Thank you very much for all the comments you have made to my previous question (post). I am learning a lot, and appreciate your view. I am sorry that I cannot reply all, but I read them all. Here is supplemental information.
☆
I am NOT saying all the teachers who teach a topic related to Japanese culture have to be fluent in Japanese. The point is, “Are they sure what they teach is valid? Isn’t the information filtered by someone who benefits from the modification?”. Without the language ability, it can be difficult to “confirm” the validity because the resource will be limited.
☆
The same goes to me. How do you know what I teach is “real”? Being Japanese itself will not validate anything that I teach in Sashiko. How do they know I am “valid”? Therefore, I share as many stories as possible (stories require experience). Therefore, I share my “real-time” stitching so no faking can be made in the stitches. Therefore, I ask my Japanese friends to check what I say periodically (mainly in Live-Streaming). I know I am sharing “my truth” – but I would like to make sure that I do not minimize the other Sashiko artisans in Japan.
☆
When we can truly trust the resource, then language isn’t the must. For example, if you have a Japanese parent, and they force you to follow some Japanese culture in western country (I am sorry for that), then your understanding of Japanese culture is pretty sufficient even without language.
☆
Today, The Internet can offer you various “valid-looking” answers – we can choose the answer from both extremes. We can choose the answer based on our preference. Therefore, my question arises. I believe (hope) most of the information available about Sashiko is valid (not Wrong). However, when one teaches the Sashiko as “a whole”, then how do they validate they are teaching the whole practice without the language ability? How do they even wonder if there teaching is valid without an ability to research in the language? Teaching cultural topics comes with responsibility, especially when the teacher focuses on specific practice associated with names.
☆
–
–
–
☆
久々長文です。どっかで一人語り配信します。
☆
2021-06-05 21:13:32
I can appreciate the comment about “you’re teach does not have to speak [the language], but are you sure what they teach is valid”. As a taiko practitioner, I am constantly asking myself if I am culturally appropriating as a non-Japanese or Non Japanese-American. But I have been playing taiko for over 15 years, I am still learning and teaching what I learn.
I used to teach art classes for both children and adults in a variety of settings. There were numerous occasions, especially when I was teaching for the education department of my local art museum, where I was called upon to teach based on the current exhibition. (for example, I was asked to teach a bookbinding class to coincide with a book arts exhibit) I was often told that I didn’t have to know everything about a subject, just more than the students. I never knew quite how to feel about that. What I settled on was that I have a responsibility to honestly represent my own level of experience and expertise. “I am a mixed media artist with experience in a variety of art forms, this is what I know about (fill in the blank)…” I don’t have to be an expert to introduce someone to a subject… If the local quilting group asked me to teach Sashiko, for example, I would point out to the person who asked that I am really not an expert and am only, really, a beginner. I’ve been reading about and trying to learn sashiko for years but have only taken a couple of online classes… If they still wanted me to teach (there aren’t many Japanese sashiko teachers in semi-rural Ohio) I would probably try to put together a handout with documentation of sashiko history, images from museum and private collections, and a bibliography of references and online resources. And I would offer a basic introduction with the statement that Sashiko is more than just pretty arrangements of decorative stitching and I hope that anyone who has any interest would delve deeper into the resources in the information that I provide… I would never present myself as an expert in Sashiko, but I have many years of experience as a guide showing people where to begin the search for knowledge.
👍😊
I have studied Japanese language for 16 years and I’ve been conversational for about 10 years. This has taught me a lot about Japanese culture, but mostly it’s taught me how little I understand Japanese culture. Unless someone has had this experience, they are at risk of misrepresenting a culture, so I understand what you meant by your original question. It is humbling to try to learn and see how much there is still to learn. I think I t’s important to approach teaching from this perspective. Thanks so much for your persistence!
Thank you for sharing this. Personally I think of narratives/stories making up several versions of ‘correct’ answers. It is the interaction and adaption between these rather than this/that or the one definitive/permanent ‘right answer’.