Omusha - Omusha

This was one of the measures to raise the Ainu people that was implemented in each trading post in Ezo in Hokkaido during the Edo period. It is a corrupted version of the Ainu word Umusha (a greeting after a long time). While Uimamu was originally a trading ceremony held in the residences or castle towns of neighboring chiefs, Omusha originated as a greeting ceremony associated with trading in Ezo, where the Ainu live. However, after the establishment of the Matsumae domain in 1604, just as Uimamu changed into a de facto event for an audience with the Matsumae domain lord, Omusha also changed from a greeting ritual to a thank-you event held at the end of trade or fishing at the Ezo trading center. It also became a major annual event for governing and controlling the Ainu within the trading center, where the Ainu within the trading center would be gathered at the customs house (kaisho) to have the various rules read out, after which the appointment and dismissal of barbarian officials, the payment of salaries, and the giving of rewards to those who did good deeds.

[Susumu Enomori]

"Ainu Policy History" by Shinichiro Takakura (1942, Nippon Hyoronsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸時代の北海道で、蝦夷(えぞ)地の各商場(あきないば)ごとに行われたアイヌ撫育(ぶいく)策の一つ。アイヌ語のウムシャ（無沙汰(ぶさた)の挨拶(あいさつ)）の訛(なま)ったもの。ウイマムがもともと隣邦の首長の居住地または城下での交易儀礼であったのに対し、オムシャは、アイヌの居住地である蝦夷地での交易に伴う挨拶儀礼として発生した。しかし松前(まつまえ)藩成立（1604）後、ウイマムが事実上松前藩主への御目見得(おめみえ)行事に変質したように、オムシャもまた挨拶儀礼から蝦夷地商場での交易や漁業終了時の慰労行事へと変質していっただけでなく、運上屋（会所）に商場内のアイヌを集めて諸掟(おきて)を読み聞かせたうえで役夷人(やくいじん)の任免、役料の支給、善行者への褒賞の給与を行うなど、商場内のアイヌを統治、支配するための主要な年中行事となっていった。

［榎森　進］

『高倉新一郎著『アイヌ政策史』（1942・日本評論社）』

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