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For whatever it is worth, there is a "cultural" link (seemingly) between the Ainu, living on the offshore islands of Japan, and the "Iroquois" in NY state.

Both have/had a New Year's tradition involving the ritual sacrifice of a household pet. With the Ainu, it was a bear cub; with the Iroquois, a white dog.Both would strangle the pet, and burn the carcass,for the same reason: the spirit of the sacrificed animal was supposed to tell the other animals how well it had been treated by its human hosts; thus insuring a good hunting season.

There was a secondary item, having to do with the fletching
of arrows, and the carving of a spiral around arrow shafts.
(Presumably it was believed this would impart a slight spin to the arrows, making them more accurate.) This was practiced by the Ainu,the woodland "Sioux", and the Iroquois.

ps: Although we use the names Iroquois and Sioux these days,both names were originally uncomplimentary nicknames bestowed by other tribes.If memory serves, both names suggest they were thought of as "dangerous vipers".

"There was a secondary item, having to do with the fletching of arrows, and the carving of a spiral around arrow shafts."

Actually, according to my reading, there were no arrows in the Americas until 600 AD, which I believe is a critical insight if true (implying perhaps they came over with european incursions). Instead the arrowhead points were actually atlatl points from a small version. Of course, I may be smoking dope, but I think this is the case.

If you really want to freak people out start looking for "cultural links" between the Vikings and the Seneca.

It doesn't produce nearly as many howls as it used to but you can still get some yelps.