ABSTRACT
This chapter talks about two practices amongst the many in which modern Ainu are engaged; namely, religious ceremonials and the Ainu language. The Ainu historically inhabited the islands of Sakhalin and Hokkaido, the entire Kurile Archipelago, and the northern part of the island of Honshu. The Ainu language experienced a sudden decline in use due to the rapid influx of Japanese settlers and the imposition of the Japanese language. Today, almost all of those who grew up using the Ainu language as their native tongue have passed away due to old age. On the other hand, there are still a number of people who experienced the Ainu language during their childhood who, while unable to produce complex sentences, can nevertheless understand spoken Ainu or are capable of teaching it. At the Ainu Museum in Shiraoi, announcements to visitors are broadcast in the Ainu language.
