ahhhh

Colonization has literally NOTHING to do with any part of the story. Not in the slightest.

Colonizing means to go somewhere and take over the place, settling there, making it yours/stealing it from the inhabitants. This story only shows a rich old researcher going to random places, like vacations basically, and happens to have come across an untouched tribe that's in need of help and gladly accepts said help.

This is so far removed from colonization that I'm worried about what your meaning of this severe term is in your mind. (￣∇￣")

Okay so since you clearly didn’t actually understand what I meant. first off, last I checked rich people going to “untouched” tribes (lands inhabited by the native people) was one of the reasons most indigenous people and cultures got nearly wiped out or WERE wiped out in the first place.

Second off, I was scared this story would use rhetoric that the people needed to be “educated” and thus have their customs and culture erased for the sake of integrating them into Japanese society. It didn’t do that, which is why I mentioned being happy with the story for it choosing not to take that route and instead respecting the culture portrayed in the story and going in a more positive direction.

I see. Simply going someplace where tribes live isn't colonizing, colonizing is when you settle on the land and claim it as yours. And it sounded like you viewed simply going to places as colonizing, hence my comment and worries.
I'm glad if it was just a misunderstanding due to how it's worded. I'm still bordering PTSD over here from the nonsense that happened in this comments section ages ago (people yelling racism, colonization and lots of other nonsense when it simply wasn't true at all). Sorry for worrying your post was going into that direction. （/TДT)/

I think we can be happy not only about the erasing of culture not being done and whatnot, but also that the author kept things fictional. Because what ACTUALLY erased many tribes was the illnesses humans brought along rather than taking away their land and them fighting the intruders to the end. Even moreso nowadays than back then, since our immune systems are tougher due to generations of being used to it and getting vaccinated. That's why some/the last untouched tribe discovered cannot be interacted with. It would make them ill and they'd perrish. :')
The author definitely did a great job portraying an actual tribe (but not too realistic, with the illness thing and all), with details and all, and settling for a story that went for them developing themselves rather than being pulled into modern society and vanishing. I really wish more people would write about these kinda things. It's a really lovely topic and leaves room for lots of creativity when creating a fictional tribe. Or even deities and such if you make it somewhat fanatsy.