The Eng-Lite Program Lecture Series: Talk No 3
Time：2023.12.11（Mon.）13:30-15:30
Topic：Reading, Researching, and Translating Taiwanese Aboriginal Literature
Speaker：Sakujiro Shimomura , Emeritus Professor, Tenri University
Host：Ya-Ru Yang, Assistant Professor, Graduate Institute of Taiwan Literature, National Taiwan University
Venue: NTUGITL R324, Guo Qing Bldg.
By Conrad C. Carl
Today, Professor Sakujirō Shimomura invites us to revisit his fascinating career as a researcher and translator. As the title suggests, Professor Shimomura’s focus lies on the abundant encounters he had with Taiwan’s indigenous literatures.
To begin with, Professor Shimomura recounts several events that mark his history with Taiwanese literature, including interviews and gatherings with some of the most important figures in the history of Taiwanese literature, such as Yang Kui, Chen Yingzhen, Chung Chao-cheng or Ye Shih-tao among others. Then, in 1994, Professor Shimomura published his first book about the literary landscape of Taiwan, covering the period from Japan’s colonial reign all the way to modern Taiwanese literature. In fact, as Professor Shimomura highlights, the phrase “Taiwan’s indigenous literature” already makes an appearance in this publication, which now serves as a perfect transition to today’s main topic.
In 1992, Professor Shimomura supervised what is regarded as the first translation of selected works from indigenous authors from Taiwan. During the translation process, Professor Shimomura conducted interviews with two indigenous writers—Malieyafusi Monaneng and Tulbus Tamapima. These conversations not only made him aware of the social predicaments and human rights issues facing Taiwan’s indigenous population but also stressed the significance of the personal encounter that occurs between reading and translating. In “Commentary on Taiwan’s Indigenous Poetry and Literature”—a text included in the compilation—he proceeded to discuss these topics and, thus, contributed to the acceptance of indigenous literatures into the canon of Taiwan’s literary history.
During the Japanese occupation, there were several encounters, conflicts and clashes between the Japanese and the indigenous people in Taiwan. Unfortunately, only two movies survived among all cultural products that depicted the relationship between these two parties: The Righteous Wu Feng (1932) and Sayon’s Bell (1943).
But in terms of historically significant events, the Musha Incident of 1930 must not be overlooked. It went down in history as one of the last large-scale uprisings against the Japanese colonizers by the indigenous people of the Seediq. Between 2000 and 2001, Professor Shimomura’s translations of Deng Shian-yang’s seminal three volumes about the Musha Incident were published. However, for him, translating is much more than merely transcribing words from language to another. When he interviewed the aforementioned indigenous authors in preparation for his first commentary on indigenous literature, we could already catch a glimpse about his principles and spirit of translation. The personal experience, the personal exploration—as the title of this talk already indicates—is an inextricable part of the translation process for Professor Shimomura, so it only made sense that he would visit the areas of where the Musha Incident took place by himself.
Related to this is another milestone in the development of the relationship between Japan and Taiwan’s indigenous literatures: the year 2009, when Takun Walis—an acclaimed indigenous author—participated in a conference on the Musha Incident by The Japan Association for Taiwan Studies.
For Professor Shimomura, translating Taiwan’s indigenous literatures facilitated a deep understanding about Taiwan’s indigenous peoples. Language has always been a means for maintaining political power and dominion. The same is true for the treatment of indigenous groups in Taiwan, particularly concerning their names. Here, Professor Shimomura provides a broad overview about how official denominations of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples changed over the course of several decades and even centuries, highlighting the strenuous and protracted process for justice and recognition.
The inception of Taiwan’s indigenous literatures is closely linked to the democratization movement of the 1980s and the subsequent lifting of martial law in 1987. Once again, language becomes an indicator for these changes. The book series by the publisher MorningStar was—for several years—subtitled “Selected Novels from Taiwan’s Mountains” until they adopted the phrase “Taiwan’s indigenous people” for their volumes. This change is crucial, for it recognizes a unique and contextually specific category of literature. Another watershed event occurred in December 2002. Here, the first of eventually nine volumes of the book series on “Selected Works of Taiwan’s Indigenous Literature” was published. Professor Shimomura edited these publications together with Paelabang Danapan, Shigeru Tsuchida and Walis Nokan. They included a wide array of works, all of which shed light on the cultural world of indigenous peoples in their own unique way. Professor Shimomura points out that Syaman Rapongan’s “Black Wings” sparked particular interest from two famous Japanese authors: Yūko Tsushima and Nobuko Takagi. For Tsushima, the publication of this book series on Taiwan’s indigenous literatures brought back her hope in the Japanese publishing industry. Further testament to Syaman Rapongan’s popularity is the fact that in 2010 and in 2016 he was invited to take part in international literary conferences in Japan.
Japanese translations of Taiwan’s indigenous literatures continued to flourish. Whether it’s the translations by Etsuko Uozumi of Badai’s Reef and Syaman Rapongan’s Cold Sea, Deep Affection, or Professor Shimomura’s own translations of, for example, Rapongan’s The Eyes of the Sky or Great Sea, Emerging Dreams, works by these authors are still in unwavering demand in Japan.
In the Q&A session, Professor Shimomura is keen to elaborate on some of the aforementioned talking points. For instance, the reason Syaman Rapongan became a staple of translated Taiwanese literature in Japan is his emphasis on the interpersonal relationships with his family, friends and his tribe, similar in style to the late Japanese novelist Nakagami Kenji. Another point of interest for today’s audience was the principles that inform Professor Shimomura’s choices of which individual work to translate. While some serendipity is involved, recommendations by authors and scholars, such as Paelabang Danapan, as well as an extensive reading habit, ultimately guides his decision.
As has become clear, translating is never merely the transcription of a text from one language to another. Beyond that, it involves exploring, engaging and connecting. For his insightful presentation on Taiwan’s indigenous literatures and their translation, abundantly filled with personal accounts spanning several decades, we want to express our deep gratitude to Professor Sakujirō Shimomura.