"Transnational Indigenous collaborations are a transformative power that has and continues to reshape truth and reconciliation, decolonization, and policy and economic development."
Dr. Scott Harrison
Connecting Histories, Shaping Futures
"Transnational Indigenous collaborations are a transformative power that has and continues to reshape truth and reconciliation, decolonization, and policy and economic development."
Dr. Scott Harrison
Connecting Histories, Shaping Futures
The Indo-Pacific is often discussed in terms of economic growth and geopolitical influence, yet its historical legacies are just as crucial in shaping contemporary realities. The region is home to approximately 300 million Indigenous people—70% of the world’s total—whose histories, cultures, and rights remain at the heart of ongoing reconciliation efforts. This article explores how historical reconciliation unfolds in Canada, Taiwan, and Japan, revealing both shared challenges and unique pathways. By examining cross-Pacific Indigenous connections, we can better understand how colonial histories, state policies, and Indigenous agency shape reconciliation.
The Indo-Pacific is often discussed in terms of economic growth and geopolitical influence, yet its historical legacies are just as crucial in shaping contemporary realities. The region is home to approximately 300 million Indigenous people—70% of the world’s total—whose histories, cultures, and rights remain at the heart of ongoing reconciliation efforts. This article explores how historical reconciliation unfolds in Canada, Taiwan, and Japan, revealing both shared challenges and unique pathways. By examining cross-Pacific Indigenous connections, we can better understand how colonial histories, state policies, and Indigenous agency shape reconciliation.
Key Insights
One of the most significant aspects of reconciliation is the recognition that colonial legacies and legacies of nation-state formation remain unresolved across the Indo-Pacific. In Canada, legal battles and policy reforms reflect an ongoing effort to address Indigenous rights, while in Taiwan, the government has formally apologized and initiated reconciliation processes, though challenges persist. In Japan, Ainu advocacy has pushed for greater recognition, yet historical injustices remain a complex issue. Despite differing political and legal landscapes, reconciliation efforts in these regions share common themes: land rights, cultural revitalization, legal recognition, and the role of Indigenous voices in shaping their own futures.
Another key insight is that reconciliation is not a singular process but a dynamic and evolving journey. Indigenous communities across Canada, Taiwan, and Japan have engaged in decades of exchanges, learning from each other’s experiences to advance their rights. Whether through legal advocacy, cultural preservation, or international cooperation, these connections highlight the global nature of Indigenous movements. The reconciliation process must go beyond symbolic gestures and involve concrete policy changes, legal recognition, and societal transformation. As this article illustrates, while each country’s and Indigenous community’s path is distinct, the underlying principles of justice, acknowledgment, and action remain universal.
Key Insights
One of the most significant aspects of reconciliation is the recognition that colonial legacies and legacies of nation-state formation remain unresolved across the Indo-Pacific. In Canada, legal battles and policy reforms reflect an ongoing effort to address Indigenous rights, while in Taiwan, the government has formally apologized and initiated reconciliation processes, though challenges persist. In Japan, Ainu advocacy has pushed for greater recognition, yet historical injustices remain a complex issue. Despite differing political and legal landscapes, reconciliation efforts in these regions share common themes: land rights, cultural revitalization, legal recognition, and the role of Indigenous voices in shaping their own futures.
Another key insight is that reconciliation is not a singular process but a dynamic and evolving journey. Indigenous communities across Canada, Taiwan, and Japan have engaged in decades of exchanges, learning from each other’s experiences to advance their rights. Whether through legal advocacy, cultural preservation, or international cooperation, these connections highlight the global nature of Indigenous movements. The reconciliation process must go beyond symbolic gestures and involve concrete policy changes, legal recognition, and societal transformation. As this article illustrates, while each country’s and Indigenous community’s path is distinct, the underlying principles of justice, acknowledgment, and action remain universal.
View Article
This chapter is part of the larger volume Reconciliation and Symbiosis in East Asia from Comparative Perspectives that examines why and how East Asia remains shaped by historical grievances, territorial disputes, and persistent political tensions through a comparative and international lens. The ten other chapters in this volume cover everything from East Asia's geopolitical and security environment to lessons from European reconciliation processes, U.S. policy, and the role of language in historical justice.
Harrison, Scott M. “Indigenous Historical Reconciliation in Canada, Taiwan, and Japan.” Reconciliation and Symbiosis in East Asia from Comparative Perspectives. Edited by Kimie Hara. Kitchener, ON: Pandora Press, 2025.
View Article
This chapter is part of the larger volume Reconciliation and Symbiosis in East Asia from Comparative Perspectives that examines why and how East Asia remains shaped by historical grievances, territorial disputes, and persistent political tensions through a comparative and international lens. The ten other chapters in this volume cover everything from East Asia's geopolitical and security environment to lessons from European reconciliation processes, U.S. policy, and the role of language in historical justice.
Harrison, Scott M. “Indigenous Historical Reconciliation in Canada, Taiwan, and Japan.” Reconciliation and Symbiosis in East Asia from Comparative Perspectives. Edited by Kimie Hara. Kitchener, ON: Pandora Press, 2025.
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