Survival Against the Tide: The Story of the Ainu and Ryukyuan Indigenous Languages

Growing up in a small town in Indonesia, famously known for its diversity of dialects—over 700, at least—being immersed in a multilingual culture is not a novelty.

Yet, I grew fascinated upon learning that there are more languages out there beyond the border of my small town. I remember my first encounter with the Japanese language through Japanese animation. At 5 years old, I thought the characters in the animation had funny names as they didn’t sound Indonesian at all. Nonetheless, they were my gateway to Japanese culture and languages.

A simple Google search will tell you that even experts are still determining where the Japanese language originated from, and there are many different theories of its origins. Nonetheless, it’s a language with centuries of history.

An example of Japanese traditional calligraphy

For many people, Japanese is the standard and perhaps the only language spoken in Japan. Yet UNESCO declared that there are at least 8 known minority languages in Japan that are endangered; amongst them are the Ainu and the Ryukyuan languages.

Voices Lost and Resilient: The History of Ainu and Ryukyuan Languages Amidst Oppression

To summarize, both are the languages spoken by Japan’s two indigenous tribes—the Ainu from Hokkaido and the Ryukyuans in Okinawa.

Kawamura Kaneto Ainu Memorial Hall, a museum dedicated to preserving and showcasing the culture and history of the Ainu people.

The history of the Ainu dates back to the Jomon period between c. 14,000 and 300 BC, and they are believed to be Hokkaido’s first settlers and direct descendants of ancient people.

Similarly, Ryukyuans are believed to be descended from Jomon hunters, gatherers, and fishermen, and up until the end of the 19th century, the Ryukyuan dynasty was an independent kingdom.

Five men wearing Ryukyuan Dress in Meiji era (1868-1912)

They both had separate cultures and languages, which experts believed to be distinct from the Japanese language. This contradicts the myth that Japan has historically been a monoethnic and monocultural country.

However, the Japanese government took over and introduced an assimilation policy in the 18th century to make both ethnic groups more “Japanese” through language enforcement and education. Around this time, the use of the infamous dialect tag (hougen huda in Japanese) also started. Students who used their native dialects in school were forced to wear this tag as a form of humiliation and punished by doing unpopular duties. They were also forced to speak Japanese publicly and adopted Japanese names. 

Kamuynomi, a traditional Ainu ritual

While this story is not unique to the Ainu and Ryukyuan, as we see a shared history of forced assimilations of Native Americans and even in my home country in Indonesia and other parts of Asia where the history of linguicide is believed to be happening, this explains why the two languages are significantly declining.

Reclaiming Identity: The Revitalization of Ainu and Ryukyuan Languages and Culture

However, efforts to save and preserve these languages prevail, thanks to the recent dialect boom—communicating in local dialects in texts and emails became the new trend.

Ainu's traditional dance

In 1946, the Ainu Association of Hokkaido (now renamed the Hokkaido Utari Association) started promoting the welfare of Ainu communities. Some of their efforts include encouraging the use of the Ainu language in daily life with the opening of the first Ainu nursery school in Nibutani in the early 1980s and holding the Ainu Oratorical Contest annually until 2004. Ainu language courses are also offered in universities, while Ainu radio broadcasts and newspapers are increasing.

In Okinawa, American occupiers attempted to revive the culture and language of the Ryukyuans shortly after World War II but were unsuccessful due to the growing mistrust of the locals.

A 1471 letter from King Sho En to Shimazu Oyakata showing the Ryukyuan writing.

Thankfully, in 1955, local organizations and governments started to take up the mantle by starting public speech events held in the Ryukuan language annually and broadcasting local news in Ryukyuan. Recently, schools have also adopted Ryukyuan languages in the curriculum and textbooks.

There’s a famous saying in Ryukyuan:

Kutuba washiree nee, kuni n washitiyun—kuni washirii nee, ‘uya n washiriyun, which means, “If you forget your language, you also forget your country—if you forget your country, you also forget your parents.”

Perhaps it is this sentiment that I shared, as I have long forgotten my ancestral language (my mother’s ancestors spoke Hokkien, while my late grandpa himself spoke Balinese—both languages I sadly do not speak). I wonder if eventually I will forget my roots. Perhaps the current generations of Ainu and Ryukyuan feel the same, hence they work hard to relearn their ancestral languages.

A ritual reflecting the Ainu people's deep spiritual connection to nature and their deities.

Nevertheless, as long as the efforts remain ongoing, I believe that there will always be hope for the future.

The history of the Ainu and Ryukyuan people is just one of the many chapters in uncovering the stories of Japan’s indigenous people. If this piqued your interest, our personalized tours offer an immersive way to experience the rich history of Japan. 

If you are looking to learn more about the indigenous cultures of Japan, we would love to create a bespoke experience for you. Inquire today.