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KAZUTOMO UMEGAE
1924—1992
Kazutomo Umegae was among the first members of the Ainu race to accept the Faith. He had heard of it in 1957 from two travelling teachers who had gone to Japan’s northern island of Hokkaidc? , where most of the Ainu live, after the Guardian had encouraged Bahá’ís to take the Faith there.
Various Bahá’ís Visited the Ainu Villages through the years, and in December 1961 six Japanese of Ainu ancestry declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh. Kazutomo and his wife, Taeko, were among them, as were his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Takeichi Moritake. Mr. Moritake was a headman in the Village. A number of their other relatives eventually became Bahá’ís. Mr. Moritake later said that many tourists had come to the Village to see the Ainu but that the Bahá’ís had been different—they had brought something new.
A letter written on behalf of the Guardian said,
He [the Guardian] was greatly pleased to
learn of the contacts which have been
IN MEMORIAM 1027
Kazutomo Umegae
made by the Friends with the original natives of J apan, namely the Ainu people. He hopes that...they may teach the call of God to the remainder of their people. There is no doubt that great results will be achieved if this can be done.
(20 October 1957)
Kazutomo said he was initially attracted to the Faith because he saw a lack of prejudice among the Bahá’ís. He said that when he was growing up there was considerable prejudice against the Ainu people. In the Meiji Era of Japanese history (1868—1911) the government enforced a policy to try to absorb the Ainu into the J apanese mainstream so that the race would die out. At that time the government forbade the Ainu to use their language and made them take J apanese names and attend Japanese schools.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the prejudice considerably lessened or disappeared and people became interested in the Ainu lifestyle and culture. Kazutomo, with his open and warm personality, was featured on television and in exhibitions of Ainu culture.
He was a wood carver of some skill, and as a businessman he was instrumental in selling Ainu handicrafts. He also trained handicapped people in those arts.
Kazutoma travelled to many Ainu Villages teaching the Faith. In 1965, he was appointed by the Hands of the Cause as an Auxiliary Board member in Asia. He served in that capacity for 21 years, longer than any other Auxiliary Board member in Japan. In the later years he travelled and taught all over Japan, including to the remote J apanese island of Ogasawara.
The Universal House of Justice sent the following message 13 February 1992 after being informed of Kazutoma’s passing:
GRIEVED PASSING DISTINGUISHED BELIEVER KAZUTOMO UMEGAE WHO WILL BE REMEMBERED IN THE ANNALS OF THE FAITH AS ONE OF THE FIRST AMONG THE AINU PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE BAHA’U’LLAH AND SERVE UNDER HIS BANNER OF UNITY IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES. ASSURE HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS LOVING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES FOR THE PROGRESS OF HIS SOUL 'IN THE REALMS OF ETERNITY.
BARBARA R. SIMs
