Brother, listen to what we say. There was a time when our forefathers owned this great island. Their seats extended from the rising to the setting sun. The Great Spirit had made it for the use of Indians. He had created the buffalo, the deer, and other animals for food. He made the bear and the beaver, and their skins served us for clothing. He had scattered them over the country, and taught us how to take them. He had caused the earth to produce corn for bread. All this he had done for his red children because he loved them. If we had any disputes about hunting grounds, they were generally settled without the shedding of much blood. But an evil day came upon us; your forefathers crossed the great waters, and landed on this island. Their numbers were small; they found friends, and not enemies; they told us they had fled from their own country for fear of wicked men, and come here to enjoy their religion. They asked for a small seat; we took pity on them, granted their request, and they sat down amongst us; we gave them corn and meat; they gave us poison in return. The white people had now found our country; tidings were carried back, and more came amongst us; yet we did not fear them, we took them to be friends; they called us brothers; we believed them, and gave them a larger seat. At length, their numbers had greatly increased; they wanted more land; they wanted our country. Our eyes were opened, and our minds became uneasy. Wars took place; Indians were hired to fight against Indians, and many of our people were destroyed. They also brought strong liquor among us; it was strong and powerful, and has slain thousands.Brother, our seats were once large, and yours were very small; you have now become a great people, and we have scarcely a place left to spread our blankets; you have got our country, but are not satisfied; you want to force your religion upon us.
The critical edge to this address is neutralized, and Itō emphasizes
the final paragraph (with the reference to religion removed): "we have
scarcely a place left to spread our blankets" (yohai ... futon ichimai hiroku to shiku chi mo motanu mitonarinu). In
an almost celebratory tone, Itō proclaims that the Ainu similarly have been
made landless as the Japanese transform Hokkaido into an agrarian settler
colony.
The reference to Native Americans is striking, and is one of
many. For example, on page 455, Itō -- clearly reflecting the global project of
Japanese settler colonialism as well as the progressivist discourse that
liberal settler colonialism is steeped in -- makes reference to the development
of liberalized Indian policy in the Spanish Empire and the advent of Indian
agents in the United States, or residential schools (dojin kyōiku gakkō) in the British Empire. In a strictly
progressivist framework, Itō sees the closing of the 19th century and dawn of
the 20th as closely reflecting the shift away from merely "murdering
natives with hunting dogs" (ryōken
wo katsute dojin wo senmestu) to coercive, assimilatory, often violent, and
ultimately genocidal indigenous educational policy.
