Well. The comment I received in the previous post illustrate the issues of “言葉の一人歩き (A word walking itself without proper guidance)” as well as the “Power(Violence) of English” quite well. As the comment wasn’t via DM (It was left in public), please let me share what I experience as it happens quite often. (Well, this is called Emotional Labor?).
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The point of the comment(s) from them is: [Why do you fuss about people using the word “Sashiko”? Be nice to everyone who uses/learns (the word of) Sashiko. Sashiko is a good word to describe a certain style] while offering advice such as [Remove as many barriers as possible].
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Please be advised that I want everyone to enjoy & learn Sashiko – but not the “Filtered” Sashiko by those who swing ignorance with no understanding of Japanese language/culture. They said they wouldn’t call [a style/item] an embroidery or a quilting because Sashiko is more easily understood. Umm. Easily Understood… by whom? I don’t understand the whole picture of Sashiko yet. Here, they use the word “Sashiko” with no doubt that its meaning may be incorrect (insufficient) – Fine, I understand until this point as the Sashiko I introduce is not the main trend. The problem is that Sashiko became “something else” that a random person can spread their “ignorance” believing their understanding of the words are helpful, and worse to the point…. advising me as if I am overreacting, as if I have a barrier. This is the power of “English” I sometimes describe – that they think they know “everything” about the foreign culture/words.
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I have been experiencing similar cases for the last 6 years, so I don’t engage in this type of “discussion”. I just wanted to share how the “trend” can erase the native voice by offering “advice”. Decorative mending “can” be a part of Sashiko – but the word “Sashiko” is NOT equal to the Decorative Mending. At least, my Sashiko artisans would never consider their stitching as “Decorative Mending” – So Sashiko is easily understood… by whom?
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もう。せっかく昨日、「怒りは悪くねーぞ！」と素敵に文章にしたのに、久々にめちゃくちゃ苛々する（というか失礼な）コメントが来たので、これまた久々に英語での長文です。詳細は金曜日の配信でお話ししますねー。「固定概念を外したら？」って助言を頂きましたが…なんでそんな上から目線なんだ？
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2023-07-20 11:31:16
As I read the comment you mentioned, I thought that there might be another danger in it: the trend of superficiality. ‘I’ve seen it or read about it somewhere on the internet or a magazine and I like it and that’s all I need to know’. I’m quite upset, that someone with that kind of mindset, not only replies to your post, but also gives you advice you didn’t ask for. I’m sorry you have to deal with that.
Be the amazing person you are and keep doing this amazing art form. You have to let some comments fly and look the other way. I am a newbie in to the whole Sashiko and Boro idea, and yet I understand its complexity and history that I have only discovered so little of.
I don’t understand people’s need to call everything Sashiko. I saw a class where the teacher called a plain running stitch Sashiko. It was simply a running stitch, there wasn’t any pattern or design, there wasn’t anything Sashiko-y about it. She kept referring to it as Sashiko. Very strange.
I am flabbergasted and sad to see posts of people joining sashiko groups with Sashiko sewing machines no one objects it’s diluting sashiko far from its roots
I agree. It is our responsibility to learn in context and with respect for the culture of origin.
I am glad you are being strong and standing up for yourself. It is important.
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Beautiful work!
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Your experience shows how much many of us still hold colonizer attitudes toward other cultures. We feel entitled to appropriate other people’s vision and skills. That we do it so poorly only makes it more shameful. Please continue to demand the dignity that is yours by right.
うっぜ〜の一言ですね、気にしないで素敵な作品とコメントの投稿続けてください、楽しみにしてます😊
I love visible mending both by necessity and embellishment, I consider it to be inspired by Sashiko but by no means defined or constrained by Sashiko. Is this ok?
All those who culturally appropriate have the arrogance to say let it pass. This is Western arrogance I think. I too am sick of all these so called experts teaching a skill they don’t understand. I understand your frustration. I fear we are fighting a losing battle.