Amami people
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 Kagoshima Prefecture (Amami Islands) | — |
| Languages | |
| Amami Ōshima, Kikai, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabu, Yoron, Japanese | |
| Religion | |
| Ryukyuan religion, Shintoism, Buddhism, Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Okinawan, Miyako, Yaeyama, Yonaguni, Japanese | |
The Amami people (also Amamians) are a Ryukyuan subgroup native to the Amami Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.
History
Origins
The Amami mainly descend from the Jōmon people, who were hunter-gatherers that lived in both mainland Japan and the Ryukyu Islands. The Yayoi people who migrated into the area around 2,000 years ago had more of a cultural influence on Ryukyu's inhabitants rather than a genetic one.[1]
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryukyu Kingdom only controlled Okinawa until it annexed the Amami, Miyako and Yaeyama Islands in the 16th century, causing the unification of the Ryukyu Islands.[2] During this time, the Ryukyuans gained tributary status to China and were important trading partners throughout the region.[2]
Invasion of Ryukyu
In March 1609, the Satsuma Domain of Japan invaded the Ryukyu Kingdom, winning the war by May. The Amami Islands were directly annexed into Satsuma while the rest of the Ryukyu Islands became a vassal state.[3]
American Administration
After defeating the Japanese Empire in World War II, the United States occupied the Amami Islands. In 1950, the islands were incorporated into the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands. In 1953, the Amami Islands were given back to Japan and were made a part of Kagoshima Prefecture.
Culture
Language
The indigenous Amami Ōshima language is a Northern Ryukyuan language and is mutually unintelligible with Japanese. With most of its speakers being elderly, UNESCO labels it as "definitely endangered".[4] The southern variety of Setouchi township may be a distinct language more closely related to Okinawan than it is to Amami Ōshima. The younger generations speak Japanese instead as a result of assimilation policies towards the Ryukyuans.[5]
The Japanese government does not recognize Amami Ōshima as its own language but rather as a dialect of Japanese.
Religion
The native religion of the Amami Islands (and the rest of the Ryukyu Islands) is the Ryukyuan religion. It involves ancestor worship and animistic practices.[6] Other religions practiced on the islands include Shintoism, Buddhism and to a much lesser extent, Christianity.
References
- ^ Bendjilali, Nasrine; Hsueh, Wen-Chi; He, Qimei; Willcox, D. Craig; Nievergelt, Caroline M.; Donlon, Timothy A.; Kwok, Pui-Yan; Suzuki, Makoto; Willcox, Bradley J. (2014-12-01). "Who Are the Okinawans? Ancestry, Genome Diversity, and Implications for the Genetic Study of Human Longevity From a Geographically Isolated Population". The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. 69 (12): 1474–1484. doi:10.1093/gerona/glt203. ISSN 1079-5006. PMC 4271021. PMID 24444611.
- ^ a b "MOFA: Okinawa: History (The Ryukyu Dynasty/The Ryukyu Dynasty under Feudal Japan) (Kyushu-Okinawa Summit 2000)". www.mofa.go.jp. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
- ^ "Invasion of Ryukyu - SamuraiWiki". wiki.samurai-archives.com. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
- ^ "UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in danger". www.unesco.org. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
- ^ "Assimilation Practices in Okinawa". www.uchinanchu.org. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
- ^ "What Is The Ryukyuan Religion?". WorldAtlas. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
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