In the organizer's words:

Lecture by Dr. Hans Dieter Ölschleger

The Ainu are known in Europe as the inhabitants of Hokkaido, the southern half of Sakhalin and the islands of the Kuril chain between northern Japan and Kamchatka. The initially sparse knowledge was expanded over the centuries by European and later North American travelers who visited northern Japan. It eventually found its way into ethnological literature.

At the same time, the Japanese influence on the Ainu grew, which led to considerable changes in their way of life. Modernization in the 19th century also had a significant impact on their way of life and they became a discriminated minority within Japanese society.

From the middle of the 20th century, however, the Ainu began to return to their traditional culture and identity. The efforts of organizations campaigning for the rights of the Ainu have been increasingly successful. One of these successes is the founding of the Ainu National Museum "Upopoy" in the city of Shiraoi on Hokkaido.

Dr. Hans Dieter Ölschleger, who holds a doctorate and conducts research on the subject of the Ainu, will give an exciting overview of these developments in his lecture. This lecture is offered as an accompanying event to the concert with Ainu songs at the Japanese Cultural Institute Cologne on 23.02.2026 in order to deepen the understanding of the Ainu.