Ainu people costume and jewelry

Ainu wearing their traditional costume, photo courtesy  Roderick Eime

Have you ever heard about Ainu? Well, in case you haven't, they are indigenous people of Japan who used to live all over its territory in ancient times but not much of them are left now and nowadays they live mainly on Japanese Hokkaido and the Kuriles and southern Sakhalin Island of Russia. I decided to dedicate a post to this small ethnic group because the main element of their traditional costume, a robe worn by women and men alike, is considered one of the most unique and distinctive pieces of clothing in the world of ethnic dress. First, interesting were materials which Ainu originally used to create these robes: they could be made of plant fiber - bark of elm trees, for example; of animal fur/skin - dog's, bear's, seal's; of bird skin and feathers and even...of fish skin. Can you imagine a wearable robe made from fish skin? Honestly, I can't. But it turns out that garments made of fish skin are strong, light, durable and waterproof. Amazing, isn't it? It seems Ainu used all the nature resources available. Of course, nowadays nobody makes clothes from such unusual "fabrics" any more, with time cotton and silk started to be used, though traditional "bark" robes are still can be found.

Woman's special occasion robe made from salmon skin. Museum of Local History, Sakhalin

Second, to decorate the robes Ainu women invented unique and interesting technique of applique combined with embroidery. When cotton was introduced to Japan it was a rare thing. Ainu women bartered old Japanese kimonos or bed covers and collected them for several years. The pieces of old fabric were not large enough to make a whole coat. So, patterns were carefully cut out of it, sewn onto the robes and then embroidered. The applique on these earlier robes was applied in strips and the robes are called ruunpe. As cotton became more readily available in the second half of the eighteenth century, a new applique technique known as kaparamip developed. The most stunning of the Ainu designs were created in this technique. Large pieces of fabric in solid colours were laid over contrasting grounds, the patterns were cut out, sewn onto and then embroidered.

Men's Robe.  Compliments of Joe Loux Asian and Tribal Art

Kaparamip robe.  Shizuoka City Serizawa Keisuke Art Museum

Ainu robe, The Shiraoi Ainu Museum

The motifs are simple - spirals, curves, brackets, thorns - but they form really spectacular designs. Originally the patterns had not only decorative but protective purpose as well and each family had its own specific symbolics. All openings, armholes, necklines, and hems had to be decorated in order to keep evil spirits from entering the wearer's body through them. The same reason is behind the symmetry of the motifs: to take all parts of the wearer's body equally protected the design had to be symmetrical. Though on some of the robes the patterns may seem similar, in reality they all differ. According to Ainu tradition all designs should be original, to make a "reproduction" would mean being disrespectful to gods.

Ainu Kaparamip robe, late 19th century.  Collection of Thomas Murray

Ainu girl wearing a traditional robe. Photo source

Traditional Ainu necklace, Ishinomake City Museum

For Ainu women necklaces were the most important jewelry and heirlooms. They were passed down through generations and highly treasured by their owners. They even were occasionally put out on display inside houses along with other prized possessions. These traditional necklaces called tamasai are most commonly made of blue, black or white glass beads obtained through trading with Chinese merchants. An additional wooden medallion decorated with metal rosettes is sometimes added to the string, and in this case the necklace is called shitoki. The shitoki medallion often represents the white-tailed sea eagles that the Ainu hunted. The more strands and beads a necklace has, the more valuable it is.

Wife of Ainu village chief. 1946 LIFE

Modern necklace inspired by Ainu patterns  ToyToy

Nowadays many young Japanese designers find inspiration in traditional patterns of the Ainu people and create modern contemporary designs that have a fresh new look and feel to them.

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