When did Ainu tattoo begin? And was there some sort of story or myth behind the beginning of this tattooing?

Following up the discussion about the difference between arrival to the islands of indigenous Japanese (Ainu) vs. the Japanese.... It's very interesting because I didn't realize that the Ainu are thought to be a direct line from the Jomon people! I took Survey of Japanese Art with Professor Bogel, and we studied the Jomon period for a week or so, and from the sounds of it, I had thought that group had died out. Anyhow, seeing as how these two groups migrated from different areas and different times, I'm sort of interested in the word for god "kamuy" because I instantly relate it to the Japanese/Shinto word for god "kami." I wonder if there is a linguistic link, or why these words are so similar. There are other similarities to Shintoism, such as the animist aspect. I wonder if its possible that the Japanese who migrated from mainland China and Korea were influenced by the Ainu/Jomon people for their religion, or maybe it's all just a coincidence.

I very much appreciated that you discussed the role of storytelling and oral tradition in your presentation. Although so much adornment has direct connections to the oral or writing systems within a culture, this aspect of adornment isn't usually discussed a lot. It makes complete sense that the lack of a written language would result in a heavy emphasis on the cultural practice of storytelling and the depictions of narrative from these stories, such as what we saw in the tattoos, even if they are abstractions of historical events or stories. It also seemed to me that the tattoo on a woman's mouth (from which she tells stories) is not a coincidence...

I very much appreciated that you discussed the role of storytelling and oral tradition in your presentation. Although so much adornment has direct connections to the oral or writing systems within a culture, this aspect of adornment isn't usually discussed a lot. It makes complete sense that the lack of a written language would result in a heavy emphasis on the cultural practice of storytelling and the depictions of narrative from these stories, such as what we saw in the tattoos, even if they are abstractions of historical events or stories. It also seemed to me that the tattoo on a woman's mouth (from which she tells stories) is not a coincidence...

this presentation was one of most interesting to me, because i have never heard or known about this culture in japan. growing up in korea, i had always thought that japan was really close and their culture tangible, but this was really refreshing. i still wonder the reasons for this specific tattoo, for the western eye, it does come off a little creepy (as the joker face). i think it is so interesting how different cultures have vastly different standards of beauty. it is interesting that long black lips that take up most of the space on the face is considered beautiful.

The tattoo on the mouth does give an impression of the Joker's "Glasgow smile." You mentioned specifically that only women of the Ainu were allowed to get such tattoos--and that the Ainu as a whole were not really considered Japanese. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that mainland Japan thought they didn't align with their own system of customs that they felt they should not really be included as part of their own. Do me, when a woman of Ainu background did obtain a tattoo--rather than the impression of being dominated for having to have one, it came off more so as becoming a dominant presence within the tribe--because now you were seen much differently. When one compares that to the male-dominance of mainland Japan, I somehow begin to note a connection even further.

I found it particularly interesting to hear your presentationin in connection with the one on Ainu clothing. I saw the significance of layered meanings in their body adornment. An Ainu version of the Hawiian warrior. A female version in which protection was found in tatooing and clothing. The similarity of the hand and arm tattoo with particular ropes used for burial was also interesting to me. I saw in the illustration you presented that their were different rope styles and thus different tattoo designs. Are there differnt meaning/uses for the ropes types and perhaps then diffrent meanings for the tattoos?

this kind of tattoo really changes the way the mouth looks. Almost like a perpetual smile, yet it's black. I really don't know what to think about it.