{{Short description, Deity Kim-un-kamuy (キムンカムイ, lit. 'god of the mountains', also called Metotush Kamuy and Nuparikor Kamuy) is the Ainu ''

kamuy A ''kamuy'' ( ain, カムィ; ja, カムイ, kamui) is a spiritual or divine being in Ainu mythology, a term denoting a supernatural entity composed of or possessing spiritual energy. The Ainu people have many myths about the ''kamuy'', passed ...

'' (''god'') of bears and mountains.

Mythology

Bears are prominent in Ainu mythology. They are generally considered benevolent, though there are tales of ''ararush'' (''monstrous bears''). A prominent ritual carried out by every village that could manage to do so involved the capture of a live bear cub. This cub would be kept, fed, and well treated for a year. Then a bear ceremony was performed, during which it would be shot to death with arrows. Its flesh was eaten to free its spirit to return to the heavens, and when it reached Kim-un Kamuy's home, it would tell of the humans' piety in gratitude for this service.Ashkenazy, Michael. ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology''. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, 2003. 198-199 An important myth of Kim-un Kamuy explains this ritual: One day, the bear god is told by the crow that his wife has gone down from the heavens to the village of humans, and has not returned. He rushes home, takes his child, and goes to the human village, where he is greeted by Kamuy Paseguru, the hunt goddess, who invites him to visit

Kamuy Fuchi Kamuy-huci (カムイフチ, ''Kamui Fuchi'') is the Ainu ''kamuy'' (''goddess'') of the hearth. Her full name is Apemerukoyan-mat Unamerukoyan-mat (''Rising Fire Sparks Woman/ Rising Cinder Sparks Woman''), and she is also known as Iresu Kamuy ('' ...

, goddess of the hearth. While they are speaking, a

fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

bewitches him; then Kamuy Paseguru knocks him out. He regains consciousness in the branches of a tree, and sees the body of an old bear lying below, and a cub playing nearby. He observes while the humans worship the dead bear, making offerings of wine, millet dumplings, and ''

inau Inau or Inaw (Ainu: イナウ or イナゥ) is an Ainu term for a ritual wood-shaving stick used in Ainu prayers to the spiritual world. They were used in most Ainu religious rituals, and were also frequently made to request assistance for hunti ...

'' (''sacred rods''). They subsequently take the bear's meat, and the cub, back to their village, where they present him with further offerings. He finds his wife there as well, sitting near the hearth, and they spend several days feasting with Kamuy Huchi before returning to their home, where they give a feast for the other ''kamuy''. Their young cub returns a year later with further gifts of wine and ''inau'', leading to another feast.

Notes

References

*Ashkenazy, Michael. ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology''. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, 2003. *Etter, Carl. ''Ainu Folklore: Traditions and Culture of the Vanishing Aborigines of Japan''. Chicago: Wilcox and Follett, 1949. *Munro, Neil Gordon. ''Ainu Creed and Cult''. New York: Columbia University Press, 1995. Ainu kamuy Mountain gods Animal gods Bear deities