REPRESENTATION AND REVIVAL OF AINU CULTURE IN\ud JAPANESE MUSEUMS

The museum field in the United State welcomed a new paradigm in the late twentieth century. The relationship between museums and Native Americans has changed. Until a few decades ago, Native Americans had been exhibited as primitive groups and as dying cultures. However, today their voices are heard and contribute to museum exhibits and activities. Additionally, Native Americans have established their own indigenous museums/culture centers for their own self-representation and cultural preservation.\ud Likewise, Japanese museums are also integrating this paradigm shift into their practices and relationship with the Ainu, an indigenous group of Japan. The Ainu was dominated by the Japanese in the early nineteenth century. Still today, they suffer from discrimination, are treated as inferior, and face the loss of their traditional culture. Many museums also exhibit Ainu culture as a relic of the past. However, Ainu have gradually risen up, advocating for their ethnic dignity. As the sole indigenous museum in Japan, The Ainu Museum offers numerous educational programs and public events, exhibits with docent tours, a demonstration of traditional dance and song, and research and projects with other institutions. Through these activities, the Museum provides its community members with opportunities to represent their own identity, and to not only preserve but to also revitalize Ainu culture. Although there is still room for improvement, The Ainu Museum is definitely a dynamic institution that serves the Ainu community.CSU, Chic