Outlines of Research TrendsA major theme in the field of cultural anthropology, ever since Franz Boas conducted the Jesup North Pacific Expedition (1897–1902), has been to clarify the similarities (historical relationships) of indigenous cultures (i.e., the lifestyles of the indigenous peoples) between the Asian and American sides of the North Pacific coastal region. In terms of academic history, Japanese researchers have made extremely significant contributions in this field since the latter half of the 20th century.
Salmon and trout fishing and sea mammal hunting were the common foundations of the livelihoods of indigenous communities along the North Pacific Rim. This resulted in many shared aspects of livelihood and culture as well as linguistic and ethnic diversity. Hitoshi Watanabe (then with the University of Tokyo) named the zone of the North Pacific coastal region “the Northern Sea Cultural Area” and attempted to elucidate the similarities and differences from an ecological anthropological perspective. In addition, linguist Osahito Miyaoka (then at the Hokkaido University and later at the Kyoto University) conducted a major project that attempted to clarify the linguistic similarities and differences in the region. Furthermore, Kazuyuki Tanimoto (then at the Hokkaido University of Education and later the Hokkaidō Museum of Northern Peoples) conducted a follow-up examination of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition with overseas researchers after 100 years had passed. Nobuhiro Kishigami (National Museum of Ethnology) held an international symposium in January 2014 at the National Museum of Ethnology to compare indigenous cultures along the North Pacific Rim and published some of the results in Indigenous Cultures of the North-Pacific Rim (2015). While these studies deepened the understanding of various cultures and languages within the region, all of them were not fully successful in explaining or theoretically generalizing its cultural and linguistic commonalities.
Considering the research history till now, we believe that our ultimate goal should not only be to clarify the historical relations of the various indigenous cultures in the coastal region of the North Pacific Rim but also to show how the cultures in these regions have changed after coming into contact with Westerners, and their future direction. As a first step toward this goal, we believe it would be practical to conduct research on the Alaskan and Northwest Coastal regions, which have been the focus of cumulative research studies by Japanese scholars, and subsequently to conduct comparative research with overseas researchers on various indigenous cultures in the coastal regions on the Asian side of the North Pacific Rim.
Minpaku Inter-University Research Project “Interdisciplinary Comparison of Historical Change, Current of State, and Future of Indigenous Societies along the North Pacific Rim: From a Perspective of Human History” (2020.10-2023.3)Minpaku Inter-University Research Project “Interdisciplinary Comparison of Historical Change, Current of State, and Future of Indigenous Societies along the North Pacific Rim: From a Perspective of Human History” (2020.10-2023.3) was begun in October, 2020 at the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan.
North Pacific Research NetworkBen Fitzhugh of the University of Washington, David Koester of University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Katsunori Takase of Hokkaido University, and Nobuhiro Kishigami of National Museum of Ethnology, Japan among others have been preparing for establishing a new North Pacific Research Network.
The public symposium “Prehistory, Language and Culture of Indigenous Societies along the North Pacific Rim Regions” (2022.10.29-30)The public symposium “Prehistory, Language and Culture of Indigenous Societies along the North Pacific Rim Regions” was held at the 4th Seminar Room of the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan on 29-30, October, 2022. For the details, visit the following web-site.
Thematic Exhibition “Screen Prints of Canada’s Northwest Coast Peoples” (September 7, - Tuesday, December 12, 2023）2023年9月7日～12月12日に国立民族学博物館（企画展示場）において企画展「カナダ北西海岸先住民のアート――スクリーン版画の世界」を開催しました。
Inter-University Research Projects “Interdisciplinary Comparison of Historical Change, Current of State, and Future of Indigenous Societies along the North Pacific Rim: From a Perspective of Human History”(2023.11.3-5)The international symposium “Interdisciplinary Comparison of Historical Change, Current of State, and Future of Indigenous Societies along the North Pacific Rim: From a Perspective of Human History” was held at the Seminar Room 4 (In-Person & Online) of the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan on 5-3, November, 2023. For the details, visit the following web-site.