Summary
Upopoy held its annual memorial event for anthropologist Bronislaw Pilsudski on May 17, 2026, combining Noh dance, flute performance and Ainu dance at the Pilsudski monument.
Upopoy held the sixth edition of its annual memorial event honouring the Polish anthropologist Bronislaw Pilsudski on May 17, 2026, timed to the anniversary of his death.
Programme
- Time and venue: 14:00 at Chikisani Plaza, moved to a tent near the Pilsudski monument in case of rain.
- Performers: Reijiro Tsumura, holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property status in Noh, performing Noh dance, and Hideyuki Hatakenaka, flute performer and architect, on flute.
- Ainu programme: Ainu dance by Upopoy staff and participatory Iyomante Rimse (bear-spirit sending dance).
- Guests: Representatives including the Chair of the Hokkaido-Poland Cultural Association.
About Pilsudski
Bronislaw Pilsudski (1866-1918), born in Russian-ruled Lithuania, was exiled to Sakhalin after being caught up in a plot against the Russian Emperor. During his exile he documented Nivkh and Ainu languages and culture, spending the summer of 1903 in Shiraoi conducting fieldwork among Hokkaido Ainu communities.
Why it matters
The memorial links Ainu heritage to broader European ethnographic history and reflects Upopoy’s willingness to acknowledge outside scholars whose records help sustain modern cultural research.
For international readers
Pilsudski’s wax cylinder recordings and field notes remain among the most cited early Ainu materials worldwide.
Source: Upopoy press release, May 8, 2026.
Source Details
| Source | Upopoy - National Ainu Museum and Park |
|---|---|
| Original Title | ウポポイで重要無形文化財保持者の能舞とフルート演奏を披露 |
| Original Published | 2026-05-08 |
| Region | shiraoi |
| Target Reader | general |
| Review Status | reviewed |
| Risk Level | normal |
| Original Source | Upopoy - National Ainu Museum and Park |
Editor Note
Event held May 17, 2026. Publish as retrospective piece if using after that date.