The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-04-22
ABORIGINAL JAPANESE.
of Tribe of Barbarians In the
Flowery Kingdom.

FIowery Kingdom.
The Anus, generally known to Amer
leans and Europeans as "the hairy
Amos" are the only aboriginal peo-
pie now living in Japan. They are
called ''hairy" in contradistinction to
the snooth-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 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,
1 it is not considered worth while to
waste 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 name
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 smiling face it might be
called "Ilishimatburu," which means
smile. Or fond parents may call it
Kamoissage "a pulling rope of the
gods), if they wish their child to be
in tho cnacio1 oora of ,ro5
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 a 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 q
sheath. The women also paint theil
faces, using kind of ink for the
purpose.
The Anus live mostly by fishing
and hunting. They hunt the beal
and deer, catch salmon and Other
fish, and grow potatoes and millet
Whenever they can get it they ea1
rice, which they regard as the best O.
food, though theydo not raise it them
selves. Both sexes smoke tobacco
: and drink liquor.
The marriage customs differ wide
ly from those of the Japanese. TIL,
question is first settled between the
youth and maiden, who then refer tn,
matter to their parents through
mediator, who should be q relative O.
the prospective bridegroom TIL,
man must send present of lacqueret
ware, which is considered by them al
one of the most precious things il
the world. This, however is re
claimed by him if his wife afterwards
seeks divorce.
Anus live in dwellings of about til,
same class as those of the American
Indians. The rude hut has but twt