Hokkaido University Museum will hold the 8th Saturday Citizen Seminar of 2024, "Towards New Developments in Ainu Crafts," on November 16th.

Ainu crafts continue to change in response to each era. Makers learn from the work of their predecessors as if they are pulling at the threads of tradition, and create works by blending their own experience and sensibility. In 2013, Nibutani ita (tray) and Nibutani attu (cloth woven from bark fiber) from Biratori Town were the first in Hokkaido to be designated as "traditional crafts" by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The 2019 Ainu Policy Promotion Act and the hit manga "Golden Kamuy" have also influenced Ainu crafts. In recent years, collaborations with other industries have also become more common. In this seminar, we will consider the current state of Ainu crafts while introducing exhibitions and practices in which the presenters have been involved.

Click here for more information. *You will be redirected to Hokkaido University Museum website.