What I share here isn’t something extraordinary. As I live with Sashiko, I talk about Sashiko with great concern. However, similar things are happening everywhere, probably around you as well. With agreeing the profound comments I received yesterday, “We“ tend to simplify Other’s Culture for “Our” purposes. Here, I can talk about only Sashiko & Boro – and I want to introduce the importance of “Acknowledgement of the Culture”, yet I am not alone in this.
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I realize that the pain comes from “Over-Simplification” of the Culture. I want you and everyone to enjoy Sashiko – and I do also want to preserve the width/depth of this culture. For that, today’s Sashiko in English is over-simplified by those who think they know about Sashiko without proper engagement.
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“Simplification” brings profit easily as it comes with “Speed”. Simplification happens when they prioritize convenience over culture itself. I don’t mind simplification when it is introduced as “simplified” version, like one saying [My Sashiko Teaching is a simplified version, so please learn the depth by other Japanese] is a fine phrase to copy what we do. The issue is the simplification with hiding the true intention. Have you seen the “answers” for Sashiko, or anyone saying “One-Stop for learning Sashiko”? There is no such a thing as the answer or “One-Stop for All” – They are signs of over-simplification
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I don’t offer answers so easily because my answer can encourage simplification of the whole picture. I do not leave anyone who has been part of the Sashiko with investing their whole lives. It is “Us (We)” who can change it. Simplification itself isn’t bad – just please be mindful you may encounter simplification as an eraser of the heart of its culture.
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「文化の盗用」という言葉に引っ張られる形で議論に巻き込まれることが多いのですが、実際は盗用というよりは「（自己中心的な）簡素化」が問題なのだろうと思います。文化を簡単に誰でも楽しめるように変化させることは大切ですが、その簡素化された文化が「全体像」であるかのように他人様に教えることは許されることではありません。個人的には日本でこれをしている日本人には出会ったことがない。どんな先生や著名な方であれ、「弁える」ことができる方ばかりとご縁を頂けているからだろうと思います。考えれば考えるほど、不平等は存在するなぁと思うのです。
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