The Hero and the Otherness : Understanding the Ainu epic Kutune Sirka in the light of the Cycle of Yamato Takeru

In the context of Ainu studies, several scholars advocate for comparatism as a means to address the lack of research that compares Ainu literature with literary works from the rest of the world. Responding to this call, this essay examines the most famous Ainu epic work, the Kutune Sirka, through a narratological analysis, which provides systematic and scalable tools that have not been previously employed in the analysis of this work. To achieve this, the Japanese historical tale of Yamato Takeru, recorded in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, has been used as a reference point, because its hero appeared to bear resemblance to Poiyaumpe, the Ainu hero. The comparison has revealed that, despite the apparent similarity in the heroic model, there are profound differences concerning their relationship with the Otherness: the Okhotsk in the Ainu case and various enemies (including the Emishi) outside the Yamato kingdom in the Japanese case. Consequently, the particularities of the Ainu hero shine in light of the peculiarities of the Japanese hero, and this comparison allows us to place this Ainu work within the epic canon. Thus, it is concluded that Poiyaumpe is a frontier hero--and not merely a hero on the frontier like Yamato Takeru--because pragmatic motivations drive him more than ideological ones, which allows for a broader range of interactions with the Other. This contributes to the emerging challenge of relating Ainu literature to the rest of world literature. This is significant not only as a way to showcase the quality of Ainu works but also to define Ainu literature in the context of the universal literary canon. This progress towards integrating Ainu literature into the broader context not only adds to our understanding of the diasystem of the epic, whose compone nts hold great importance in modern scriptwriting, but also promotes dialogue and fosters the appreciation of diversity.