Morberger Family Cultural Analysis
My mon is a representation of the values and origins of the Morberger family. To the Japanese community, mon’s are a symbol of the family’s identity and name and were popularly used by the samurai to distinguish the social class and portray the honour of their family. (Encyclopaedia Japan, 2008). When creating my mon, I wanted to reflect the Japanese use of nature and symbolism to show the history of my family name and how different cultures came together to form our family. The most notable figure on the mon is the silhouette of the Japanese dragon located near the sea. In Japanese culture, most dragons were considered to live in oceans or lakes, and were a symbol of strength and courage. (Painter, 2010). Throughout history, relatives of mine have shown courage and strength throughout their lives, such as my Opa fleeing from Germany with his family to escape the anti-Jewish regime. In Western society, a dragon is identified with fairy tales, and growing up as children in Australia, my two sisters and I commonly watched movies where the knight in shining armour would defeat the evil dragon. Many of these original stories came from the German authors Brothers Grimm. As Morberger traces its origins back to Germany, I thought the use of a dragon in relation to the popular German fairy-tale authors represented the heritage of the family name in a personal way.
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To the right of the dragon is the Southern Cross, a well-known symbol of Australia.
Along with the water present in the mon, I chose to use the Southern cross to show my family’s individual immigration to Australia to all form my family as it is now. From my German Opa, French Grandmother and, although not blood related but family nonetheless, middle-eastern Grandfather, each trace their roots back to other areas of the world, however, they all united in Australia. Therefore, the Southern Cross is a representation of the different backgrounds of my family, yet the unity of us in
Australia.
The symbols of the mon are then enclosed in a circle, a symbol of which is a commonly associated with the Buddhist concept of Zen. (Henne, 2013). Known as an enso in Japanese, the circle is a representation of infinity, and I chose to use the circle in my mon to show the ongoing unity and love for each other. As the circle surrounds the two other symbols, the circle also represents the forever ongoing values of strength and unity in my family.
Kokoda Campaign
On the 21st July 1942, Japanese forces landed in Gona, Papua, for the objective of capturing Port Moresby. Port Moresby was a key defence base of the Australia army, and threatened Australia’s security if Japan was able to capture it. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). The most direct path to the capture of Port Moresby was through the jungle pathway known as the Kokoda track. The track provided appalling conditions, with many of the soldiers dying of illness rather than battle wounds. (2Australia, 2010). The Japanese launched an attack against the defence on the 23rd of July, and first faced the Australians at Alawa. Unable to hold the Japanese back because of their lack of supplies, the Australians retreated whilst the Japanese advanced. The Japanese continued to advance further along the track, until on the 17th of September, when the situation swung in favour of the Australian’s as they gained more supplies from their Ower’s Corner base. The Japanese began to lose momentum as the American’s recaptured Guadalcanal, and the Australians began to edge forward from Imita Ridge. (Australian War Memorial, 2016). The Japanese fought hard against the advancing Australians, with battles occurring in Kumusi, Gona, Buna and Sanananda. By the 18th of November, the Australians had advanced to Kumusi River, and the Japanese had been defeated in the fight for Port Moresby. (2Australia, 2010)
Kokoda Trail, DVA, 2010
Japanese Perspective - Letter
こんにちはなおみさん、
I am writing this to you from Gona in Papua New Guinea, where we have set up camp for the night. Papua New Guinea is quite different to home. The forest is thick with humidity, and the mud has seeped so far into my boots that I don’t think they will ever be dry again. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). However, I must be honest with you Naomi, and tell you that our strong attack has begun to fail. When we first arrived, the strength and power of our army drove the Australians out of Alawa, and honestly I was surprised at the simplicity of their defence. (2Australia, 2010). Through jungle and mud we trekked further and further down towards Port Moresby, bringing honour to our country, and for me personally, honour to you knowing that your older brother has fought for Japan1. Steadily we had continued through the mountains, fighting off diseases in the pursuit of the Port. Malaria hit us all pretty hard. At first, only a few of the older soldiers came down with the disease, until about a week ago when the number of infection steadily increased. Now, you wake up every morning to find men lifeless in their sleep. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). Our advance on the Australian’s was going to plan until we met the American’s at Guadalcanal. They attacked us from all angles yet we did not back down. (Australian War Memorial, 2016). So many young men died in honour that night, and I am proud to say that the Samurai spirit was not forgotten that day2. Still in pursuit of the end goal, we were a mere 6 km form Port Moresby, until we reached Ower’s Corner. Here the Australians began to gain momentum as they pushed us northwards all the way to Gona. We fought hard against them, but we failed to hold them back. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). Now, only a few of us remain, waiting to face the ongoing threat of attack. Even if I do survive these oncoming attacks in the next few weeks, Naomi, I will not be returning home. I joined the army to fight for my country, and I will not leave until I have died for my country. In my passing, I hope that your future can be lived out with honour knowing that I have fought to the end, to die for our Emperor3.
さいよなら,
ひろと
1 – This came from the history of samurai in Japan. Samurai were ancient warriors who based their actions off the philosophy of Bushido, or The Way of the Warrior. Bushido was heavily based upon ones honour to family and country, and although Samurai do not exist anymore, these values are still heavily valued in Japanese society. (Inside Asia Tours Ltd, 2016).
2 – The Bushido code is the code of which Samurai live by. The virtues include qualities such as honour, courage and loyalty. (Brett & Kate McKay, 2008). In WW2, these values were called to light, with the Japanese showing courage and honour in battle, despite the knowledge they would be killed. (Inside Asia Tours Ltd, 2016).
3 – In the samurai days, when a samurai broke the bushido code, they would be expected to commit suicide in a ritual known as Seppuku to retain honour. (Bushido book). The military officer Hideki Tojo also praised this attitude stating, “Do not live in shame as a prisoner. Die, and leave no ignominious crime behind you”. As a result, many of the Japanese would commit suicide if they were capture, or fight to their death, as they believed that this brought honour to themselves and the country of Japan. (BBC, 2014).
Australian Perspective – Letter
To my dearest Eliza,
My beautiful wife, it has been so long since I last spoke to you, and I cannot express to you how much I miss you. Papua New Guinea is very different to Australia; the forest is so dense that you can only barely see the trail. Kokoda trail, the ruthless trail of death where more mates had died from the appalling conditions compared to the actual battles. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). And the Japanese; they fight so aggressively that it seems as though the war effort is more important to them than their lives. When they first attacked us in Alawa, we were so shocked at their determination in battle that it was lucky most of us got out alive. (2Australia, 2010). As the Japanese advanced steadily towards Port Moresby, it took everything we had to try and hold them off, but it was no use with the lack of supplies we had. Things were looking bad, and each day young men would lose their lives to the ongoing attacks of diseases such as malaria. It was hard to watch, as day after day men with families or bright futures were losing their lives in the horror of war. We were dejected and losing badly, until the American’s came. I cannot express to you Eliza how hopeful this made us. Back in range of our supply base, Ower’s Corner, we had a new energy and we began to push the Japanese back towards Gona. If anything we were lucky, considering that they were weak and decreasing in numbers from the terrible disease of Malaria. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). In the horror of this godforsaken place, I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Each step we take towards the Japanese base is another step towards returning home and seeing you. I promise you Eliza, in the next month or two, I will be home and everything will be as they are meant to be. This is a promise and I have every intention of keeping it.
See you soon,
Thomas.
To the right of the dragon is the Southern Cross, a well-known symbol of Australia.
Along with the water present in the mon, I chose to use the Southern cross to show my family’s individual immigration to Australia to all form my family as it is now. From my German Opa, French Grandmother and, although not blood related but family nonetheless, middle-eastern Grandfather, each trace their roots back to other areas of the world, however, they all united in Australia. Therefore, the Southern Cross is a representation of the different backgrounds of my family, yet the unity of us in
Australia.
The symbols of the mon are then enclosed in a circle, a symbol of which is a commonly associated with the Buddhist concept of Zen. (Henne, 2013). Known as an enso in Japanese, the circle is a representation of infinity, and I chose to use the circle in my mon to show the ongoing unity and love for each other. As the circle surrounds the two other symbols, the circle also represents the forever ongoing values of strength and unity in my family.
Kokoda Campaign
On the 21st July 1942, Japanese forces landed in Gona, Papua, for the objective of capturing Port Moresby. Port Moresby was a key defence base of the Australia army, and threatened Australia’s security if Japan was able to capture it. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). The most direct path to the capture of Port Moresby was through the jungle pathway known as the Kokoda track. The track provided appalling conditions, with many of the soldiers dying of illness rather than battle wounds. (2Australia, 2010). The Japanese launched an attack against the defence on the 23rd of July, and first faced the Australians at Alawa. Unable to hold the Japanese back because of their lack of supplies, the Australians retreated whilst the Japanese advanced. The Japanese continued to advance further along the track, until on the 17th of September, when the situation swung in favour of the Australian’s as they gained more supplies from their Ower’s Corner base. The Japanese began to lose momentum as the American’s recaptured Guadalcanal, and the Australians began to edge forward from Imita Ridge. (Australian War Memorial, 2016). The Japanese fought hard against the advancing Australians, with battles occurring in Kumusi, Gona, Buna and Sanananda. By the 18th of November, the Australians had advanced to Kumusi River, and the Japanese had been defeated in the fight for Port Moresby. (2Australia, 2010)
Kokoda Trail, DVA, 2010
Japanese Perspective - Letter
こんにちはなおみさん、
I am writing this to you from Gona in Papua New Guinea, where we have set up camp for the night. Papua New Guinea is quite different to home. The forest is thick with humidity, and the mud has seeped so far into my boots that I don’t think they will ever be dry again. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). However, I must be honest with you Naomi, and tell you that our strong attack has begun to fail. When we first arrived, the strength and power of our army drove the Australians out of Alawa, and honestly I was surprised at the simplicity of their defence. (2Australia, 2010). Through jungle and mud we trekked further and further down towards Port Moresby, bringing honour to our country, and for me personally, honour to you knowing that your older brother has fought for Japan1. Steadily we had continued through the mountains, fighting off diseases in the pursuit of the Port. Malaria hit us all pretty hard. At first, only a few of the older soldiers came down with the disease, until about a week ago when the number of infection steadily increased. Now, you wake up every morning to find men lifeless in their sleep. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). Our advance on the Australian’s was going to plan until we met the American’s at Guadalcanal. They attacked us from all angles yet we did not back down. (Australian War Memorial, 2016). So many young men died in honour that night, and I am proud to say that the Samurai spirit was not forgotten that day2. Still in pursuit of the end goal, we were a mere 6 km form Port Moresby, until we reached Ower’s Corner. Here the Australians began to gain momentum as they pushed us northwards all the way to Gona. We fought hard against them, but we failed to hold them back. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). Now, only a few of us remain, waiting to face the ongoing threat of attack. Even if I do survive these oncoming attacks in the next few weeks, Naomi, I will not be returning home. I joined the army to fight for my country, and I will not leave until I have died for my country. In my passing, I hope that your future can be lived out with honour knowing that I have fought to the end, to die for our Emperor3.
さいよなら,
ひろと
1 – This came from the history of samurai in Japan. Samurai were ancient warriors who based their actions off the philosophy of Bushido, or The Way of the Warrior. Bushido was heavily based upon ones honour to family and country, and although Samurai do not exist anymore, these values are still heavily valued in Japanese society. (Inside Asia Tours Ltd, 2016).
2 – The Bushido code is the code of which Samurai live by. The virtues include qualities such as honour, courage and loyalty. (Brett & Kate McKay, 2008). In WW2, these values were called to light, with the Japanese showing courage and honour in battle, despite the knowledge they would be killed. (Inside Asia Tours Ltd, 2016).
3 – In the samurai days, when a samurai broke the bushido code, they would be expected to commit suicide in a ritual known as Seppuku to retain honour. (Bushido book). The military officer Hideki Tojo also praised this attitude stating, “Do not live in shame as a prisoner. Die, and leave no ignominious crime behind you”. As a result, many of the Japanese would commit suicide if they were capture, or fight to their death, as they believed that this brought honour to themselves and the country of Japan. (BBC, 2014).
Australian Perspective – Letter
To my dearest Eliza,
My beautiful wife, it has been so long since I last spoke to you, and I cannot express to you how much I miss you. Papua New Guinea is very different to Australia; the forest is so dense that you can only barely see the trail. Kokoda trail, the ruthless trail of death where more mates had died from the appalling conditions compared to the actual battles. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). And the Japanese; they fight so aggressively that it seems as though the war effort is more important to them than their lives. When they first attacked us in Alawa, we were so shocked at their determination in battle that it was lucky most of us got out alive. (2Australia, 2010). As the Japanese advanced steadily towards Port Moresby, it took everything we had to try and hold them off, but it was no use with the lack of supplies we had. Things were looking bad, and each day young men would lose their lives to the ongoing attacks of diseases such as malaria. It was hard to watch, as day after day men with families or bright futures were losing their lives in the horror of war. We were dejected and losing badly, until the American’s came. I cannot express to you Eliza how hopeful this made us. Back in range of our supply base, Ower’s Corner, we had a new energy and we began to push the Japanese back towards Gona. If anything we were lucky, considering that they were weak and decreasing in numbers from the terrible disease of Malaria. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). In the horror of this godforsaken place, I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Each step we take towards the Japanese base is another step towards returning home and seeing you. I promise you Eliza, in the next month or two, I will be home and everything will be as they are meant to be. This is a promise and I have every intention of keeping it.
See you soon,
Thomas.