Description
Book SynopsisThis book is a collection of interwoven historical narratives that present an intriguing and little known account of the Ogasawara (Bonin) archipelago and its inhabitants. The narratives begin in the seventeenth century and weave their way through various events connected to the ambitions, hopes, and machinations of individuals, communities, and nations. At the center of these narratives are the Bonin Islanders, originally an eclectic mix of Pacific Islanders, Americans, British, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, and African settlers that first landed on the islands in 1830. The islands were British sovereign territory from 1827 to 1876, when the Japanese asserted possession of the islands based on a seventeenth century expedition and a myth of a samurai discoverer. As part of gaining sovereign control, the Japanese government made all island inhabitants register as Japanese subjects of the national family register. The islanders were not literate in Japanese and had little experien
Trade ReviewThrough a careful consideration of personal accounts, collective memory, government records from Japanese and European countries, presettlement travel records of explorers, and so on, Chapman weaves together the multiple narratives that "form the many strands that make up the very fabric of Bonin history".... The scope of the work is truly impressive. * The Journal of Japanese Studies *
The story of the Bonin Islands is an extraordinary and little-known part of Japan's frontier history. A place of multiple cultural encounters, migrations, displacements, and occupations, the Bonins offer a vantage point for a fresh look at the shaping of modern Japan. David Chapman provides a superb historical analysis of the islands' history, while also recounting their fascinating and sometimes tragic history with the skills of a consummate storyteller. -- Tessa Morris-Suzuki, Australian National University
David Chapman narrates a fascinating chapter of global history through the story of the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands, their people, and shifting regional power dynamics. He reveals a space and time of cosmopolitanism in the history of Japan and the Pacific. -- Vera Mackie, University of Wollongong
Table of ContentsChapter 1: The Orphan, the Uninhabited, and the Archbishop: Narratives of Discovery and Possession Chapter 2: An Unsettled Settlement: Narratives of Promise and Menace Chapter 3: Encountering Japan: Narratives of Possession and Reclamation Chapter 4: Naturalized Foreigners: Narratives of Nation and Modernity Chapter 5: Christianity, Colonialism, and Community: Narratives of Spectacle and Religion Chapter 6: Strangers at Home: Narratives of Suspicion and Conflict Chapter 7: A World Apart: Narratives of Identity Chapter 8: Conclusion
