Fusako Kushi

Fusako Kushi (久志 芙沙子, Kushi Fusako, 1903–1986) was a female writer from Okinawa. Her most notable work is Memoirs of a Declining Ryukyuan Woman (Horobiyuku ryukyu-onna no shuki, 滅びゆく琉球女の手記), which was received with hostility and negative criticisms.

Fusako Kushi
Native name	久志芙沙子
Born	久志芙ツル 1903 Shuri, Okinawa
Died	1986
Occupation	Writer
Notable works	Memoirs of a Declining Ryukyuan Woman (滅びゆく琉球女の手記)

Biography

Kushi Fusako was born in Shuri, Okinawa in 1903. She graduated from an all-girls high school in Okinawa and worked as an elementary school teacher before moving to Tokyo to pursue a career in writing at the age of 27.[1]

Memoirs of a Declining Ryukyuan Woman

In 1932, Kushi submitted Memoirs of a Declining Ryukyuan Woman to Fujin Kōron, which reflected her experience with Ryukyuan identity, social discrimination and the loss of her home and culture.

Criticism

The Okinawa Prefecture Student Association in Tokyo heavily criticized Kushi's work, accusing her of negatively portraying Okinawan people in the same class as the Ainu people and the Korean people.[1] Although Memoirs of a Declining Ryukyuan Woman was initially planned to be published as a serial novel, the backlash prevented the publication of the rest of her Memoir series.[1]

The "Defense"

In the following month's issue of the Fujin Koron, Kushi published Kushi's rebuttal titled "In the Defense of Memoirs of a Declining Ryukyuan Woman," which challenged critics' internalized prejudice concerning gender and ethnicity.

Kushi wrote,

"Their outraged claims that what I wrote “demeans” and “discriminates against” Okinawans reveals, paradoxically, their own racial prejudice toward Ainu and Koreans. I don’t care whether Okinawans are identified with Ainu or with “pure Japanese” because I firmly believe that, despite superficial differences resulting from environmental conditions, we are all Asians and equal as human beings. It was in this sense that I used the word “people,” and certainly not to insult the Okinawan people of whom I myself am one."[2]

After the publication of the "Defense," Kushi retired from writing and never wrote again.[1]

References

1. Arashiro, Toshiaki. Kyōyō kōza Ryūkyū Okinawa shi. Okinawa Rekishi Kyōiku Kenkyūkai (Shohan ed.). Okinawa-ken Itoman-shi. p. 270. ISBN 4905412293. OCLC 933418092.
2. Southern exposure : modern Japanese literature from Okinawa. Molasky, Michael S., 1956-, Rabson, Steve, 1943-. Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawai'i Press. 2000. pp. 81–82. ISBN 0824823001. OCLC 50490528.CS1 maint: others (link)