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NHK
01-05-2025
- General
- NHK
UK university hands over ancestral remains to Japan's indigenous Ainu people
A university in Scotland has returned ancestral remains to indigenous Ainu people of Japan that were kept in its museum for over a century. The skulls of three Ainu people were given back to representatives from Japan, including an ethnic Ainu group, in a ceremony at the University of Edinburgh on Wednesday. The university's principal and vice-chancellor, Peter Mathieson, handed the remains in boxes wrapped with white cloth over to the executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, Okawa Masaru. The remains are to be interred at the memorial site in the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park in Hokkaido on Saturday. The university says the Ainu remains were donated in 1913 by a Scottish-born anthropologist and physician who was an Edinburgh graduate and who lived in Japan. Last year, it expressed its intention to return them. Okawa said he was filled with emotions to think of how the ancestors had felt for so many years in foreign lands. He said Ainu people will honor their spirits with dignity at the memorial facility. Remains and cultural artifacts of Ainu people were taken abroad for research purposes between the late 19th and the early 20th century. The latest is the third such return of Ainu remains from abroad, following ones from Germany and Australia. In Britain, the remains of three Ainu people are kept at the Natural History Museum in London. The Japanese government is requesting their return.
Scotsman
01-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
University returns ancestral skulls to Ainu people of Japan
Remains had been held at Anatomical Museum for more than 100 years Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The skulls of three indigenous Ainu people have been returned to their community by a university. The remains, which have been held at the University of Edinburgh's Anatomical Museum for more than 100 years, were returned to the Ainu Association of Hokkaido during a formal ceremony in the city. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An indigenous group who predominantly inhabit the Japanese island of Hokkaido, members of the Ainu community held a traditional service at the university before the formal transfer of the skulls. The Ainu lived in self-governing villages across northern Japan for centuries, maintaining a separate language and distinctive culture from the rest of the population. On their return to Japan the skulls will be interred at a memorial site established in the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park, in accordance with Japanese government guidelines. Professor Sir Peter Mathieson of Edinburgh University and Mr Okawa Masaru, executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, during the ceremony as the skulls of three indigenous Ainu people were returned to their community | PA The remains were donated to the university in 1913 by anthropologist Neil Gordon Munro, a Scottish-born physician and Edinburgh graduate. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dr Munro worked as director of the General Hospital in Yokohama for the majority of his career and lived in Japan until he died in 1942. He was believed to be one of the first Westerners to write extensively on and make records of Ainu culture. The Ainu were marginalised and subjected to studies in the late 19th and early 20th century, with remains and cultural artifacts taken and displayed or used for research in Japan and further afield. Masaru Okawa, executive director of the Hokkaido Ainu Association, said: 'Since it became clear that Ainu remains were taken both domestically and internationally for research purposes, our association has been advocating for the return of these remains to their respective regions and for respectful memorialization. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We can only imagine the feelings of our ancestors who spent many years in foreign lands, but we believe they are pleased to return home. 'We are committed to continuing to honour the spirits of our ancestors with dignity, following the traditions handed down through generations.' From left, Katsuyoshi Uji, Okawa Masaru and Tetsuya Ogawa during the Ainu repatriation traditional ceremony as the skulls of three indigenous Ainu people were returned to their community by Edinburgh University | PA Professor Tom Gillingwater, chairman of anatomy at the University of Edinburgh, said: 'Repatriations are an important part of the university's efforts to care for, and address, its historical collections. 'Rather than being viewed as a diminishment of the university's collections, they represent an important opportunity for the university to work with communities across the world in order to build new relationships and friendships. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are honoured to have been able to play a part in returning these remains to the Ainu community.' Okawa Masaru, executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, with Tetsuya Ogawa and Yoshiyuki Uji holding the skulls during the ceremony as the skulls of three indigenous Ainu people were returned to their community by the University of Edinburgh | PA Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, the university's principal and vice-chancellor, said: 'It has been a privilege to welcome representatives from the Ainu community and to work with them during this process.
Scotsman
01-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
University returns ancestral skulls to Ainu people of Japan
Remains had been held at Anatomical Museum for more than 100 years Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The skulls of three indigenous Ainu people have been returned to their community by a university. The remains, which have been held at the University of Edinburgh's Anatomical Museum for more than 100 years, were returned to the Ainu Association of Hokkaido during a formal ceremony in the city. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An indigenous group who predominantly inhabit the Japanese island of Hokkaido, members of the Ainu community held a traditional service at the university before the formal transfer of the skulls. The Ainu lived in self-governing villages across northern Japan for centuries, maintaining a separate language and distinctive culture from the rest of the population. On their return to Japan the skulls will be interred at a memorial site established in the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park, in accordance with Japanese government guidelines. Professor Sir Peter Mathieson of Edinburgh University and Mr Okawa Masaru, executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, during the ceremony as the skulls of three indigenous Ainu people were returned to their community | PA The remains were donated to the university in 1913 by anthropologist Neil Gordon Munro, a Scottish-born physician and Edinburgh graduate. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dr Munro worked as director of the General Hospital in Yokohama for the majority of his career and lived in Japan until he died in 1942. He was believed to be one of the first Westerners to write extensively on and make records of Ainu culture. The Ainu were marginalised and subjected to studies in the late 19th and early 20th century, with remains and cultural artifacts taken and displayed or used for research in Japan and further afield. Masaru Okawa, executive director of the Hokkaido Ainu Association, said: 'Since it became clear that Ainu remains were taken both domestically and internationally for research purposes, our association has been advocating for the return of these remains to their respective regions and for respectful memorialization. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We can only imagine the feelings of our ancestors who spent many years in foreign lands, but we believe they are pleased to return home. 'We are committed to continuing to honour the spirits of our ancestors with dignity, following the traditions handed down through generations.' From left, Katsuyoshi Uji, Okawa Masaru and Tetsuya Ogawa during the Ainu repatriation traditional ceremony as the skulls of three indigenous Ainu people were returned to their community by Edinburgh University | PA Professor Tom Gillingwater, chairman of anatomy at the University of Edinburgh, said: 'Repatriations are an important part of the university's efforts to care for, and address, its historical collections. 'Rather than being viewed as a diminishment of the university's collections, they represent an important opportunity for the university to work with communities across the world in order to build new relationships and friendships. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are honoured to have been able to play a part in returning these remains to the Ainu community.' Okawa Masaru, executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, with Tetsuya Ogawa and Yoshiyuki Uji holding the skulls during the ceremony as the skulls of three indigenous Ainu people were returned to their community by the University of Edinburgh | PA Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, the university's principal and vice-chancellor, said: 'It has been a privilege to welcome representatives from the Ainu community and to work with them during this process.
STV News
30-04-2025
- General
- STV News
University returns ancestral skulls to Ainu people of Japan
The skulls of three indigenous Ainu people have been returned to their community by a university. The remains, which have been held at the University of Edinburgh's Anatomical Museum for more than 100 years, were returned to the Ainu Association of Hokkaido during a formal ceremony in the city. An indigenous group who predominantly inhabit the Japanese island of Hokkaido, members of the Ainu community held a traditional service at the university before the formal transfer of the skulls. The Ainu lived in self-governing villages across northern Japan for centuries, maintaining a separate language and distinctive culture from the rest of the population. PA Media Professor Sir Peter Mathieson with Mr Okawa Masaru, executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido and Mr Matsuura Katsumi, director general and head of Comprehensive Ainu Policy Office (Neil Hanna/PA) On their return to Japan the skulls will be interred at a memorial site established in the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park, in accordance with Japanese government guidelines. The remains were donated to the university in 1913 by anthropologist Neil Gordon Munro, a Scottish-born physician and Edinburgh graduate. Dr Munro worked as director of the General Hospital in Yokohama for the majority of his career and lived in Japan until he died in 1942. He was believed to be one of the first Westerners to write extensively on and make records of Ainu culture. The Ainu were marginalised and subjected to studies in the late 19th and early 20th century, with remains and cultural artifacts taken and displayed or used for research in Japan and further afield. Masaru Okawa, executive director of the Hokkaido Ainu Association, said: 'Since it became clear that Ainu remains were taken both domestically and internationally for research purposes, our association has been advocating for the return of these remains to their respective regions and for respectful memorialization. 'We can only imagine the feelings of our ancestors who spent many years in foreign lands, but we believe they are pleased to return home. 'We are committed to continuing to honour the spirits of our ancestors with dignity, following the traditions handed down through generations.' PA Media Professor Sir Peter Mathieson and Mr Okawa Masaru, executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, during the formal repatriation ceremony (Neil Hanna/PA) Professor Tom Gillingwater, chairman of anatomy at the University of Edinburgh, said: 'Repatriations are an important part of the university's efforts to care for, and address, its historical collections. 'Rather than being viewed as a diminishment of the university's collections, they represent an important opportunity for the university to work with communities across the world in order to build new relationships and friendships. 'We are honoured to have been able to play a part in returning these remains to the Ainu community.' Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, the university's principal and vice-chancellor, said: 'It has been a privilege to welcome representatives from the Ainu community and to work with them during this process. 'Repatriations are part of the university's important ongoing work to review its colonial past and we are committed to returning remains in our care to their rightful descendants.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
