Mai Ishihara, Associate Professor, Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, Hokkaido University
Published article on June 4, 2023
*Positions and article content are as of the time of publication.
My favorite singer, Cyndi Lauper, once sang, "I love your true colors. Don't be afraid to show them." When I reflect on these words now, as an indigenous feminist and cultural anthropologist, many things become clear. Have we, as humankind, been stripped of our individual colors along with the development of modernity? Didn't people who once lived in indigenous societies feel their own colors not only within their own groups, but also in their relationships with environmental systems, animals, and people from different communities? And now, instead of helping each other thrive, aren't we being stripped of our individual colors in order to destroy each other?
It took a long journey to arrive at this perspective. Torn between my Ainu and Wajin (ethnic/racial majority Japanese) origins, and having experienced denial of my existence by both sides, I developed an anthropological interest in why everyone so stubbornly continues to kill my existence. Ainu Mosir, which was suddenly incorporated into Japanese territory 150 years ago, brought about ontological extinction for the Ainu. The only spaces in which the Ainu were allowed to live were museum-like spaces where they "lived as if they were already dead," or as mascots living only cosmetic culture that did not pose a threat to the majority. In this process, many Ainu, including my ancestors, chose to continue intermarrying, concealing their origins and giving up on the transmission of their culture. 150 years have passed since then. Cut off from all history and culture related to the Ainu, I had no words to speak of my own existence until I wrote my book, "An Autobiographical Ethnography of Silence." I named such beings the Silent Ainu. Even though the existence of the Ainu may seem to have disappeared in many respects, discrimination in marriage, addiction, suicide, and mental health disorders and illnesses remain deeply entrenched. Because of this disconnect, I cannot be Ainu, nor can I be Japanese because of racism.
The past indigenous societies and the accumulated knowledge of cultural anthropology offer much insight into the concept of "the self that doesn't exist anywhere." Humans, existing between structures, could be described as ritualistic beings. Ancient humans were filled with a sense of awe and reverence for the unknown. They surely didn't believe that everything could be understood and categorized, or that everything could be controlled by human technology. Humans, existing between structures, are both dangerous beings and, at the same time, beings that generate new vitality and culture.
The insights I gained through cultural anthropology have led to interactions not only with the silent Ainu, but also with individuals belonging to various ethnic and racial minorities, people with minority status in terms of sexuality and gender identity, people living after the nuclear accident, descendants of hibakusha, and people living in the areas affected by the disaster. I have come to believe that Japanese society, which has survived a unique modern era, still holds much silence, many stories waiting to be told, and many unseen colors.
Human beings are inherently colorful (vibrantly colored) beings. Minorities, due to the social difficulties they face, may have more opportunities to become aware of their own unique colors. Pain, suffering, wounds, and hardships are all part of a person's color. However, even those who appear to be part of the majority naturally carry pain and wounds, and each has their own life story. Cyndi Lauper sings, "I love your true colors," and I, too, believe that no matter what background someone comes from, when they show me their true colors, I feel the greatest trust, respect, and love for them.
Now that diversity is being emphasized more than ever before, isn't it important that each individual finds their own unique color, rather than conforming to a forced, imposed standard? I want to continue building solidarity where we can share our "true colors."
(Original article)
OPENeD, the National Diversity Network website
→https://opened.network/
Published December 4, 2023: Mai Ishihara, "For Everyone to Live a Colorful Life - From the Perspective of an Indigenous Feminist"
→https://opened.network/column/column-0084/
