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Essay

Part One — Island life, isolation or center of activity

By Garry Bassin


島国での暮らし—日本とハワイ

日本人は、「島国ですから」という言葉で周囲とは一戦を画する傾向がある。 一方、同じ「島国」でも、ハワイに暮らす人たちの気質は日本人とは正反対。 周囲を「アロハ」と歓迎して受け入れる。 この相違は何に起因するのか、日本とハワイを活動の場とする筆者は考えてみた。

As we all know, perception is everything. A person's point of view is shaped by where and how they are raised. This is how the collective mentality of many becomes the culture of a community or country.

In 2008, I moved to Hawaii, which, like Japan, is an island in the Pacific Ocean, but with very different perception and therefore very different culture. One that especially comes to mind is the "島国ですから" concept of Japan when compared to the "Aloha" spirit of the Hawaiians. Both places are islands in the same ocean, but yet they consider their role in that ocean very differently.

Thousands of years ago, the oceans were the main thoroughfares of the planet. If you lived near an ocean it meant you were able to come and go to other places, and meet and trade with other people who lived near these "water highways." The Jomon people were no different and were able to navigate their canoes from Japan to many locations all over the Pacific. Alaska, Hawaii, Tonga and Fiji were just a few.

Many years ago Japan's perception of the world was one of being linked to many different cultures because of their proximity to the Pacific Ocean, but then everything changed. When the farming communities of China and Korea began to settle in Japan, they were afraid of the vast ocean and decided to isolate themselves from everyone else. This was a way of keeping the culture intact and keeping other settlers that might come afterwards out. Hence, the phrase "島国ですから" was born.

Hawaii was different and from early times welcomed travelers from other lands. They welcomed them with chants and dances and everyone shared their knowledge of the oceans and other islands. From this welcoming spirit came "Aloha," a simple word that means so much. Of course, Hawaiians have been very close to losing their culture many times, but now, as our world sees more separateness than togetherness, there is a resurgence of the Hawaiian spirit. Hawaii is an island of people from many different nations who have learned to live together in peace and "Aloha."

Different perceptions create different results. By welcoming all people, Hawaii runs the risk of losing its culture, but succeeds in the end with a spirit true to the vast ocean that it is a part of. In Japan, "島国ですから" has created a vibrant Japanese culture, but a society that is often misunderstood and struggles to communicate with the world at large. The next time you use "島国ですから" in a sentence, think about how your perception can affect the capacity of your dreams ... and how a little "Aloha" might change all that.



Shukan ST: Feb. 6, 2009

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