That We May Never Repeat the Tragedy of Minamata
Sugimoto Eiko
My father was a boss of the local net fishery. I was his only child, a daughter. Since I was expected to take over the family business, I began going out on the boat when I was three. The waters of Minamata were so rich then that people would say "the sea welled with fish."
Then, one summer day in 1959, my mother saw us off as usual, saying, "Good bye, catch lot's of fish." For some reason, though, the fishing was poor that day and we returned early. When I ran in calling, "Mom, we're back!" my mother didn't seem to notice. Either she couldn't hear me, or she couldn't see me, I thought. Matches were scattered on the floor all about her. Her hands were trembling. Apparently she hadn't been able to light her cigarette.
"This is terrible," said my dad, and he took her to the hospital. That night neither my dad nor my mom came home. All of my relatives were supposed to gather at our house that night, but no one came. I heard that there was an announcement on the evening news. "Sugimoto Toshi (my mother) has contracted the manganese disease."* The woman next door came over just long enough to tell me, "Your mother has manganese disease," and left. The next day, before we could even figure out what was happening, we were told, "You mustn't open the door." If we opened the door even a crack, rocks were thrown at us. We had no idea what was going on -- we could do was stand indoors and shake.
When I walked down to the shore to take care of our boat, stones came flying at me. Trying to escape being hit, I slipped and fell down the slope, becoming covered with cuts and bruises. I went to a neighboring house for help, only to have night soil flung in my face. My cuts were smarting, and I was in pain. Or, should I say, more than pain, I felt mortification.
Actually, by that time my father and I had also contracted the disease.
But we didn't go see a doctor because we were afraid. If we were treated this badly with mother ill, what would become of us if it were known the entire family was sick? It was frightening. I think that every single member of my village used to be a fine person. But, all of a sudden they turned into tormentors.
My father said, "They aren't going to change, so we have to change ourselves." But how were we supposed to change? I couldn't figure it out. Later, when it was determined that Chisso had caused Minamata disease, those people who had been cruel to us and our relatives came to apologize.
It's precisely because I was tormented that I am the person you see today. Now I like Minamata. It is here that I would like to die. Minamata is blessed with mountains, rivers, and the sea. It's because I love Minamata, and because I don't want others to experience what I had to endure, and because I don't want to see the return of the cruel side of our village that I tell my story to others.
*(Note) "Manganese disease": Before it was clarified that organic mercury was the source of Minamata disease, one hypothesis held that it might be caused by manganese.
(Translated by Karen R. Colligan-Taylor)
SUGIMOTO Eiko
Resident ofModo, Minamata city. Born in 19B8, Eiko SUGIMOTO grew up in Mode. In 1958 She married and showed symptoms of Minamata disease while her mother was admitted to a hospital. In 1969 She filed a lawsuit a lawsuit as a family member of a patient. She won the case in 1973. In 1974 She was designated as a patient. She established Producers Federation of Non-agricultural Chemicals in Minamata Fukuro Area with other supporters in 1978. In 1980, fishing activity was resumed. In 1981 her husband was authorized as a patient. Her sardine net boat, Kaiei-maru, was launched in 1990. She is a starting member of Hongan no Kai.
back
Copyright(C) SOSHISHA. All rights reserved.