. using Il kind of ink for
the purpose.
The Anus live mostly by fishing and
hunting They hunt the bear and deer.
catch salmon and other fish and grow po-
tatoes and millet. Whenever they can
get it they eat rice which they regard as
the best of food. though they do not raise
it themselves Both sexes smoke tobacco
and drink liquor
The marriage customs differ widely
from those of the japanese. The ques-
ton is first settled between the youth
and maiden. who then refer the matter
to their parents through mediator who
should be relative of the prospective
bridegroom. The man must send a pres
ent of lacquered ware. which is regarded
by them as one of the most precious
things in the world This, however, is
reclaimed by him if his wife afterward
seeks a divorce.
Anus live in dwellings of about the
same class those of the American In
dians. The rude hut has two windows
one of them for ordinary earthly us $. tn
other reserved for the entrance of the
gods.
deep respect. The man is not allowed to
enter the house when the woman is In II
alone. and he is not permitted to walk
behind a woman. When man meets
woman he must salute first by smooth
ing his beard and rubbing his hands