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A folklore grad student recently hipped me to the following story about the Ainu of Japan, who've been subjected to the same sorts of indignities and injustices as their indigenous counterparts around the world. During the U.S. occupation of Japan, they found a new source of income by putting their woodcarving skills to work, making American Indian-style totem poles and selling them to G.I.s as souvenirs. Although the totem pole had no prior existence in Japan, the Ainu began to take it seriously, incorporating symbols of local spiritual import such as the killer whale. Today the Ainu view the totem pole as an important symbol of their culture and their solidarity with indigenous peoples around the world.

Listening to Dub Ainu, I immediately thought of the totem pole story--this recording brings to mind similar issues. Ainu multi-instrumentalist Oki has apparently resurrected a moribund Ainu music culture by learning to play tonkori (a thin, lute-like instrument) from old recordings and placing the instrument in new instrumental contexts. This album is a remix of previous works by Oki. As with the totem pole, the structure is not native to the Ainu culture. Dub/hip hop production techniques, Casio organ, Okinawan-style vocals, Tuvan throat singing and slinky, melodic bass all find a place on this cool and tastefully executed disc. For some it may beg the question, is this authentic Ainu music?

But here's the point: It's not the role of outsiders to say what is or isn't Ainu. If the Ainu say that totem poles and dub are Ainu culture, then they damn well are. Oki is redefining what it means to be Ainu through organized sound, thus strengthening and revitalizing his culture--it doesn't get more real than that.