Samuri? Run!!!

The clip on race walking was an example of intercultural performance. The race walker was in Japan, a culture which is not his own, himself being of Latin origins. He was perhaps ignorant of Japanese culture in many respects. The most obvious was his ignorance of the Samuri warrior as being a part of Japanese history and not a present day reality. He ran from the Samuri as if in actual danger. It would be like running from steel clad Knights in Europe, or from Native Americans brandishing bow and arrows here. Had he known Samuri do not exist, he likely would not have ran, but laughed or fought back at the costumed attackers. Through this performance the race walker learned two valuable things. He learned that Samuri do not exist, and he learned how ignorant of Japanese culture he was. By staging this event, the Japanese television show created a funny situation, while also providing valuable information and highlighting the ignorance of others regarding their culture.