![]() ![]() These animals historically followed prey like red deer and several now-extinct variety of large deer, as well as (possibly) boar, fish and the occassional beached whale. He concludes that true wolves of the Canis lupus variety migrated to the Japanese archipelago from mainland Siberia and underwent evolutionary insular dwarfism, resulting in a smaller-statured wolf than found on the mainland. Walker first investigates the taxonomy of Japanese wolves, which was disputed and left unclear (similar to the red wolf) because there were so few whole specimens to study prior to their extinction around 1905 (though some say this date is wrong and they survived until the mid-1940s, post World War II). He examines the near-myth of Japanese “oneness” with nature the culture of the Ainu (an indigenous people group in the Japanese archipelago) and their spiritual reverence for wild wolves, and their close relationship with domesticated hunting dogs how early Japanese naturalists classified the wolves and mountain dogs that populated their islands the Japanese government’s quest to modernize their society through ranching during the early years of the Meiji Restoration (ca. He pokes and prods the relationships of these entitites to each other by using various historical lenses. ![]() Walker explores many different themes in The Lost Wolves of Japan, most of which are centered around people, culture, wolves and nature. If you like historical detail, this book serves it up in helping after generous helping. He used historical research methodologies to frame an inquiry into what the Japanese wolf was, and what led to its extinction. Author Brett Walker is a professor of history at Montana State University who specializes in Japanese history this book was published by the Univ. The Lost Wolves of Japan is a first-rate academically-oriented text that combs through the natural and cultural history of wolves on the Japanese archipelago. The quiet they experience reminds us of the profound silence that awaits all humanity when, as the Japanese priest Kenko taught almost seven centuries ago, we "look on fellow sentient creatures without feeling compassion.The Lost Wolves of Japan, by Brett Walker Certain wolf scientists still camp out in Japan to listen for any trace of the elusive canines. The story of wolf extinction exposes the underside of Japan's modernization. Through poisoning, hired hunters, and a bounty system, one of the archipelago's largest carnivores was systematically erased. By the nineteenth century, however, the destruction of wolves had become decidedly unceremonious, as seen on the island of Hokkaido. Highly ritualized wolf hunts were instigated to cleanse the landscape of what many considered as demons. In the eighteenth century, wolves were seen as rabid man-killers in many parts of Japan. The Ainu people believed that they were born from the union of a wolflike creature and a goddess. Talismans and charms adorned with images of wolves protected against fire, disease, and other calamities and brought fertility to agrarian communities and to couples hoping to have children. Grain farmers once worshiped wolves at shrines and left food offerings near their dens, beseeching the elusive canine to protect their crops from the sharp hooves and voracious appetites of wild boars and deer. In this spirited and absorbing narrative, Brett Walker takes a deep look at the scientific, cultural, and environmental dimensions of wolf extinction in Japan and tracks changing attitudes toward nature through Japan's long history. By 1905 they had disappeared from the country. Many Japanese once revered the wolf as Oguchi no Magami, or Large-Mouthed Pure God, but as Japan began its modern transformation wolves lost their otherworldly status and became noxious animals that needed to be killed. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |