In recognition of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, we invite you to revisit two of our special online talks: Inuit Print Art and Its Early Japanese Influences and Reviving Ainu Lost Traditions on Screen: HIMEDA Tadayoshi’s Documentary Films. You can watch them anytime on the JFT Youtube Channel.
In the first talk, Dr. Norman Vorano (Queens University) discusses a series of fortunate events that lead to the introduction of Japanese printmaking techniques to the Inuit community of Cape Dorset. In the second talk, Dr. Marcos Centeno (Birkbeck, University of London) examines the significance of Director HIMEDA Tadayoshi’s documentary films about the Ainu people.
Inuit Print Art and its Early Japanese Influences
In the mid-20th century, a series of fortunate events led to the introduction of Japanese printmaking techniques to the Inuit community of Cape Dorset. In this talk with Dr. Norman Vorano, we will hear the story of how these ancient traditions of Japan made their way to the remote Canadian arctic, how Inuit artists built upon these traditions, and the ways in which Inuit printmaking continues to thrive today.
Reviving Ainu Lost Traditions on Screen: HIMEDA Tadayoshi’s Documentary Films
Join Dr. Marcos Centeno for a special presentation examining the historic and cultural significance of HIMEDA Tadayoshi’s documentary films about the Ainu people. Dr. Centeno will introduce us to the history of Ainu representation on screen, which goes back as far as the inception of cinema. Unlike previous documentaries featuring the Ainu, the films Director Himeda made in the 1970s alongside Ainu leader and trailblazer KAYANO Shigeru showcase a new ethnographic approach where the Ainu are not depicted as exotic nor primitive.
JF OverDrive: Ebooks about Indigenous Peoples of Japan
Deepen your understanding about the Ainu people and their culture by checking out ebooks on indigenous peoples of Japan. Apply for a new library card or renew your expired card here.
