Yukar

Yukar, or kamuy yukar when referring to stories about the kamuy, is a traditional form of long epic narrative poetry of the Ainu people of Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands. The term yukar denotes epic songs that are transmitted orally and performed in a ceremonial or social context. Kamuy yukar specifically are accounts in which the spirits or gods—kamuy—are invoked or speak through the narrator.

Yukar recount creation myths, journeys of heroic figures, and genealogies of Ainu clans, as well as the relationships between humans and the kamuy. The narratives often present moral lessons, emphasize gratitude to the kamuy, and explain natural features and events as acts of divine beings. They are typically characterized by formulaic phrasing and recurrent refrains that aid memory and performance.

Performance and language: Yukar are usually delivered as a solo or sometimes call-and-response performance by a storyteller or singer, typically in the Ainu language. The delivery uses a distinctive cadence, with repeated phrases and sectional transitions. Some versions are performed with musical accompaniment, notably the tonkori, a plucked string instrument, or other percussion, but many occur a cappella in communal settings.

History and transmission: Yukar were traditionally passed down within households and villages as part of oral culture. They began to be recorded by linguists and anthropologists in the 19th and early 20th centuries as Ainu culture was documented. Since then, translations and scholarly studies have helped preserve the tradition, though it remains endangered and dependent on community effort for its continuation.

Modern status: In contemporary contexts, Yukar is preserved in museums, cultural centers, and some living communities in Hokkaido and Sakhalin. It is studied in linguistic and folklorist research and appears at cultural events, though the level of living practice varies by region and community.