Uimamu - Uimamu

A kind of tribute-style trade form when Ainu people traded with the chiefs of neighboring countries. It is said to be a corruption of the Japanese words "ui-mamie" and "ome-mie." Originally, the method of trade was to load special products onto a specially equipped ship (ui-mam-chip), head to the neighboring country, meet with the chief and present them, and in return receive necessities such as alcohol and clothing from the other party before returning home. Therefore, the Uimamu was not originally an act that represented the political relationship of domination and subordination between the parties. However, after the establishment of the Matsumae Domain (1604), as the control of the Ainu by the Wajin was further strengthened through the division of Ezo and Wajin territories and the akinai bachigyo system, the Uimamu was transformed into a de facto event for an audience with the feudal lord. Around the Genroku period (1688-1704), it was combined with the greeting ceremonies held every time a new community chief was appointed, and became a powerful means of political control over Ainu society through the community chief.

[Susumu Enomori]

"Kindaichi Kyosuke's 'Study of the Ainu' (1940, Yashima Shobo)" ▽ "Takakura Shinichiro's 'History of Ainu Policy' (1942, Nippon Hyoronsha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

アイヌの人々が、隣邦の首長層と交易を行った際の一種の朝貢形式の交易形態。日本語の「初見(ういまみえ)」「御目見得(おめみえ)」の転訛(てんか)したものともいわれる。特別に艤装(ぎそう)した船（ウイマム・チップ）に特産物を積んで隣邦に向かい、首長に謁してこれを献上し、かわりに相手から酒、衣類などの必要物資を得て帰郷するという交易の方法が、当初の姿だったらしい。したがってウイマムは、もともと当事者間の政治的支配・被支配関係を表す行為ではなかったが、松前(まつまえ)藩成立（1604）以降、蝦夷地(えぞち)と和人地の区分策や商場知行(あきないばちぎょう)制を通じて、和人によるアイヌ民族への支配が一段と強化されるなかで、事実上藩主への御目見得行事へと変質し、元禄(げんろく)年間（1688～1704）ころには、共同体首長代替りごとの挨拶(あいさつ)行事と結合して、共同体首長を通じたアイヌ社会への政治的支配の有力な手段と化していった。

［榎森　進］

『金田一京助著『アイヌの研究』（1940・八洲書房）』▽『高倉新一郎著『アイヌ政策史』（1942・日本評論社）』

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