Paper short abstract:

The crisis of colonization by Japan impeded the documentation of traditional music for the Indigenous Ainu. My interviews in 2022 show how singers deconstruct formulas of traditional performances to be used in the re-creation of old and new compositions guided by Ainupuri or ancestral conventions.

Paper long abstract:

For the Indigenous Ainu, traditions have been heavily impacted by pressure to assimilate into Japanese society. The continued crisis caused by colonization has greatly impeded the documentation and practice of traditional music. Ainu music revival has been central to maintaining a sense of belonging and bolstering community resilience. Archival recordings have aided in this effort, however, my interviews with singers have revealed limitations of available materials. When recordings are studied by Ainu performers to be shared, the Ainu subculture being represented is rarely conveyed to audience members. This has the effect of presenting a falsely homogenous image of Ainu communities that are richly diverse in regional variance. For under-represented Ainu identities, this can have a devastating impact on broader efforts for recognition and inclusion.

Interviews I conducted in Hokkaido in 2022 highlighted how Ainu singers are actively engaged in processes of deconstructing formulaic patterns of traditional performances to be applied to the (re)creation of old and new compositional formats. These endeavours are guided by the culturally grounded concept of Ainupuri or desired conduct based on ancestral conventions. As individual interpretations of Ainupuri can be equally diverse as the greater Ainu community, I will propose the highly flexible and personally customizable concept of the Ainupuri Compass as a guiding framework in these endeavours. The case of the Ainu people is particularly relevant to discourses of performance heritage preservation in contemporary society given their remarkable perseverance and their uniquely flexible approach to the maintenance of their musical practices.