THE LAST SAMURAI [film review]

        You were something before you were a soldier. You were a boy who was sad to see the leaves fall and the trees die.
        Like those trees, we are all dying. The future is an illusion, our plans are an illusion, our fears an illusion. We live life in every breath. Eat, drink, fuck. Now.
        Every cup of tea. Every word we write... Every blossom we hold. Every life we take.
        Life in every breath. That is bushido. The way of the samura

(The words of Kasumoto to Nathan Algren)

         The samurai (or bushi) were the members of the military class, the Japanese warriors. Samurai used a variety of weapons, but their most famous weapon and their symbol was the sword. Samurai were to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior"). Bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior. After a defeat, some samurai chose to commit ritual suicide (seppuku) rather than being captured or dying in a shameful defeat.

         We may disagree with the practice of committing ritual suicide. Our disagreement might be based on the precept that human life is sacred. But for the warrior (in Japan), choosing to die by killing oneself is an honor. It is their way of how to live their lives. All members of their community already understood such practice Thus they are no longer alarmed when they see a soldier committing ritual suicide. Instead, they will have a very high regard to that person. This could be seen in the movie at the end. When Katsumoto committed the ritual suicide, almost all the soldiers who fought against his group lay prostrate to honor him may be due to his courageous act. Therefore, this attitude is held by almost all in Japan at that time no matter what was the affiliation of the individual. This could be used as an example of culture as praxis.

          Another point of interest is the statement of the Emperor during the last part of the movie.

           “And now we are awake. We have railroads and cannon and Western clothing. But we cannot forget who we are. Or where we come from.”

           The Emperor here might be alluding to the influences of the Western cultural influences that became so visible in its external manifestations such as the way of dressing, transportation, infrastructures, etc. If we see culture as civilization, Japan as projected in the movie has changed or somehow developed into something apart from their traditional way of living. But the people could still remember their origin. Why did they were not able to preserve some elements of the past? Was it due to their weakness to maintain their heritage or was it because the outsider has more power to persuade them to adapt to the foreign influence?

           In the movie, there were people who would have tried to preserve their heritage, but most of their compatriots favored the modern way. Thus, there was a clash of two imperial armies who fought against each other. Perhaps this could be a good imagery to illustrate an encounter between two different cultures. In the battle, the group armed with high-powered ammunitions would surely win. This means that who has the greater power has the strongest possibility of conquering the other. But on the other hand we must also consider the question of who is more dignified. Kasumoto, of course, was defeated but he died honored by his opponents.

             Reflecting upon this particular scene, I realized that in our present time in which our traditional practices are usually supplanted by a modern or foreign culture we still have the chance to safeguard our values. If we are strong enough to stand on our treasured ideals, I think we could not be overcome by the habits that tend to shrink our moral stance. But if we just remain reluctant and indecisive, our good values will just become history and will no longer be found in the present. For example, the advent of modernization and urbanization has gradually eroded our sense of community. This emerging culture as we can observe is going far in contrast with our traditional rural societies where we know each other by name and one is truly concerned for the welfare of another. Are the people in the cities especially those in subdivisions willing to preserve such interconnectedness despite the condition of city life?

            Cultural influence does not only happen by physical force. There are also instances that a certain social group or an individual would adapt other cultures because the values are convincing and worth emulating. Another reason could be the realization or deeper understanding of a strange culture through concrete experiential contact. This could be demonstrated by the convergence of the paths of the two warriors, Algren and Katsumoto.

           Katsumoto captures Algren after the battle. He wants to study his new opponent, to understand whom he's fighting. Badly wounded, Algren spends few months in Katsumoto's mountain village where he learns about Japanese culture and the ways of the samurai. It is obvious that Algren's loyalties eventually become torn between the noble samurai he has grown to respect and the fellows who hired him. Finally, Algren sided with Kasumoto.

            Algren’s stay at Kasumoto’s mountain village could be an ideal model of inculturation process. I find no imposition of one’s culture here but just the desire to understand profoundly the other. The route taken is to journey with the other not in a manner that is imposing and coercive.

           If we have to use such principles of accompanying and understanding the other in the missionary efforts there would be a strong possibility that the faith we evangelize will be deeply imbedded in the hearts of the people. It might also be a matter of diplomacy but it would be gradual. However, in the turn of events persons will value their faith as their own not as an imposition from a foreign power.