While talking to many (rising) Sashiko artisans in Japan, I started seeing a boundary between what we are trying to do & what the other “Sashiko Teachers” are doing. I have been trying to explain the difference in “teaching” as a professional or as a guide. However, it didn’t explain the whole picture of struggles I feel – and now, this boundary may make more sense to me.
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The “teaching” today, in many cases, have become a form of “amusement” – like an attraction in the amusement park. Let’s say that we visit a theme park of “Japanese Traditional Crafting”, and Sashiko or Boro is an attraction (a ride) to entertain the visitors. When I see today’s trend in Sashiko, it makes sense why I get so much push back (or intentional ignorance) for what I speak up. They don’t want Sashiko to be more than “a fun ride” whereas I am trying to teach them how to “drive” the ride by themselves.
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Again, this isn’t a matter of good or bad. It is simply a different approach to “practice”. If they want to have fun with the ride (Sashiko), that’s perfectly fine. It is a good way to start “enjoying” it. The problem occurs when an amusement park starts advertising themselves as “the whole (teachers)” while hiding their initial purpose of “amusing visitors”. As much as I want my workshop to be a fun experience, my workshop will still be “difficult (uncomfortable)” for many people. My goal is to leave the culture & people behind. Here, in a “Sashiko Park” we try to protect, I want everyone to be able to make a “ride” – not just enjoying the ride for temporary. It exists in the “ordinary (reality)” – not the dreams.
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刺し子に限らず、多くの手工芸の分野で起こっていることだとは思うのですが、職人、作家、趣味、と様々な方向から手仕事を捉えるのが現代です。その肩書きには明確な基準はなく、30年の経験があっても「素人」と仰る方もいれば、数ヶ月で「職人」と名乗る方もいらっしゃいます。だから私は、「刺し子は刺し子をしている人が一番（針目見りゃわかる）」と言っている訳ですが、ふと線引きする基準みたいなものを見つけた気がします。
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刺し子（手工芸）をアトラクション（余興？）として見るか、あるいは何か根深いものとしてみるかで、立ち位置は変わってきます。現代では「教えること」は既にエンターテイメントで、教わる側の満足度（楽しんだ度合い）がとても大切になってきます。「楽しいかどうか」は私のクラスの中でも重要なのですが、教える側が「余興とするか、はたまた文化として覚悟を背負うか」は明確にしておく必要があると思うのです。それくらいの区切りはあっていいのかなぁと。今のままだと、本当に何でもかんでも「刺し子」になってしまうのでね。
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