ADVOCATE, 1 March 2011

TRADITIONAL ceremonies have marked the coming together of the indigenous cultures of Tasmania and Japan at the Tiagarra Aboriginal Centre at the Bluff in Devonport.  A visiting Ainu Japanese cross cultural group has been in the region since Friday spending time with members of the Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation (SRAC), formerly the Mersey Level Aboriginal Corporation (MLAC).

Co-organiser of the exchange, SRAC member Peter Sims said the two groups were camped in tents at Panatana at the Rubicon Rivulet since Friday to experience traditional Aboriginal ways and talk about issues such as the protection and maintenance of cultural heritage sites.

Mr Sims said since the 1990s MLAC has been working with the Japanese people developing cross-cultural tours such as this one.

The visit is being filmed for screening on Japanese television.The group has now left Devonport to spend the next three days at Cradle Mountain.

At Monday’s ceremonial exchange Devonport Mayor Lynn Laycock accepted gifts from the eldest Ainu Elder Haruzo Urakawa, 72, honourary president of the Tokyo Ainu Association.   Mr Urakawa presented the Mayor with a Ainu tapestry for the city art collection.  He said it was his first visit to Tasmania which reminded him of his Ainu homeland.”I have noticed there are similarities between the Aboriginal people and our people in their lifestyles and their values,” he said through an interpretor.

Mr Urakawa led a saki ceremony to acknowledge the land and thank the traditional people and their ancestors as well as all beings.Mr Urakawa spoke of learning the Ainu lifestyle including hunting from his father.  Today he runs Kamuy-Mintar (the Garden where Gods Play), Ainu Cultural Facilities he built himself.Also visiting with the Ainu group is Keisuke Kudo, 19, a first-year student at Hosei University in Tokyo and grandson of a noted Ainu activist and embroidery artist Shizue Ukaji.
http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/692719/tiagarra-hosts-cross-cultural-connection/