Women as Driving Force — Protecting Food is Protecting the Environment —
I am an Ainu woman from Sapporo, Japan. My name is Kayo Tsukiyama. I am a board member of Menoko Mosmos, which is an organization founded in 2017 to work on the elimination of discrimination against Ainu women. Within Menoko Mosmos, I am in charge of editing videos for Menomos-channel, which introduces Ainu women’s fact-finding surveys and Ainu culture in a fun way.
In 2020, an association dedicated to the protection and transmission of Ainu food culture was established as part of Menoko Mosmos’ actions. The aims are to pass on traditional food based on a cyclical philosophy of gratitude for the blessings of nature passed down from our ancestors; to disseminate new creative cuisine utilizing Ainu ingredients and food culture; and to pass it on to as many people as possible.
As the Ainu food is usually prepared with wild plants we collect and harvest in nature, this modernized society does not allow Ainu to access sufficient foodstuffs to prepare our traditional food. For example, as more asphalt pavements for urban development are built, the suitable environment for plants to grow wild becomes less and less. We have to work harder with more energy and time to look for the wild plants we need, but often the quantity is not sufficient. Some Ainu have been trying to cultivate the plants on their lands, but still, there are limits to individual efforts. Also, unlike native plants, the taste of man-cultivated plants might be different depending on the soil. That’s why there are very few people who can pass down the tradition and knowledge of Ainu food to the next generations.
Activities to maintain the traditional Ainu food of Menoko mosmos started with a small number of people. Due to time constraints, it is not easy to continue our activities. This is because most of us, myself included, have full time jobs and do this work as volunteers. However, our belief is strong. Actually I was not so familiar with the Ainu food before joining the initiative. The more I get involved, the more I learn about the plants the Ainu used to eat. Seeing the plants in their natural habitat and hearing Fuchi’s (female elders) stories, all made me feel closer and attached to them. Also, because of my participation, my determination to create spaces where Ainu women can play active roles grows stronger and stronger. Women nurture the succession of tradition and create connections between generations and genders.
Given that the reality we are encountering nowadays is that the extinction of species that have been handed down from generation to generation will continue, and the interruption and destruction to the environment will also continue. It is even more critical for us to keep in mind that human beings are also part of the ecosystem. We are alive, because nature is still hanging there to support our lives. As for the future, I will keep telling people about the Ainu food that I have learned with the essential message that protecting food means to protect the environment. And we can start with making our traditional mixed stew, Rataskep.
Kayo Tsukiyama
Board of Slow Food Community
– Ainu Women for the safeguard of Ainu Food Culture