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Japanese
National TV (NHK) showed Banaban documentary today
5th. May at 11:00am - titled ‘Missing Paradise
in the South Pacific’. The program was aired
in Japanese which was made by NHK and supported by
Banaban Heritage Society Inc. and the Banaban
Heritage Society Inc., Japan. It was a good program
that focused on Banaban Thomas Teai and his son
visiting Banaba (the Homeland) with Ms.
Stacey M King. I studied a lot on Banaban history
from Stacey and libraries here in Japan, and I am
well aware of the full extend of Japanese
involvement with Banaban history, especially during
WW2 years.. I had asked the director to show the
Japanese public all about the Japanese occupation of
Banaba/Ocean Island, and such terrible happenings
such as genocide (when 162 Islanders were
murdered 2 days after the War was over), and
other documented War crimes - it such a sad story
that the Japanese public need to hear.
Unfortunately the
program didn’t reveal a lot about this dark side
of our involvement with Banaban history. The program
did however give the general history of the Banabans
and mainly focused on the damage done by the BPC (British
Phosphate Commission) and how Thomas Teai and
his son feel about the way their beloved homeland
has been left after 80 years of exploitation by
phosphate mining. Thomas’ explanations and answers
to his son Donald’s questions are so beautifully
moving, and the shock and response from his son who
is seeing his homeland for the very first time are
equally moving. Stacey's comments and reactions to
seeing what Banaba has been left like today is also
beautiful, as she also struggles to come to terms
with her own family’s involvement in the early
mining of the island.
The program is a
very good way to teach the Japanese public about
what happened on Banaba. Some of my friends who
watched the TV program said, `How bad the BPC
were!`. Now the Japanese people will know about a
place called Banaba and what beautiful people the
Banabans are. Unfortunately there was no information
about the upcoming ‘HOMECOMING TRIP’ and only a
little bit of information about the Banaban Heritage
Society Inc in Australian and Japan. The Society is
distributing a lot of information by way of printing
materials, News papers, books and magazines from
their offices situated in Australia and Japan.
These are my own
personal opinions and ideas, but I know many
Japanese people’s hearts will be greatly moved
after seeing this documentary. I feel this program
is only just beginning of educating the Japanese
people about their own historical involvement with
the Banaban people and their beloved homeland. It is
more importantly a start of reconciliation between
Banabans and the Japanese people, and a way in which
more Japanese can now get involved in helping the
Banabans move towards a better future.
Many young Japanese
through various youth groups are now wanting to know
about the Banabans and the true history about what
happened during WWII in the South Pacific region.
Every week I’m now invited to speak about Banaban
history, and an invitation has already been sent to
the Banaban Cultural Dancing Group from Rabi Island
this August. The Dancers are being sponsored to
attend the Ethnic Day Concert which is held in Japan
every August. a memorial day to remember the finish
of the War on 15th August 1945 in Japan. It also
coincides with the dropping of the atomic bombs at
Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6th and 9th August. The
Dancing Group will arrive in Japan on the 1st August
to begin their tour.
It is great timing
to come to Japan with so many journalists now
interested in Banaba. The Japanese Youth Group is
also preparing a press release and information about
WWII - Japan and Banaban history. It is good that
this first program has now gone to air and stirred
the interest of the Japanese public. But I’m sure
Japanese journalist will get a real surprise when
they hear the full extend of Japanese involvement in
Banaban history, and especially the War years.
Yes, this TV
documentary is a good beginning, and now it is up to
me to finish work on my own documentary which will
give a full account of those tragic War years and
let the Japanese public know more about what really
happened on Banaba and to the Banaban people. It is
a story that should never be forgotten!
Manabu
Kitaguchi, Society Representative,
Banaban
Heritage Society Inc - Japan Office |
