 | Ainu is the indigenous ethnic group once lived in a large area of japan, which is from Tohoku district to Hokkaido, Sakhalin（Karafuto）and Kurile Islands. Now, most of Ainu live in Hokkaido.
Since Meiji period when many emigrants came over to Hokkaido, the government forced Ainu to assimilate with the“wajin”or japanese,and denied the language, the custom and the living of Ainu. Ainu had been receved unreasonable discrimination.
Therefore, nowadays, Ainu people rarely speak their own language in everyday life, except on the occasions of traditional ceremonies, singing and dancing. There are few people who can speak Ainu fluently.
But now, there has been a movement of promoting Ainu culture,such as language, songs and dances.
However,the discrimination against Ainu still exists, although it varies in regions and social environment. For many Ainu, it is still difficult to introduce themselves as Ainu.
In 1997, The Ainu Cultural Promotion Act was enacted. Yet the goverment doesn't recognize Ainu people as indigenous ethnic group, for the concern of raising questions about aboriginal rights.
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