Ainu Traditional Dance as an “Exhibit” of Museum Culture and as an Element of Ethnic Tourism

Abstract

Ainu traditional dance is an integral part of folk culture, which is connected with rituals, songs and music. Nowadays, however, real rituals are not carried out and the dance that used to accompany them has turned into a cultural phenomenon which has absorbed both traditional content and new elements. Ainu dance has become a spectacular art; it is being revived and supported in museum complexes in Hokkaido, and the process of its museumification is underway. The dance is turning into a kind of museum exhibit, which requires “ethnographic accuracy” in its performance. But museums are institutions intended for the public, and they are part of the modern tourism industry. Therefore, the problem of the purposes and scope of reproducing authentic material arises. On the other hand, the dance should be spectacular and understandable to different groups of spectators. The article attempts to analyze the conditions that were instrumental in transforming the Ainu ritual dance into an exhibit of museum culture and the ways of its transition into an element of ethnic tourism.