There is a new exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum in
downtown Los Angeles, California from October 11, 2003 through January
4, 2004 called...
Drifting: Nakahama Manjiro's Tale of Discovery
An Illustrated Manuscript Recounting Ten Years of Adventure at Sea
This book tells the story of some castaways who lived in foreign lands
for many years, sailed the seas in all directions, and circled the globe
several times. They were the first Japanese to accomplish such feats .
. . . I have recorded exactly what the wanderers told me, but this
account is but a hundredth of their total story . . .
- Kuwata Koretazu's (transcriber) preface to the illustrated
manuscript
At the core of this exhibition lies a manuscript chronicling the epic
adventures of Manjiro, one of the one of the first Japanese known to
have visited America. Disaster, isolation, and the exploration of new
worlds are recounted by this Japanese youth, who in 1841 was shipwrecked
off the coast of Japan. After being rescued by an American whaler,
Manjiro lived in Massachusetts, struck gold with the California miners,
and circumnavigated the globe twice before returning to Japan a decade
later. Japanese authorities, both suspicious of and curious about the
West, interrogated Manjiro and had him dictate his experiences to a
scribe. Manjiro's remarkable experiences made him a singular source of
information about the Western world, and he helped to further cultural
understanding between the United States and Japan. Drifting: Nakahama
Manjiro's Tale of Discovery is an exhibition that explores the universal
spirit of adventure and the power of words and illustrations in shaping
perceptions of other worlds.
The manuscript, from the collection of the Rosenbach Museum & Library,
is one of a few extant versions and is believed to be Manjiro's own
copy. It contains over fifty watercolors including portraits, maps,
ships, whales, and island flora and fauna illustrating Manjiro's
experiences. Displayed alongside the manuscript are contemporary books,
whaling material, painted and photographic portraits, and scientific and
numismatic material that reflect the artistic, political, and social
influences that shaped the retelling of this dramatic account.
Manuscripts from the National Museum's own permanent collection further
explore the significance of remembering and retelling pivotal
experiences and events as a way of contributing a personal voice to
larger historical narratives.
As we honor the 150th anniversary of U.S.-Japan relations, the story of
Manjiro provides insight into the role that individuals play in shaping
cultural understanding, especially those whose experiences straddle two
nations. Manjiro's story illuminates the period in which U.S.-Japan
relations officially began with the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry
in 1853. As the tale of one of the first Japanese to sojourn in the
United States, Manjiro's dramatic story helps us to better our
understanding of the lives of subsequent generations of emigrants from
Japan.
This exhibition was organized by the Rosenbach Museum & Library,
Philadelphia, with funding from the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative
of the Pew Charitable Trusts.
http://www.janm.org/events/pav_galleries.html
__________________________________________________________________
Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]
For information about joining ARLIS/NA see:
http://www.arlisna.org//membership.html
Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
to [log in to unmask]
ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance:
http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html
Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]
