Vulture Quill

To this day, the quote I read in a survivors biography in 7th grade still haunts me. “Who does now remember the Armenians?” 

In some local Ainu groups there were found, besides regular members, a certain number of persons in the category of anun utari, foreign people. The word was prefixed with the name of the river where they stayed, e.g. Otopuke anun (utari) and so forth. By anun utari is meant observers of anun kamuinomi or non-local kamuinomi rituals. They fall under two classes. To one class belonged those from other places who, relying on some affinal relationship or kinship with a local member, had come to stay as a sort of guest by his or her side. With aid from the member and the headman, they were to remain for a year or two, or even four or five, enjoying hunting and fishing with regular members and then to go home again to their native area. They were usually married and were with their families. To the other class belonged those who had no relations among the local group members but, pressed by narrow circumstances, had come to aid from them. After passing certain questionings by some one headman they were taken in and then, whether married or single, male or female, were temporarily housed for the first year or two by the side of the headman’s house, e.g. under the floor of his elevated storehouse built on piles. Provided also by him with food and clothing, they were to live by helping in manual work for the headman and his people, all under his direction and supervision. They were called ussiu. Eventually, as their character and personal circumstances became known, the headman, if convinced of their good intention, real need and absence of selfish conduct, gave permission for them to build and live in a house of their own somewhere in the area according to his direction. Never the less, they remained anun utari just as before; at all times in hunting and fishing they were under watchful supervision in case they should behave wrongly or thoughtlessly and ignore the nature-spirits venerated by the local members.

Reblogging again cause I actually looked through this and it’s like “I SPY”: