Local Partner: Ainu Women’s Assocation
Background and objective:
With the official recognition of Ainu indigeneity, Japanese government had enacted a new legislation “Ainu New Law”. However, this legislation itself is not enough to promote the public understanding towards Ainu culture because of the long-term assimilation policy. A lot of Ainu cuisine and foods were Japanized and renamed in Japanese and most of the local people are not aware that those foods are actually from Ainu culture.
Through this project, Ainu Women will work on research and document the Ainu foods through Slow Food project “Ark of Taste”, an online catalogue of foods that are at risk of disappearance. It was started with an aim to protect the food knowledge and biodiversity in the world. It has more than 5,000 food items documented in the catalogue.
As the first indigenous Slow Food Community of Japan, it will nurture the understanding towards the culture and histories of indigenous peoples by rediscovering the richness of indigenous food culture of northern Japan. We will then create a brochure with the outcome of our research and share the information with other indigenous fellows at Terra Madre through workshops, as well as in Japan. We expect that through the lens “food”, it can bring positive discussions about food sovereignty and revitalization.
Ainu food culture will be accesible for those who are keen respect, learn and practice. Menoko Mosmos will establish the way to success the stories od the community and tell them to public in likely manner. Indigenous peoples network will be empowered bi this Ainos women activism
Local partner information:
The Ainu Women’s Association Menoko Mosmos was established in April 2017. Menoko means women and Mosmos means awakening in Ainu language. The mission of the association is to restore the right of Ainu women and to realize the society where Ainu women are empowered through safeguarding Ainu traditions and convey them to the next generations. The association has been working closely with Slow Food since its establishment and co-organized the First Ainu Food Festival in October 2017 with Slow Food Nippon. In 2019, hosted an international gathering “Indigenous Terra Madre Asia & Pan-Pacific” in the land of Ainu for the first time.
