Comments

Posts

Primitive Islanders Enjoy The Wonders Of Modern Japan

On Sunday night, a Japanese TV show flew two families from the island of Pohnpei to Japan and put them into homestay situations with Japanese families. Just like the time when a group of 30 children from the similarly remote and backwards island nation of Vanuatu [video post here] were brought to Japan for a TV show, there were lots of wacky “LOL these foreigners don’t understand our culture” moments:

Apparently there are no proper baths on Pohnpei, and people normally wash themselves with rainwater they collect in barrels. In both homestay situations attempts at Japanese style bathing resulted in bizarre moments, as this video shows:

[note to the non-Japanese speakers out there: their translator was a woman, so it was impossible for them to tell the one islander that it is a huge no-no to lather yourself up with soap before entering an onsen]

There were also a few food-related moments of cultural tension. One Japanese familiar served eel at dinner, not knowing that the Pohnpei islanders viewed that particular sea creature as a god. The other familiar served a popiscle to one kid from Pohnpei, which was apparently so cold that it made him cry in pain [they don't have such cold food on their island, the show claimed]:

They even included a scene where one family visited Kyoto and went to one of those shops that let foreign tourists play dress-up with Japanese traditional clothing:

I’m not really sure what the purpose of the show was. Perhaps it was to show Japanese TV viewers how different other other cultures are, or perhaps to make viewers feel good about being able to bathe in onsens and eat eel?

29 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - August 28, 2007 at 5:14 pm

Categories: Foreigners in Japan, Japanese TV Tags:

shazzb0t

Oh this was great. They looked like they had a lot of fun. Great post James.

Btw, have these ads from google always been there?

Joe

“Primitive Islanders” Enjoy The Wonders Of Modern Japan

Well James thank you for OUR PRIMITIVE ISLANDER eyes to the wonders of modern Japan, Are you fqken kidding me? I read your rules of engagement and I think you just broke your first one…How about this.. “REDKNECK from BFE ENJOY THE WONDERFUL CULTURE OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDER”

Can not wait to see your reply, PS Argueing on the INTERNET is like a retard race, Dont do it.lol

http://www.japanprobe.com James

I wrote a headline to describe the show. The program depicted these islanders as primitive and witnessing the many wonders of modern civilization. The ridiculous headline was meant to draw people into discussion about the entire concept for this television program.

http://www.japanprobe.com James

That ad has always been in the top area, I only shifted its from above the headline to below it.

shazzb0t

You know what happened, I was at work checking out the site and I realized it because they have IE there. I use firefox with NoScript so I never see the ads. Does have those blocked hurt the site at all?

TofuUnion

When I watch some people from uncivilized area on TV, I fully realize how much our life relies on consuming lots of materials and energies. They live without electricity, gas or running water. And just 200 years ago, most people in the world would live that way.

http://hiddenblog1.blogspot.com/ The Unseen One

Things like this sure make me appreciate all we have here in the industrialized world.

Erika

It sounded like a “laugh at those silly foreigners!” type of show at first, but from the clips they showed, it seemed less malicious than that. Nobody was making fun of them or anything because they weren’t eating eel or anything. :3 Hopefully both groups learned more about their respective cultures and had a good time.

shazzb0t

I agree. You could clearly see that the Japanese family serving eel were very embarrassed by their mistake and didn’t want to offend their guests. I don’t think it was a ‘laugh at those silly foreigners’ kind of thing at all.

D

They should do a version where they take an average Japanese family to an American home, then watch them marvel at our dish washers, clothes dryers and central heating/AC.

the overthinker

Japan does have dishwashers and clothes dryers, as well as air-conditioning. The only thing they would marvel about would be central heating. Instead take them to a food court or McDonalds and have them order a Large coke and try and drink it all, or watch as they struggle with working out how much to tip and to who, or go outside in shorts and a t-shirt when the weather forecast says “28 degrees”….

Joe Saimon

I’m glad to say that I’m from the backward island of Pohnpei. We have a long history of good relations with both Japan and the US so we know about you but you don’t know us. We are badly misrepresented here. I hope the islanders in the show know that they will be treated to such a mockery. We don’t eat water eels because we find them disgusting… we have frozen food… our waters supply most of the fish to Japanese and to some American tables, etc. Modernization has caught up with us in almost all areas. One thing is still certain though; we can continue to live without the convenience of technology. How about you?

the overthinker

Progs like these always go to the most remote areas. There was one recently with PNG people, but NOT ones from Port Moresby of course. Hill tribes a three-day hike from the nearest road – that sort of thing. No fun otherwise.

However the fun that is poked generally seems to be benevolent in nature, and the friendships and human connections as genuine as anything on TV. Often programmes will show Japanese trying to cope with eating mealworms or sacrificing pigs, putting them in awkward situations. Of course as the shows are from a “Japan is normal” POV then the islanders still come off as very different and odd, but that is inevitable.
http://hiddenblog1.blogspot.com/ The Unseen One

> One thing is still certain though;
> we can continue to live without
> the convenience of technology.
> How about you?

No need to live without it.
Karisu

Why would anyone ever want to live without technology? That’s crazy talk.

wes

why were they getting in the water if they hadn’t washed first?

doinkies

They probably didn’t know that you have to wash outside the tub…

wes

but the japanese guy was the one leading them into the tub…
Karisu

Umm, aren’t tubs for, you know, washing in? You guys are the ones not making any sense.

the overthinker

Yeah, that makes sense – I’d love to soak in your dissolved body scum, thanks.

Evan

that scene where the jungle bunny foolishly gets in the bath with soap on was so set up. even with a language barrier, you would take someone in with you and lead by example. take your clothes off, wash, then get in bath. the old wanker was waiting for him to do the wrong thing so all the viewers can have a laugh at home. naruhoudo, samurai no kuni desu ne… dissapointing but not surprising.

shazzb0t

Ahh, such a nice term you have there.. ‘jungle bunny’.. Disappointing but not surprising.

Karisu

Why is it disappointing?

Evan

also, that child looked like he was crying from the stress of being treated like a circus freak – not from the coldness of an iceblock.
http://myspace.com/truthson D-san

They should have a regular Japanese family from Tokyo come and live with a family from an American Housing Project.

They’ll be thinking the family is rich, just from the size of the home!

Then tell them they only pay $25 for rent(seriously).
jomega

Having seen a little of the japanese broadcasting that makes it onto the foreign language station here in Frisco, it struck me that LOLforeigners seems to be fairly common TV fare over there. Of course the English-speaking wotld has things like this website…

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Just that you don’t see it as much on this side of the pond anymore.
Ohn Sakau

As an American living in Pohnpei for the past ten years, it makes me happy to see that Japanese can be just as closed-minded and offensive as we can be. Perhaps the show will be aired on our “primitive” Japanese cable station.
Song Mahs

Oh my Gosh! What an offensive issue here. First, Pohnpeian don’t viewed water eel as god. We viewed some living creatures very important for our clans. We do have one and the only God that all Pohnpeian worship which is the Almighty God. We don’t worship living creatures and statue. Second,the boy cried because he was forced to eat that disgusting popiscle that he claimed taste terrible. Third, Japanese bathtub is to small for islanders and lastly, if one Pohnpeian family don’t have proper bath, it doesn’t mean that all Pohnpeian don’t have proper baths.
Pingback: Masai in Japan: Another Magic Challenge : Japan Probe

Primitive Islanders Enjoy The Wonders Of Modern Japan

Recent Comments

Further Reading

South Korean Government Demands That International Hydrographic Organization Use “East Sea”

Japanese Documentary About Sea Shepherd’s Protest Activities in Taiji (English Subtitles)

Babies Born on March 11th Receive Special Present

Washington Times Freelancer Slams Former Employer, Fails to Ethically Disclose Relationship?

Christopher Johnson Attempts to Silence Criticism of His “Gaijin Gulag” Article (Legal Threats!!!)

Tabloid Reports About Yu Darvish’s Love Life: Kirara Asuka & Miho Koga?

Does K-Pop Group KARA Have Ties to North Korea?

Tokyo Gate Bridge

Sara Errani Admits She Avoided Tennis Tournament in Tokyo: Feared Radiation

Chinese Workers Who Survived March 11th Tsunami Return to Tohoku

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Japan Blogs

Korea Blogs

Linkroll

Other Asia Blogs