When I write about Cultural Appropriation, I receive questions with their worries. They say, “I am worried if I am hurting you (someone) by saying it’s Sashiko”. Speaking of the Sashiko we practice, what I am asking is just a “try” to respect the Japanese culture behind Sashiko. Here is my answer. “If you worry about hurting someone by saying it’s Sashiko, then please do not worry. You are not hurting. Please keep trying to learn.” This is because the Sashiko was ordinary. I share more on my blog (Link from profile).
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In contrast, if you believe that you are doing Sashiko without any doubt, please doubt it. There is a possibility of hurting someone by “already Knowing”. Therefore, I keep trying to listen to the silent voice. As much as I have many stories to share, I am still learning.
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There is a case that I define as a pain & Cultural Appropriation. It is the time when people say they don’t care (about the Japanese culture). Not knowing is fine. We can learn. Ignoring the voice knowing there is a possibility of pain, and then not-caring is a problem. A big problem. Some say Sashiko is the art (of freedom). Even after I share some info, they do not listen to the (inconvenient) facts. They listen to only the things they want to. They go online to search for information which supports their argument. Once, I politely asked a person to share their resources because their words were a lot different from my understanding. Their answer to me was that they do not want to discuss opinions on the Internet. That’s one example of Cultural Appropriation in Sashiko. I am not only sharing my opinions. I share a series of (silent) voices.
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一気に疲れてしまった週の終わりと始まりです。怒りというよりは寂しさ。憤りというよりは情けなさ。12年前の日々を嘆いても仕方ないけれど、でも、12年後にその重大さに気がつくというのも、我ながら情けない話で。この12年で失ってしまったものは言葉では表しきれないけれど、でも、だからこそある「今」という考え方もできるわけで。昨日の投稿の皆様のコメントから引用しまくってますが、でも要はそういう事です。12年前は一人で抱え込んでた。今は一人じゃない。ありがとうございます。抽象的でごめんなさい。配信で話せるところは話します。
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2020-11-03 09:24:17
I always appreciate your posts. You work so hard, harder than you should need to, explaining. I learn so much and can appreciate so much more. Thank you for your time.
Always loving what you write and your open heart 🙏
Look at the comment by @779n________________________d3 .
I am so tired of this kind of “opinion” from an ignorant person who doesn’t read what is written.
Some surprised when I share how mixed message I receive by just “sharing”. See? I am not making it up. There are people who think I am arrogant and condemning. No matter how much I try, there are people who only read what they want to read.
What a world we live in.
Why does it never end?
Please advise me if it is my English issue. Or it is not my issue because of someone who doesn’t read English. If it is my English issue, I need to re-write.
In this post, in rough summary, I am saying, “Don’t Worry too much about Cultural Appropriation in Sashiko. What I am asking is just respect/care to Japanese Culture/people behind Sashiko”.
Then, toward the end of this post, I just shared an example of the pain I had suffered from C/A (when I just started understanding the concept of Cultural Appropriation).
After this post, I am now accused to be more harm than good? “Constantly condemning people?” Am I?
If they do not wish to learn what Japanese culture is like, what are they learning about Sashiko? Just pattern? Just technique? Pattern is so called geometric pattern (not Sashiko Pattern). Hand-stitching existed everwhere in the world. Without learning the Japaneseness behind Sashiko, what are they doing with using the word Sashiko?
Wait. Is this the actual case of Cultural Appropriation, then?
Come on.
Read what I write before comment here.
Your English is just fine. I find your message to be clear and respectful. I am grateful for the information, history, personal experience, and cultural perspective. Images of sashiko caught my eye, and I thought that it was beautiful at first. When I found your writings, I learned so much more than what it looks like. I am interested in trying the techniques, and I am so glad that you have addressed the issues of appropriation. It might be easy to get excited about the technique and the accomplishment, and inadvertently forget about the history and the people. Your perspective is important to me.
I very much appreciate reading your posts. Without voices like yours we do not know the roots, the history of cultures and their society and crafts. If we don’t have those voices, how can we learn to tread our own creative paths with due respect and honour? Thank you for continuing to write.
Knowing the history of Sashiko as an “ordinary” skill needed for survival in historic rural Japan adds to the beauty by connecting us (in our privilege and comfort) to the thousands who stitched for care and survival. Learning about and appreciating the Japanese-ness just seems a natural and necessary part of understanding Sashiko
Thank you for your thoughts and acknowledgment of the “silent voice”. We should all practice Cultural Appreciation that results from study and understanding
I have discovered that I like your explanations even more than I like your pictures. And notice that I love the pictures of your work. We have so much to learn. Thanks. 🌸
I am afraid even to ask the question as I was recently kicked out of the group trying to understand the difference between culture appropriation and appreciation… But i will try anyway. Is it ok to call the embroidery Sashiko-style or Sashiko-inspired if one is only interested in geometry of it? Or ut is better to avoid the reference all together?