I-Omante -The Bear Ritual-

1977 • Directed by

Himeda Tadayoshi

Documentary

This film focuses on I-OMANTE ritual that is to liberate the souls of the Gods from the furs and meat and send them back to the Land of the Gods. The Ainu believed that bears were Gods. The Gods come to the Land of the Ainu, which means “human beings”, with meat, furs and medicine (the gall bladders of the bears) as their gifts.