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The Iomante is one of the most well known traditions of the Hokkaido Ainu. Umeko Ando (1932-2004) was an Ainu folksinger who captured the essence of Iyomante in digital form to share with the world.
The ceremony honoring the death of a bear is the most famous , however the ceremony can be performed for other animals, with the second most popular to the bear being the owl (Utagawa 1992, pg. 1).
Bears were most often considered divine while simultaneously being visitors to the mortal realm, and were traditionally raised and nursed by Ainu women, being treated as a Kamui, or god (Kitagawa 1961, pg. 131)
After a bear cub was caught near the end of winter, it was placed in a cage behind the sacred window of the Kamui, and is fed dried fish, millet, and human milk in preparation.
This ceremony takes place over three days, with preparations taking quite some time. Millet is pounded into cakes, dumplings are made, and wine is brewed with some to be offered to the hepere (the bear), as well as serving as food for guests (Kitagawa 1961, pg. 141).
Men and women attended the ceremony adorned with spectacular jewelry and intricately designed clothing
A variety of Inau, or "wand", are used in the ceremony. A number of them are struck into the earth, then carried to the inau-san, a special spot meant for the inau only (Kitagawa 1961, pg. 142).
In an act of ceremony and worship, those attending dance and sing around the cage while women beat on crates, and ask the bear to eat what they offer
The first day ends with more festivities and a feast in honor of the hepere (Kitagawa 1961, pg. 142).
On the second day, bows, swords, and ornaments are set out for the bear, along with six inau were set out in preparation of a sacrifice, with a two pronged inau, a nusa, used for placing the bear's head later.
With men and women situated around a fire, three elders preside over the ceremony, as well as 7 other people to participate-
1.) A young man to rope the hepere.
2.) A middle aged man to wave the inau to ward off evil spirits.
3.) An elderly man to dress the hepere in a robe.
4.) A young man to distribute ceremonial arrows.
5.)A young man to adorn the bear with ornaments and earrings
6&7.) Two men to dress the bear carcass after death
(Kitagawa 1961, pg. 143).
Guests sit around the fire in a hut while the elders pray to the kami. The host of the Iomante approaches the cage and says a long prayer, such as this translated prayer: (Kitagawa 1961, pg. 144).
0 thou divine one, thou wast sent into the world for us to hunt. 0 thou
precious little divinity, we worship thee; pray hear our prayer. We have
nouri:.,hed thee and brought thee up with a deal of pain and trouble, all because
we love thee so. Now, as thou hast grown big, we are about to send thee
to thy father and mother. When thou comest to them, please speak well of us,
and tell them how kind we have been; please come to us again and we will
sacrifice thee
The guests perform the final dance for the bear and ask the hepere to accept the rope willingly before roping them.
The hepere is led on a "farewell walk" around the sacred ground while people shoot "flower" arrows at them, an arrow covered in red cloth, as an offering. The final arrow is cast, and with the bear finally downed the blood was collected and drunk warm by the elders. (Kitagawa 1961, pg. 145).
Following, this, the bear's neck is staked with two poles, and the women chant mournfully. The bear is then skinned except the ears, paw, and snout.
After skinning and removing the contentsof the head, the bear's head is taken to the Nusa to be places atop and decorated to send them away
The remainder of the festival takes place until the entirety of the bear's flesh is consumed, made into a stew. The Nusa with the decorated skull is hung on the outside fence with other animal skulls, venerated and acting as "diving preservers" (Kitagawa 1961, pg. 147).