Japanese Sashiko Story March 26, 2023

When we share something “Cultural”, it is important to pay attention to the “Connection” to each dot. Here, a dot is a piece of information (or a simplified “answer” or “definition”). As we look for fast & instantaneous answers, we often get satisfied with the dots themselves. We search for the answer online, and we stop looking into the topic when we find “one” dot. It is okay when we just “enjoy” someone’s culture, I guess. However, when they “teach” or “share” about the culture, ignorance/indifference to the connection can destroy the culture. I believe the core of the Cultural Appropriation Issue is “missing connection” – mostly unintentionally, and worse case, “intentionally”.
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I say “Sashiko Thread Matters”. I appreciate many agreeing with me after they use it. I often get ignorant comments saying [thread doesn’t matter as Sashiko is mending]. Yes, mending is an important part of Sashiko, yet when we focus on the “connection” between dots, one cannot say “thread doesn’t matter” as Sashiko was developed on the “wishes” of people with no choices for them to avoid mending as much as they could. Instead of us embracing the mending with an abundance of choices, Sashiko started its practice to “hide/avoid” the mending itself. Therefore, thread matters. The thread we use is an outcome of the wishes.
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A.I. can give us millions of “dots” when we ask. We fear that humans may lose our own significance. I believe this “connecting dots” is the way to co-exists in the wealth of culture & life-quality. Sashiko is the opposite of A.I., so I don’t want “Sashiko Teachers” to be like an A.I. which only provides the dots. Sashiko is more: Connection, Ability to read between lines (read what is NOT said/written)… Sashiko can represent some of the “superpower” we have – so, please don’t give up on that.
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「点を線に、線を面に」。この当たり前のようなことが、実は海外ではとても貴重なのかもしれません。点と線と面。点の自己主張が強すぎると多面的な変化はありません。文化とはきっと様々な線で作られた面の集合体だと思うのですよ。刺し子も同様で、針目と線と布で形ができます。一つの針目だけで完結する刺し子はなく、それはきっと「一人の人間では完結しない人生」という人間の本質にも繋がるのではと思っています。自己主張は大切です。個人の自由は尊重されるべきです。ただ、「繋がり」を軽視することは文化の、そして人間そのものの否定に繋がってしまう。だからこそ、英語圏での「自由な刺し子」には疑問を投げ続けたいと思っています（日本語圏では自由で最高だと思っています）。
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#Sashiko #刺し子

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