Ikupasuy (Prayer Stick)

Accession Number
1991/1.83

Title
Ikupasuy (Prayer Stick)

Artist(s)
Ainu

Object Creation Date
late 19th century - early 20th century

Medium & Support
wood

Dimensions
13 5/16 x 1 x 7/8 in. (33.7 x 2.5 x 2.1 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Caroline J. Plumer

Subject matter
The Ainu are an indigenous minority group who are native to Hokkaidō, the northernmost island of Japan, as well as a few Russian territories. During the Meiji Period (1868-1912), as Japan spread and modernized, the Japanese government stripped them of their land and culture, so much so that it even became illegal for the Ainu to speak in their native tongue. It wasn’t until 2008 that the Japanese government recognized the Ainu as an indigenous people and made an effort to preserve their culture and end the discrimination against them.  
This object is a ceremonial drinking stick called an ikupasuy. It is used by Ainu men in libation ceremonies to make offerings to gods and spirits. They dip the point of the ikupasuy into rice wine, sprinkle the drops of wine around the venerated object, then use it to lift their mustaches while they drink the rice wine. Each ikupasuy is decorated with an abstract, animal, or floral design. The design at the end of the ikupasuy represents the paternal bloodline and therefore lets the gods and spirits know who is making the offering.

Physical Description
A flat wooden stick coming to a point at each end. It has groups of three vertical lines at each end  and the middle of the stick.

Primary Object Classification
Personal Accessory

Primary Object Type
comb

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
Objects of adornment
carving (processes)
repeated motif
ritual objects
wood (plant material)

& Author Notes

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