The Fuganutu Tradition Connecting Remote Islands

This article presents an examination of oral traditions concerning drifters that have been transmitted on Yonaguni Island, which marks Japan’s southwestern-most point. This oral history, recorded in Dunan munui—one of the endangered languages designated by the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)—comprises a text of 80,000 characters written in katakana. The text chronicles interactions and friendships with three men belonging to a group known as the Fuganutu (people from elsewhere). These individuals arrived from a region that did not correspond to Japan, mainland China, Taiwan, Lan-yu, or the West. This period preceded the incorporation of Yonaguni Island under the Ryukyu Kingdom’s domain. Collaborative research with the last woman who memorized this heritage revealed detailed correspondences with accounts in the 1479 The Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty concerning a drift from Jeju Island to Yonaguni and the survivors’ six-month stay there. After creating a 4,000-word vocabulary list, recording the narrative to build a corpus, and translating it into Japanese, we proceeded with the visualization of key scenes. A picture book authored by the narrator-drawer was published in March 2025, four months prior to her demise. This oral history included numerous life-wisdom teachings passed down through Fuganutu. These encompassed new food sources and fiber materials, cooking methods, drying preservation techniques, and forecasting weather and tidal patterns. Cultural exchange with drifters from Jeju Island significantly influenced environmental governance on Yonaguni Island. The author wished for us to help preserve the memory of an era when the island lived autonomously under female leadership and traded peacefully with places like Taiwan, ensuring that no one suffered from hunger and neglect

BENGAL · Clan · Endangered species · Mainland · Narrative · Oral history · Oral tradition · Asian American and Pacific Histories · Japanese History and Culture · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies