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Topic ClosedBlack Samurai..Myth or Real???

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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Black Samurai..Myth or Real???
    Posted: 28-Dec-2011 at 07:13
What do you guys think of this:
Ancient Japanese proverb: "For a samurai to be brave, he must have a bit of Black blood."
 
Source:
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28-Dec-2011 at 21:33
I've heard about the Catholic priest who brought his slave with him to Japan. The African was captured by Samurai and kept in a cage like a beast until the priest negotiated for his safe return
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-Dec-2011 at 08:43

Wow...would love to know where you heard that

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-Dec-2011 at 21:09
The slave's name was Yasuke. He came from Mozambique and belonged to a 16th century Jesuit missionary called Alessandro Valignano

Interracial intimacy in Japan
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Dec-2011 at 06:45
^^thanks
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Dec-2011 at 20:08
The Japanese seem to have had a longstanding fascination with black men. They reputedly traveled long distances to be entertained by the African slaves of Arab traders
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Jan-2012 at 07:00

Wow interesting...any sources or is it the same one?



Edited by Fula - 04-Jan-2012 at 07:00
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Feb-2012 at 21:06
The proverb that was quoted has nothing to do with the ethnicity/ color of a samurai. The proverb is talking about a darkness in the soul. To call another samurai black, was to infer that there was something wrong with them, or if you said to a samurai that, "His blade was black", you were telling him that his soul is evil.
The proverb is basically saying that you have to be a little dark in order to get the job done.
 
 
As to Sakanoue no Tamuramaro having been black.....I don't even know where to start with that.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20-Feb-2012 at 20:27
The African slave supposedly accompanied Nobunara in battle. When Yasuke's new master was forced to commit suicide after his defeat by Akechi Mitsuhide the victorious warlord returned the slave to the priest, deeming him a simple animal rather than a disgraced enemy
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20-Feb-2012 at 22:26
Here is a post (from another site Wink) that covers the tale of Yasuke.
 
In 1579, the Jesuit Alessandro Valignano traveled to Japan accompanied by his African page. Upon hearing of his skin color, Nobunaga ordered him to be brought before him as an intriguiging novelty. One anecdotal story says that Nobunaga had his men scrub the man vigouroulsy with soap and water to see if his skin color was paint.

When Valignano prepared to leave Japan, Nobunaga requested that the slave, now called Yasuke, be left behind for a time. He apparently spent much time with the Daimyo and was even present at Honno-ji where Nobunaga met his end at the hands of Akechi Mitsuhide. From there, Yasuke retired to the service of Nobunaga's heir, Nobutada. When Akechi's forces attacked Nobutada, Yasuke was said to have fought side by side with the Oda until overwhelming odds forced a surrender.

With his surrender, Yasuke was brought before Akechi who thought him nothing more than a beast and decide that since he was not Japanese, he should be returned to the Jesuits, who were apparently relieved to see him safe.

The Shincho koki, known as the Lord Nobunaga Chronicle, states that Yasuke was," On the 23rd of the 2nd month [March 23, 1581], a black page (黒坊主 "kuro-bōzu") came from the Christian countries. He looked about 26 [24 or 25 by Western count] or 27 years old; his entire body was black like that of an ox. The man was healthy and good-looking. Moreover, his strength was greater than that of 10 men."
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-Feb-2012 at 07:04
Good info ^^
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-Feb-2012 at 14:31
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28-Dec-2012 at 04:17
There is a lot of credible anthropological evidence of an ancient black (negro) presence in Japan, as well as Indo-China, Indonesia, and more places.  He also found related scholarship to confirm or add wait to the claim that there were black warriors/samurai that were founders of the method/discipline.  Although this article is written by a prominent African-American historian.  He is citing European/Caucasian scientist in the field, if anyone wants to discredit his scholarship as prideful afrocentrism

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-Dec-2012 at 00:07
Can anyone cite a reliable Japanese source for the alleged proverb? While there were probable Negrito peoples in some parts of Japan prior to the arrival of Jomon culture, there is no evidence of 'black' peoples in Japan after that. And my assumption that Negrito peoples did inhabit part of Japan is based solely upon their presence in Taiwan (a minority among the Aboriginal Taiwanese) and the Philippines. And the Samurai culture evolved around the Heian period, with what we generally think of as Samurai emerging well after.

Also, is there a Japanese linguist on this forum who might perhaps offer alternative nuances to the term "Black"?

The people in certain parts of VIetnam use boats that are identical to Irish and Welsh corracles, but taht doesn't make them Irish, or give evidence that any Irish first settled Vietnam. So houses resembling those of bushmen prove nothing.
  
Phong trần mài một lưỡi gươm, Những loài giá áo túi cơm sá gì
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-Dec-2012 at 03:58
In this context I'm almost positive that "black" is used in some kind of symbolic sense, not as a racial term. For example, the Chinese  often used black as a synonym for anything uncivlizied or savage. Black was the color of the north, of death, and cold. One poopular demon-fighting god among Daoists is known as the "Black killer". The Japanese borrowed a lot from China culturally, so maybe they shared that symbolic meaning of black. Maybe "Black blood" means savage barbarian blood.

Also the ancient Japanese would've had no reason to think of Africans as superior warriors. Africa was not even on their radar. "Black people" to them were dark skinned Asians.


Edited by Snafu - 29-Dec-2012 at 04:04
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29-Dec-2012 at 04:17
Agree Snafu,we also use Black as sad one&bad one here!"Kara" in Turkish is also Black.In Demotic is Characteristically Arm....We know what the arm we use for.Arm still arms in English.Big smile
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Dec-2012 at 19:06
Originally posted by Jo-Nate

There is a lot of credible anthropological evidence of an ancient black (negro) presence in Japan, as well as Indo-China, Indonesia, and more places.  He also found related scholarship to confirm or add wait to the claim that there were black warriors/samurai that were founders of the method/discipline.  Although this article is written by a prominent African-American historian.  He is citing European/Caucasian scientist in the field, if anyone wants to discredit his scholarship as prideful afrocentrism


Jo, this sounds more like speculation than evidence. If the Japanese were really of African descent, why don't they have dark skin and curly hair?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Dec-2012 at 23:08
This stuff is bullshit it's written by RUNUKO RASHIDI, the same afro-centrist who claimed Greeks, Romans and European kings were African.

BLACK BLOOD.....? you mean like Japanese fishermen who were light skinned and turned to black because of being exposed to the sun like him?



This is how he looked when he was younger.


Originally posted by Jo-Nate

There is a lot of credible anthropological evidence of an ancient black (negro) presence in Japan, as well as Indo-China, Indonesia, and more places.  He also found related scholarship to confirm or add wait to the claim that there were black warriors/samurai that were founders of the method/discipline.  Although this article is written by a prominent African-American historian.  He is citing European/Caucasian scientist in the field, if anyone wants to discredit his scholarship as prideful afrocentrism


Bullshit there is no evidence, NO EVIDENCE OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL EVIDENCE. The only evidence was Jomon and Ainu. The only evidence are the Negrito of Southeast Asia in modern Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines. 

Written by AFRO CENTRIST  and BLACK SUPREMECIST with manipulation of data,  bending and twisting the meanings of European/Caucasian scientists for their own agenda.



Edited by MrButlerKing - 30-Dec-2012 at 23:23
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Dec-2012 at 23:13
Here are what ancient Japanese people look like. 






Edited by MrButlerKing - 30-Dec-2012 at 23:18
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Jan-2013 at 09:50
They look nothing like Africans
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