The Ghosts of Nanking
Part Five of a Special Six-part series
about the Forgotten Holocaust of WWII
Part Six: Making the difficult connections
By Jesse Horn
Conversation with Professor renowned
and groundbreaking psychotherapist Armand Volkas MFA, MA, MFT,
RDT/BCT and founder of the Healing the Wounds of History, and
Aya Kasai M.A. Expressive Arts Therapist
The capacity of man to inflict horror upon
himself is unbound. As we examine the complex issue of not only
the atrocities committed upon the people of Nanking in 1937,
but how to find reconciliation between the victim and the
perpetrator, we must also bare in mind that the deep impact of
this traumatic history is still having a profound effect on
society today. Although the initial occupation of the Japanese
Imperial Army was for six weeks, this was not the extent of
their assault upon the Chinese, and as the generations have
moved on, both cultures have struggled with powerful and
difficult emotions.
There are many levels to each of their
pain. On one level you have an appalling number of initial
victims whose lives, families, and homes have been forever
devastated. This trauma would be transferred to each successive
generation in ways that would have a collective effect on their
society. To add to this heavy burden is the historical serious
lack of official acknowledgement and expression of remorse from
the Japanese Government. However, there is also a heavy burden
for those affected on the other side.
In a 2007 international conference entitled
“Remembering Nanjing” Kuniko Muramoto Ph.D,
Professor of Clinical Psychology at Ritsumeikan University in
Japan, noted after seeing deeply disturbing photographs of
Nanking victims taken with smiling Japanese Soldiers,
“They are our fathers, grandfathers, and great
grandfathers. They came back to the charred remains of our
country and rebuilt post-war Japan, where we were born and
raised.” Generations of Japanese have had to both suffer
as being a perpetrator, as well as victim with the devastation
civilians endured from the bombings of both Hiroshima and
Nagasaki in 1945. However, as noted by Expressive Arts
Therapist Aya Kasai M.A., the perpetrator identity is more
taboo and is often overshadowed by the victim identity.
There are countless stories of Japanese
families that were forever destroyed with the return of fathers
who could not understand or manage the guilt and affects of
their savage war. These conflicting emotions and transference
of trauma, even by the perpetrator, has had a lasting impact on
the society of Japan, even to today. Professor Armand Volkas,
who is the son of Auschwitz survivors and resistance fighters
from World War II, suggests that “If emotions of a
historical trauma, transmitted from generation to generation,
are not expressed and worked through in the society, it haunts
us and affects the way we live and relate to one another,
affecting our whole society”. Professor Volkas founded
the Healing the Wounds of History, which is a therapeutic
approach in which theatre techniques are used to help bring
cultures who share a common legacy of violent conflict and
historical trauma together in order to facilitate
reconciliation.
Aya Kasai, who has also participated in
many of Professor Volkas’ Healing the Wounds of History
events, has first hand knowledge of the affects of cultural and
collective trauma. Her grandmother was a Hiroshima survivor,
and her grandfather served in World War II. She has indicated
that through assisting facilitation of the Healing the Wounds
of History events it has become clear that in the heart of
Japanese people there is still unexpressed pain and suffering
of past war.
“If we do not fully experience and
become aware of those feelings,” Aya explained,
“and if those feelings are not met by empathy, we will
never learn to empathize with other’s pain in a true
sense.”
In October of 2009, Psychology Professor
Kuniko Muramoto, Ph.D. from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto,
Japan set out to organize an encounter between Japanese and
Chinese students from the fields of psychology, history,
education, and peace studies. They would come together in the
Chinese city of Nanjing, and would begin a process of
psychological and emotional reconciliation and healing. Through
this four day encounter, facilitated by Professor Volkas and
co-facilitated by Mrs. Kasai, 12 Japanese students, and
professors, and 12 Chinese students and professors were brought
together at the Normal University in Nanjing. This was located
in what was a part of the safe zone created during the Nanking
Massacre, would prove to be an emotionally, psychologically,
and culturally challenging task.
“The western psychological therapy
frame sometimes works and sometimes is inappropriate for the
eastern context,” Professor Volkas explained.
“There are different values around individualistic and
collectivist ways of seeing things, as well as Judau-Christian
ideas of forgiveness. They are not necessarily the same in the
Asian context. We can’t assume that they are same.”
He went on to explain that it is a challenge to wade through
important cultural issues such as how can Japan give an honest
apology, and not lose face at the same time?
“I am working with a group of
individuals to first of all find out what the emotional steps
would be for reconciliation after such a trauma, and having
compassion and empathy for both cultures. People with a legacy
of perpetration also deserve compassion, which is a complex
thing.”
Through the process of the Healing the
Wounds of History, the two separate groups came together in a
variety of ways, beginning with breaking the taboo against
speaking to each other. They then did important work to
humanize those participating by making the connection between
those in the group, and the stories they would tell. This gave
participants a chance to feel empathy for those who would
otherwise remain a faceless symbol.
“When one is shown empathy by
others,” explained Aya, “one is able to empathize
with the self and the feeling is transformed. This is the basis
for many psychotherapy methods and it is what occurs between
therapist and client, as well as in group therapy. This ability
to empathize is a self-healing property we have. To create a
place where this empathy is drawn out of people and to create
the culture of empathy is the goal of Healing the Wounds of
History.”
Following this process, the group explored
approaches to find understanding in that there is a potential
perpetrator in all of us. Much of this process is helping the
individual find the peace that comes with a deeper
understanding. In a western context, the United States seems to
hold a disconnect with the idea that generations can carry the
burden of the sins of their fathers. There often seems to be a
collective dissociation and denial.
“People like to say, ‘I’m
not the one who did it’, ‘We should move on’,
because the darkness of the past is too overwhelming to look
at,” Aya continued. “We still live in the cycle of
oppression and violence. Plus, the survivors and the off
springs are still suffering. So for me, it’s not a past
event. It’s an ongoing event.” American people
often fail to see that we also carry a history of perpetration.
“Even if you or your ancestor did not
participate in slavery for example. You are a beneficiary
living in the aftermath of the history. So we are all
responsible. But I think people feel that too much damage has
been done and it feels like there is nothing we can do about it
now. We feel powerless and hopeless. But what if there is
something you can do about it?”
The events that occurred in Nanking are a
reflection of what mankind is capable of, and yet even 72 years
later the wake that took place is still being felt. Although
there have been steps taken to sort through the shattered
pieces, there is still so much that needs to be done. The
compassionate work of many organizations and groups, including
the amazing work of people like Professor Volkas and Aya Kasai
have taken steps to bring about reconciliation, however, there
is still much more work that needs to be done.
“I actually felt more hope when I
went to Nanjing, faced the facts and found my own
truths,” recalled Aya. “It was a way of getting out
of the disempowered paralyzation against history. It was very
difficult at first because I had to deal with the feelings of
guilt, shame and grief. It was very painful. But there was a
sense of relief and calm in just being with the truth. Then I
had to learn to hold those difficult feelings and love of
humanity with all its faults and hope at the same time.”
She also expressed a satisfaction that has come from the work
that she has done.
“The deep connection the participants
made with each other was so beautiful. So there is actually a
lot of joy and hope in looking at the historical trauma
together. A culture that denies its dark shadow is the culture
that does not have enough compassion. I think we just
don’t have enough compassion on this planet.”
For those who have been reading this series
from its beginning on December 9th, it is important to note
that it has been six weeks since then with this conclusion.
Imagine for a moment all that has happened in your life from
that first reading. Now, as we come to a close remember that
this is the same amount of time that the people of Nanking had
to endure the bulk of their horror. By this time as many as
300,000 people had been savagely, cruelly murdered, and those
who remained would be shattered forever. That is the equivalent
of murdering the entire population of New Orleans in six weeks.
As a personal note, as I reflect on how
this process has affected me, I regret that I have been unable
to fully convey the same stirring stories and powerful messages
I have been privileged to experience. I am also haunted by Dr.
Peter Stanek’s words to me and their significance.
“Why are the extremes of Japan's aggression and
behavior,” he said, “largely unknown in the US,
especially compared to those of Germany?” As this is the
72 anniversary of one of the most horrific events in the 20th
century, why was there nothing to be found in western media?
Winston Churchill has warned us that “A nation that
forgets its past is doomed to repeat it.” I believe the
same applies to all of us.
I would like to thank all those who have
assisted and participated in this series, for their generosity,
and trust.
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