Evening star., 1901-07-27
ABORIGINES OF JAPAN
HABITS AND CUSTOMS OF THE Amos
OF HAKAIDO.
Live Much DO the American Inc
dians ON the Western
Reservations.

From Japan and America
The Anus. generally known to Amerf.
cans and Europeans as the hairy Ainos,'
are the only aboriginal people now living
In Japan. They are called hairy In con-
tradistinction to the smooth-faced Jap
anese. Coreans and Chinese. Their present
home Is in Hakaido. or Yezo, the most
| northerly part of the empire, although it
| Is supposed that In earlier times they oc-
cupied most of the entire country. Ances-
tors Of the Japanese Of today found them
in 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 Amer
lea.
The Ainus live today pretty much as the
Indians on their reservations In the west.
They are still, for the most part half saw
age, and the Japanese name for them,
"Yezo." means barbarian. They are very
skillful In hunting and fishing. which are
their chief occupations. They are under
the protection of the imperial government,
and are entirely separated from the Jap
anese. The latest census showed that
they number very nearly 1900
Quaint Customs.
Among the many curious customs Of the
Anus, perhaps the quaintest is their meth
a peculiar economy in giving names. The
infant must go without name until 1t
shows itself worthy of bearing one. If 1t
is sickly and not likely to live. it Is not
considered worth while to waste a name
upon 1t. AS each child must, by imme-
mortal custom, have a brand new name,
used by no one in the community, names
are scarce and must be guarded. III the
child should be given 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 name from
some incident that occurred at the child
birth, or it is left to the parents afterward
to choose one for 1t. Should the infant
come into the world with smiling face 1t
might be called "Ikishimaburu, which
means a smile Or fond parents may call
1t Kamoissage Ca pulling rope Of the gods,
If they wish their child to be in the spe-
cal care of the god.
From the age of seven to ten, Afnu 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 un-
less the weather is very cold.
Metal Earrings Worn.
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
pouches and the women carry small look
ing glasses and knives. The knife is used
as symbolic. The maiden wears IL with
the blade bare, but when she marries 1t is
worn in a sheath. The women also paint
their faces, using a kind of ink for the
purpose.
The Anus live mostly by fishing and
hItpt tincr hav hunt fhe nd Ger
catch salmon and other fish, and grow po-
tatoes and miIlet. Whenever they can get
1t, they eat rice. which they regard as the
best food, though they do not raise 1t
themselves. Both sexes smoke tobacco and
drink liquor.
The marriage customs differ widely from
those of the Japanese. The question is
first settled between the youth and maiden,
who then refer the matter to their par
ents through mediator, who should be
relative of the prospective bridegroom
The man must send present OF lacquered
ware. which is regarded by them one
of the most precious things in the world
This, however, is reclaimed by him IL his
wife afterward seeks divorce.
Anus live in dwellings of about the same
class as those of the American Indians.
The rude hut has two windows. one of
them for ordinary earthly uses, the other
reserved for the entrance of the gods.
Women Well Treated.
Woman is fairly treated and held in deep
respect The man Is not allowed to enter
the house when the woman is in it alone,
and he is not permitted to walk behind a
woman When a man meets a woman he
must salute first. by smoothing his beard
and rubbing his hands. Then she responds
by touching her nose with a finger Of her
left hand.
During October the Ainus hold religious
fete. which is called the bear festival, be-
cause they sacrifice bear<which has been
carefully fostered for three years
judicial punishment among the Anus
consists of a severe beating with a stick
administered to the culprit The crimes
are generally theft-stealing articles or the
wife of a neighbor. AS there are eight
men to one woman. the majority of the
males are not married, and wife-steallng Is
very common. The accused is subjected TO
a long examination by the chief of the
community, and is then compelled to re-
sort to the ordeal of fire. He must take
stone out of boiling water If innocent,
the Anus think he will not be injured. Ii
the question cannot be settled tn this way,
the principals in the dispute must fight 1t
out.
The Anus are polytheists. though they
limit their gods to two. god of fire and
a god of water The first is called kabe-
kamoi. and the latter Hatokamoi They,
also, like most peoples who have a re-
lgious system, believe In some sort Of
heaven and hell.