The potential of intangible loss: reassembling heritage and reconstructing the social in post‐disaster Japan

Attitudes towards cultural heritage have long been characterised by an ‘endangerment sensibility’ concerned with preventing losses. Recently, however, critical scholars argued that loss can be generative, facilitating the formation of new values and attachments. Their arguments focused primarily on material heritage, whose risk damage disappearance is accelerating due to growing environmental crises. After Japan’s 2011 tsunami, there began probing a related question: what happens when supposedly ‘intangible’ damaged? Taking this question as starting point, I ask how recent applications assemblage theory in studies shed light destruction's role forming reforming places peoples. Drawing fieldwork disaster regions, argue disassembly form rendering both things mediating its reciprocal mediation social life matters concern. suggest potential lies made translate other interests during reassembly. By contrast, attempts perpetuate pre-existing relations render more rather than less precarious, depending context. Les attitudes à l’égard du patrimoine culturel ont longtemps été marquées par une « sensibilité la mise en danger », soit un souci de prévenir les pertes. Cependant, certains chercheurs spécialisés questions récemment fait valoir que perte peut être génératrice, ce qu'elle facilite nouvelles valeurs et nouveaux attachements. Ces concernent principalement le matériel, dont risque dommages disparition sont désormais accrus raison des crises environnementales répétition. Toutefois, après tsunami au Japon, commencé se pencher sur connexe: passe-t-il lorsque supposé immatériel » est endommagé? Partant présupposé, je pose savoir si récentes théorie assemblages dans études peuvent permettre comprendre rôle joué destruction d'un (matériel ou immatériel) réforme lieux peuple. Grâce travail terrain j'ai effectué régions Japon sinistrées 2011, j'argue désassemblage forme perte, cette transforme formes médiation ainsi manières il devient social, en"matière préoccupation" (le "matter concern" latourien). Je suggère potentiel réside manière amené traduire d’autres intérêts lors son réassemblage, mais que, parcontraste, tenter perpétuer préexistantes rendre plus moins précaire, fonction contexte. On 11 March undersea megathrust earthquake magnitude 9.1 shook northeastern Japan. Much was immediate. A handful buildings collapsed. In others, windows shattered, stone walls cracked ceilings buckled. But worst yet come. Some 30 minutes later, inundated coastline, taking around 22,000 lives damaging or destroying hundreds thousands buildings. This included 774 designated ‘national properties’ (kokuyū zaisan) official agency (Bunkazai-bu 2012). Many shrines, temples museums disintegrated. Other survived but required significant repairs; their artefacts, dispersed among mud debris, had excavated. Funding such projects controversial, given strained financial situation faced survivors. concern for ‘protecting past, identity those who live’ near sites (Okamura al. 2013: 263) soon saw state agencies organisations provide resources. Japanese were worried about variety, however. Led anthropologist Hiroki Takakura supported Miyagi Prefecture, several surveying impacted rituals, dances practices known ‘folk performing arts’ (minzoku geinō) Northeast (Takakura 2016, 2019; Takizawa 2014; Yamaguchi 2018). these ‘intangible folk (mukei minzoku bunkazai) decades following last major disaster, most not. The group recovery because people needed continuity. ‘By turning arts they’ve grown intimate over many years,’ Isao Hayashi wrote, ‘they recall connectivity pre-disaster lives’ rebuild fragmented networks (2014: 33). Instead focusing ‘cultural properties form’ (katachi aru bunkazai), accordingly sought examine it meant ‘that something without has damaged’ 2014, 2014: 11). These statements show considered so-called intangible threatened losses after would impoverish holders delay even prevent recovery. similar characterises wider conservation, including disasters. For holding it, Caitlin DeSilvey Rodney Harrison write, appears ‘non-renewable resource’ (2019: 2). Its meanings are already established; perpetuating into future primary task ‘safeguarding’ (Akagawa Smith 2019). belief underlies sensibility, expressed John Warren, ‘the essential element survival continuity; continuity creative matters, human behaviour patterns traditions which underlie behaviour’ (2005: 829). We must he writes, create ‘discontinuity past’ (Kathem 2020: 167), threatening people’s ability themselves. However, theorists begun arguing against endangerment sensibilities (Holtorf 2015; Rico 2018; May note climate change makes inevitable, particularly coastal areas (like Japan). Such generative emancipatory, they claim, ‘facilitat[e] emergence values, attachments, forms significance’ 3). Cornelius Holtorf argues similarly may restrict our capacity appreciate values. ‘According aversion’, ‘considered net heritage’. not necessarily problem meaning objects ‘is constantly evolving expected fulfill valuable function society ever [sic] being subjected alterations’ (2015: 418). claims tangible earlier anthropologists regarding geinō). Like his colleagues, them local dances, rituals structure maintain community groups. some sceptical conserve actors fearing loss. example, Theodore C. Bestor innovation ritual practice, ‘pragmatically flexibly [adapt] changing circumstances’ (1989: 226). Similarly, Barbera Thornbury (1994) wrote from through heritagisation might threaten (and thus communities). Christoph Brumann (2009) criticised latter countering harmed Kyoto’s Gion Festival, protects important property. leaves open resisting do practitioners government. applies rural cannot count in-migration sustain populations identities mediate. Regarding areas, Michael Foster also maintaining ‘infrastructure’ requires ‘flexibility, improvisation, willingness negotiate current realities’. ‘when realities devastation,’ like Northeast, ‘then flexibility entail extreme change’ (2017: 119) subtle iteration. article, explore changes practice affected groups regions. draw conducted politics reconstruction Minamisanriku Town, Prefecture. doing so, first seek answer Takakura’s ‘what implied saying damaged?’ Second, engage critiques asking whether, just crucially under conditions enable performance producing My build theories relational ontologies studies. treat between ontologically fundamental themselves (Wildman 2010: 55). Matthew Hill suggests we call ‘heritage’ outcomes historical political establishing ‘heterogeneous people, institutions, ideas, things’, well ‘mediators’ shape structures (Hill 2018: 1237). His perspective resonates discussed earlier, explicitly adopt it. instance, (2015) contends particular ‘heritage objects’ problematic inherent emergent articulation within etc. Although consider activities ‘heritage’,11 Most registered heritage. regimes ontological assumptions refract back onto understand (Geismar 2015: 79). means asked answers given) palpable effects am with. demonstrates similar, writing implicit designation idea will ‘carried forward unaltered future’, although few designated, ‘there now tendency view all manner’ (1994, 221). same aspects Relational They degrading elements assemblages, disasters affect specific way. ‘disassembly’: severing once taken-for-granted unstable. Here, Bruno Latour calls ‘matters fact’ – sets stabilised composing ‘things’ become concern’ (Latour 2004), comprise renegotiation. Reviving can, perspective, cast reassembling them: associating things, immaterial, rely alter. case arts, only implies itself becomes different, Ahmed Skounti others transmission. What mediates community’ changes. attachments reassembly different interests, previously. Paradoxically, thorough disassembly, re-mediated (although no certain, later discuss). elaborate remainder showing severer likely survive parts begin briefly discussing reveal practices. then ‘visiting performances’ mediated communities where serious existential. comparatively smaller degrees existing socio-material constrained re-mediation, paradoxically perhaps peoples) disappear. section segues analysis reassembled fragments destroyed severely damaged revealing creates. studying structural, scalar symbolic explanations origins politics, according (2018). increasingly gaining ground. He provides examples. Sharon Macdonald used Latour’s ‘mediator’ transforms ‘translates’ links transmits describe items interactions them. Pendlebury, meanwhile, need shift focus ‘assemblages [of] institutional organizations, norms, (e.g. laws regulations, normalized practices’ 1237) constitute imbue value. Finally, cites (2013), move us beyond analysing actively produced networking heterogeneous entities. synthesises anthropological perspective. First, quasi-object: entity phenomenon emerges ongoing associations ones 372). includes physical spaces. It include immaterial more-than-material phenomena, organisations, (2018: entities delineate act resulting transform associated tracing assembled translates, concludes, ‘multiply intertwined organizational actors, conjunction affordances materiality public space, combine produce particular, provisional, assemblage’ 1262) effects. lend support Akagawa Smith’s claim intangible. this, mean comes 2019: 6). Assemblage implications practices, emerge shape. At bare minimum, performer’s ‘body culture’ (Martin 2013). Furthermore, Japan animal require costumes performers wear, instruments play, perform, Without these, authentic. And turn, dance imbues (including sacrality). difference ‘tangible’ nature one conceptually divides assemblage. former label creates ‘artefactual surface’ separating could, another (Armstrong-Fumero 1307). dematerialises spatially temporally segregating dependencies. events bring dependencies view. Returning question, physical. ceased buildings, washed away implements, drowned practitioners. aid policies survivors spatially, short term, weakening translated. result ‘disassembly’, described above: ‘disbands’, offering insight gathered 2004: 235). There two ways thinking propose. first, nodes disappear removed, leaving broken tenuous connections. second kind often accompanies subtly differs. should each called concern, dispute negotiation. greater damage, appear. articulating altered (recovery play here, rebuilding relocation altering socio-spatial introducing areas). locate opportunities realise ‘potential loss’ Reassembly does make different. ‘people, making possible before served bind spatialised while excluding inclusive mediator. Later evidence claim. turn ‘art’ domains otherwise, done so name previous interests. 2015 witnessed shishi-mai ‘lion dance’. venue temporary housing complex Hadenya, district south Minamisanriku. Lion votive performances found men garb lion spirit. Within Shinto vectors purification oharae. lion’s body typically comprises covered green cloth; head, large, painted wooden mask articulated jaw. As waited dancers arrive, women circulated food gathering crowd, followed elderly man bearing sake bottle, cajoling old enough drink celebration. Shortly arriving, dance, mimicking vigour pretending battle another, fan-wielding dancer. Afterward, cleanse mouth, giggling children adults placed heads purified. amenable productive northeast, emerged historically catastrophe. Johannes Wilhelm describes village, Yoriiso, created famine 1830s. today ‘intangible’, villagers appropriating object artefacts association decided ensure safety villagers, reports. sent representative nearby island, borrowed mask. return, crafted instruments, composed songs, choreographed performed 1835 (Wilhelm 38–9). Hadenya’s history, allegedly disease outbreak purifying residents (Masaoka 2008: 160). Alongside ensuring safety, functioned (2017) infrastructure community. noted phenomena commonly labelled distinguishes kinds ‘tied community’s religious beliefs’ (Thornbury 1994: 215) at point historically. words, identify closely ‘folk’ regional community, understanding ‘vivid symbol[s] communal identification’ (Bestor 1989: 234). symbolise materially mediate enacting time space. shifts attention symbolism ‘arrangements materials, equipment … technologies’ actions co-produce (Harrison, 1239). category (2004: 39). Rather occurring central location parishioners gather, visiting go viewer-practitioners, suggests. Yoriiso process shrine Anba Ōsugi Daimyō (literally, magnificent large cedars Anba’), offerings, visit harbour household similarly, home, ‘connecting (tsunagu) Hadenya’ 40) locations shrine. technology constituting hamlet network incorporating objects, (Pred 1984). disassembled network. almost hamlet’s houses. Displaced evacuated gymnasiums, hotels government Later, municipality moved prefabricated units dance. Particularly early days, small. located outside town. authorities could allocated hamlet. fairness every having equal shot allocation initially assign lottery. hamlets entered early, scattering across inside older residents, rendered matter ‘We couldn’t contact other,’ told me, ‘because didn’t know anybody was.’ Community disbanded districts, ‘connections land’ people’ (Murosaki 90). obliviate ‘The regions rapidly’, Masaoka ‘and folkways whom [regions] background lose existential meaning’ 49). Hadenya believed thing left ‘bind them’ (tsunageru) mask, stored higher ground, tsunami. wave clothes away, replacing (in private funded this; see Littlejohn 2020). With scattered, dance’s trajectory altering. 2012, complexes hosting one-time lost homes. represented neighbours 46). underwent elsewhere (Hayashi Itaya 2017), creating circuits re-connecting networks. Horowa boasted yearly festival brought palanquin town’s deities kagura don masks gods, demons mythic heroes return downtown, parading Minamisanriku’s Shizugawa returning deity principal During mostly inland location. downtown districts parade. response, palanquin’s route, blessing shopkeepers arcade erected disaster. short-term adjustment circumstances. From 2017, permanently incorporated residential town relocated displaced Horowa. Tanibata ‘functioned bonds interrupted’ 7). examples suffered manner defined earlier. Implements, costumes, lost; scattered. place-based, mediated, did meaning, worried. acquired novel significance, catastrophes. Re-situated relations, Horowa’s spatial re-articulating elements. recalls Holtorf’s argument ‘if becoming limits, see. Scholarly motivated desire resurrect revive collectives properties’. literature treats ‘communities’ (komyunitī) requiring little elaboration brief histories occupations Walsh High (1999) argue, ‘common-sense’ approaches assume static, circumscribed fall analytically short. Three dimensions, explaining: imagined reality, interaction process. Historically, three: translated enacted reality collective, ‘in constant time’ (Barrios 330) denote bodies excluded Horowa, learned 2015, procession alongside Ritsumeikan University. met morning centre base mountain Parishioners fifties sixties. priestess introduced me she talking, parishioner’s association. problem: lack young strong carry deity’s (mikoshi). lacked members fit kagura. whether youth participate, responded dismissively. If allowed outsiders, ‘merely event’, said. ‘This festival’, concluded. ‘If ended,