closed tube between each other's mouths. One of the players starts by making a certain rhythmical motive which then resonates in the other player's mouth. This player must then uphold this motive until the other player decides to change motive. Whoever can uphold these rules without losing breath or laughing wins. According to an interview with the daughter of the last practitioner of this style (who died in 1973), the rekukhara was often done during the iomante ritual, the slaughter of a brown bear, as the produced sounds from this game would symbolically refer to the cries of the bear. Yaisama Yaisama is a form of singing game used as an expression of certain emotions (such as expressing love) or as means of self introduction in a group. As lyrics and melody are improvised on the spot, this genre can be compared to contemporary freestyle rap. Lullabies The name of these Ainu lullabies differ by location: the terms Iyon'nokka or Iyonruika were commonly used in the Hidaka region, while Ihunke was the term used by Asahikawa and Tokachi Ainu. One of the characteristics of these lullabies, is the mother's production of meaningless sounds such as "Ohho Lulu Rurururu" on the rhythm of lulling baby's cradle, typically done by rolling the tip of the tongue. Instruments The two most prevalent Ainu musical instruments are the tonkori and the mukkari. Through the effort of Ainu cultural organizations as well as prominent musicians, both have enjoyed a certain revival. Evidence shows the existence of several other instruments attributed to the Ainu, but these are no longer in active use. As a result of the geographical dispersion of the Ainu people over various neighboring islands, some of these native instruments strongly differ in usage and construction. Mukkuri The Mukkuri is an idiophone made out of bamboo, similar in construction to the Jaw harp. Sound is produced by manipulating a string connected to the bamboo reed, and while the instrument is unpitched, tone manipulation can be accomplished by altering the size of one's mouth, which serves as a resonance box during playing. Historically this instrument did not retain a large importance in Ainu communities and was commonly seen as a children's toy rather than a tool for supporting songs or rituals. The mukkuri's inexpensive production however has made it a popular tourist souvenir in Hokkaido. Tonkori The tonkori, an onomatopoeic description of the sound the