Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1902-05-01
ABORIGINAL JAPANESE.
curiou. characteri.tics and Custom.
of n Tribe of Barbarians In the
Flowery Kingdom.

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pie now living in Japan. They are
called 'hairy" in contradistinction to
the smooth-faced japanese, Coreans
and Chinese. Their present home is
in Hakaido, of Yezo, the most north
erly part of the empire, although it
is supposed that in earlier times they
occupied most of the entire country.
Ancestors of the Japanese of to-day
found them in possession, and, by
force of superior arms and civiliza-
ton, 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, says Japan and America.
The Anus live to-day pretty much
as the Indians on their reservations
in the west. They are still, for the
most part, half savage, and the Jap
anese 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 gov
eminent, and are entirely separated
from the Japanese. The latest CEN
sus showed that they number very
nearly 10000.
Among the many curious customs
of the Anus, perhaps the quaintest
is their method of naming their chill
dren. They observe a peculiar econ
omy in giving names. The infant
must go without 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 name upon it. AS each child
must, by immemorial custom, have q
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.
It is customary to take q name
from some incident that occurred at
the child's birth, or it is left to the
parents afterward to choose one for
it. Should the infant come into the
world with a smiling face it might be
called "Illishimatburu," 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 god.
From the age of seven to ten 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 clothing unless the
weather is very cold.
The favorite and almost exclusive
ornament is the earring, usually
made of metal. What clothing is
worn is made of straw. They never
wear. shoes, or other covering for the
feet, except as q 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
maiden wears it with the blade bare,
but when 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
and hunting. They hunt the bear
and deer, catch salmon and other
fish, and grow potatoes and millet.
Whenever they can get it they eat
rice, which they regard as the best of
food, though theydo not raise it them
selves. Both sexes smoke tobacco
and drink liquor.
The marriage customs differ wide
~ from those of the Japanese. The
question is first settled between the
youth and maiden, who then refer the
matter to their parents through a
mediator, who should be a relative of
the prospective bridegroom. The
man must send present of lacquered
ware, which is considered by them as
one Of the most precious things in
the world. This, however is re-
claimed by, him if his wife afterwards
seeks divorce.
Anus live in dwellings of about the
same class as those of the American
Indians. The rude hut has but two