NEWS

Talk Held on "Living as an Ainu"

Update: January 9, 2018

On December 8 (Fri.), just before International Human Rights Day, a talk was held on the topic of "Living as an Ainu--Thoughts on Human Rights Issues." The event was a dormitory-based community activity and took place in the 1st floor seminar room of the Momi House and Maple House dormitories, which were newly completed in April 2017. The speakers were ICU alumnus Kazumi Shimodate, president of the Shakespeare Company Japan, a theater group based in Sendai that performs works by Shakespeare, and Depo Akibe, a multifaceted artist who is managing director of the Akan Ainu Industrial Arts Association, as well as being a playwright and director in Yukar (Ainu sagas) theater, a rock singer, and a performer of Ainu dances.

This event came about after it had been decided that in 2018 the Shakespeare Company would perform Ainu Othello, a rendition of the Shakespearean tragedy Othello that utilizes Ainu subjects. As a result, the student group ICU Peers in Mitaka-no-mori (IPM), a group led by students living in the Momi House and Maple House dormitories that works with the university to hold various seminars and workshops, reached out to Mr. Shimodate and invited him to speak.

The event began with a discussion between Mr. Shimodate and Mr. Akibe, who shared the story behind the decision to stage Ainu Othello and spoke about scriptwriting, the current status of the Ainu people, and other issues.

Mr. Akibe explained, "Discrimination against the Ainu has been going on for 150 years. It is significant that this ongoing discrimination will be conveyed in the context of a drama. If you repeat something only from the victim's standpoint, it leads to conflict and reprisals. That is why I decided to collaborate on this work, Ainu Othello. I hope that Shakespeare fans, of course, but also those who are unfamiliar with the Ainu and with Shakespeare will see this production and will be moved."

The participating students asked many questions during the Q&A session that followed, such as, "I'm interested in the Ainu people, but since I'm not Ainu myself, is it appropriate for me to speak about it?" and "Given that there is a lot of talk about the importance of social diversity recently, how do you view that phenomenon?" Mr. Akibe responded, drawing on his personal experiences. Even after the event came to a close, the students gathered around Mr. Akibe and Mr. Shimodate, asking various questions and advice about directing plays, the Ainu people, and their own everyday concerns.