I know most panels are anime-related, but cultural panels can be pretty cool, too, right? I'm thinking of submitting an application to give a panel about the history, language and culture of the Ainu people in northern Japan.
Most people (including the Japanese) think of Japan as a very racially and culturally homogenous country, but there are actually a number of minority groups living in the archipelago, and one of the most fascinating is the Ainu, a native people who were driven north into Hokkaido hundreds of years ago. They're sort of the "Native Americans" of Japan, and have faced a lot of the same struggles and oppressions as the American first peoples, before experiencing a cultural reflowering in the last few years. When I lived in Hokkaido, I dug up as much information as I could about the Ainu, and spent a fascinating weekend at the Ainu museum in Shikaoi.
I'm still far from an expert, but still - would anybody be interested in learning about the Ainu? I'm thinking of a short, snappy, fun panel with lots of photos and videos, and maybe a live demonstration of my mukkuri, a kind of traditional Ainu bamboo mouth harp. Thoughts?
