INDIGENOUS AGENCY AND A NEW POSTCOLONIAL AINU DISCOURSE: A STUDY OF AINU CULTURAL DISPLAY SITES IN HOKKAIDO

Abstract

In this thesis, I examine three sites of Ainu cultural display in Hokkaido, namely the Ainu Museum in Shiraoi, the Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum in Biratori, and the Sapporo Ainu Cultural Promotion Centre in Sapporo, and analyze my findings using Simone Bignall¿s framework of postcolonial agency (2010). At these sites, local Ainu people participate in cultural revitalization work on different levels. I identified three themes that are central to their cultural practices.