“Cultural Appropriation” explained the pain & sorrow I felt when I saw someone introduce Sashiko with their own filtered information & minimizing the stories. This “filtering” often (not always) is caused by the privileged people, and therefore, some people misunderstand my message that I am trying to exclude all the “privileged” people. I am NOT. I am just asking you to learn Sashiko so that no one will change the culture “for their convenience”.
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“Filtering” can happen within the people in the same culture. It is unrealistic to believe ALL Japanese artisans are at the same level of understanding, nor share the same value. Although it is rare to find a Japanese artisan who “insists” on the legitimacy of doing “Correct Sashiko”, I may come across similar experiences even among Japanese people. However, I am not worried about it much. I say, “Sashiko done by Japanese are all valid”. Can you guess why?
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As long as one understands the Japanese language, there are enough Japanese people & documents they can reach when they continue Sashiko. If they do not continue, they will not “change” the culture. How about those in other languages besides the Japanese? Since not many Sashiko practitioners understand other languages, the person who “interprets (translate)” the Sashiko will create the “new Normal” in each language – which the others cannot even doubt since they do not understand the original Japanese language. Isn’t it scary? Therefore, I share the stories. Unfortunately, audiences without Japanese language trust the 2nd source written in their language as if it is the “whole story”.
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That’s the “change” I am afraid of, and if one makes a profit over the people in origin, then it is a form of C/A (Privileged people getting wealth over sacrificing the culture’s essence is the damage from C/A here).
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「刺し子、ダサい……」。”ダサい”そのものが死語になる現代。僕が育った日本と今の日本は違うんでしょうが、「刺し子＝野暮ったい」というのは、まぁそうだろうなと思った訳です。僕自身、そう思ってましたし（笑）華やかな花ふきんと刺し子の組み合わせは、やっぱり素敵です。でも、同時に、野暮ったい刺し子も残したい。でも、”ダサい”のは残らない。その答えが恵子さんの作品だったりします。一つ間違えると野暮ったくなる刺し子を、「着る芸術」にまで昇華させる。まだまだできることは沢山あるはずで。
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