Visiting a tribe in Japan that worships bears.

Bears are large animals, considered symbols of strength and courage. Therefore, the image of the bear appears in many civilizations as a highly meaningful symbol, and some tribes even have customs that venerate bears.

A photograph of a group of Ainu tribal people in 1902.

The Ainu are an indigenous Japanese tribe. The majority of the Ainu were hunters or fishermen who once lived in the Hokkaido region, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin. Today, only a small number of Ainu remain in Hokkaido, although their culture, including the custom of bear worship, has been almost completely eradicated.

The origins of the Ainu people have always been a major question for anthropologists. This is because the Ainu were only discovered by Western researchers in the late 19th century.

They were confirmed not to be Japanese or of Asian descent. However, they did share some physical characteristics with Asians, such as curly hair, hairy bodies, small eyes, and a prominent chin.

What fascinated Western anthropologists and scientists about this tribe was their custom of worshipping bears. Experts first observed bear rituals in this tribe in the 1920s. This practice immediately reminded Western scientists of the Stone Age's bear worship, when bears were considered "great goddesses" or "mother bears."

And surprisingly, the Ainu are the only tribe in the 20th century that still fully practices the custom of bear worship.

The Ainu are the only tribe in the 20th century that still fully practices the custom of bear worship.

According to numerous records, the bears used in Ainu rituals were necessarily male, unlike the "great goddess" symbol in Stone Age customs.

This is explained by the fact that sacrificing a "mother bear"—a symbol of the Goddess of Life—is completely disrespectful and wrong. The Ainu also believe that the mountain god Chira-Mante-Kamui borrowed the bear's body to "visit" the earth and its people.

The Ainu gods viewed humans as equals and always desired closeness with them. Therefore, the gods offered their flesh and skin – bear skins and meat – as rewards to humans. The act of "killing" bears was believed to free the gods from their earthly bodies and allow them to transcend, returning to their own world.

When a bear is captured in the mountains, it is brought back to the village and kept in a large wooden cage. The bear is carefully cared for and fed human food.

The bears will be kept in a wooden cage...

Even if the bear is very young and doesn't have teeth yet, it will be nursed by humans. The Ainu will raise the bear until it is 2-3 years old. After that, a festival called "Bear," or Iomante or Kumamatsuri, will be held. This festival usually takes place in mid-winter when the bear's fur is thickest and its meat is fattest.

...and got to eat somethinghuman-like food.

The ritual begins when the bear is brought out and placed between the altar and the "gate of the gods." The Ainu then kill the bear with a hard arrow or a piece of wood and place it before the altar. Afterwards, the Ainu people dance around it.

This festival lasts for three days and nights. The first night is the most important and is called Keo-mante, meaning "sending the body away." The bear's brain, tongue, and eyes are removed and replaced with flowers. This ritual is performed precisely at midnight to help the spirit of the god easily return to heaven. Women are strictly forbidden from participating in the ceremony.

This ritual is evidence of the Ainu tribe's belief in bear worship, as they believed bears were the embodiment of gods. Although the practice of bear sacrifice has ceased due to changes in habitat and within the Ainu community itself, some sources suggest that this worship ritual is still performed in certain regions of Japan.

* This article uses reference materials from the following sources: All That Is Interesting, Ainu Mythology, Bears...

The Thanh