Japanese traditional culture--without permanently losing its characteristics.

　 

日本に長くいると、日本人ばかりで環境が均質的過ぎると感じるようになるし、たまにあまりにもローカルでチマチマした部分に嫌気がさしてくる。どこの国に行ってもローカルな部分というのはあるのだと思うけど、独特のある幼稚さというかチマチマ具合がどうも好きになれないのだ。

というのが、私の正直な感想だ。

 でも、日本くらい外国の人があこがれる文化がいっぱいある国は少ないと思う。

日本文化は外国のものを受容し、あらたな日本文化を生み出す。

その一方で、日本の伝統文化はたとえ米国に渡り、アメリカナイズされても、その本質は失わない。

他者とまざっても日本らしさを失わない。日本人が、色に染まりやすく主体性がないようで、でもどこに行ってもとことん日本人なのだ。不思議だ。

“a Malaysian who dares to speak the truth."

今日、とっても的を得た文章を発見したので、ここに貼り付けたいと思う。

マリアンさんというantagonistで、このantagonistというのが、調べてもなんだかわからなかったんだけど。。。

マレーシアのマレー系がどのようにこうした現在までの状況に至ったか、簡潔に書かれているので、興味のある人は読んで欲しいと思う。

タリバンに近ずく過程はそんな急にではなかったはずだ。

確かに、徐々に、徐々に。

Only Muslims can save M’sia from religious oppression

          

OUTSPOKEN: The majority of Malays do not really know or understand their religion. They do not read enough, nor can they be bothered to discuss pertinent issues, either among themselves or with non-Malays.

They would rather take orders from their political leaders. They place absolute trust in the heads of the various institutions. When things go wrong, they are quick to blame others, but they forget that these problems are the direct consequence of there own inaction.

The result of indoctrination, and an absolute trust in their leaders, has produced the "mentally lazy" Malay.

The Islamisation of Malaysia did not happen overnight. Its roots are in the Iranian revolution of 1979. Suddenly, the world woke up to the Islamic movement, in Iran, which was keen to overthrow the Shah; the puppet of the USA.

The Iranians wanted change and they saw Ayatollah Khomeini, as the agent of change.

PAS has always wanted a Malaysia ruled by syariah law, and the party benefited from the fall-out of the Iranian revolution. One person watching from the sidelines, realised the implications of the Islamic resurgence. He was the former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Mahathir had been expelled from Umno in 1969, but was made a Senator and reintroduced, to Umno, in 1973. He was re-elected to Parliament in 1974, and appointed the minister of education. By 1978, Mahathir was the deputy leader of Umno and the deputy PM.

In 1979, Mahathir looked on in trepidation at the re-energised PAS, and worried that he would lose the battle for Malay votes.

By 1981, Mahathir had become PM. In his sights, he spotted a young firebrand, Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of Malaysia's Islamic youth movement, ABIM.

Mahathir picked Anwar to join Umno, to the disappointment of other Malays. Mahathir had also seen the charismatic Anwar lead the student movement, as it held strikes to highlight the poverty and starvation, in northern Malaya.

He knew that to have Anwar as an ally, was preferable than allowing Anwar to be snapped up by PAS.

By 1982, Anwar was already charting a meteoric rise within the Cabinet. He had numerous ministerial posts, and when he was in the Education Ministry, introduced the tudung.

The resurgence in Islamic fundamentalism continues, today. Malays have forgotten their own culture and adopted Arabic names, Arabic forms of greeting, Arabic modes of dress and Arabic influence, in architecture.

Gone are the rituals which gave the Malays their own identity, like wayang kulit and the practices which the Malays have conducted, for centuries.

Malay women cover themselves from head to toe. Malay men wear Arabic robes and greet one another in Arabic.

Some politicians litter their speeches with incantations in Arabic, while Malays nod in agreement, despite not understanding what is being said

Today, Malay women are told they cannot enter beauty contests, dress in short sleeves or wear swimming suits. They are criticised for wearing leotards, when they do gymnastics. They are under more intense scrutiny than the menfolk.

Malay toddlers are separated at play, and little girls are made to wear the tudung and cover themselves up.

Do the Malays really know what they want? They are keen on the rituals of the religion, but when it comes to personal satisfaction, religion appears to fly out the window.

The Malay men abroad, especially in southern Thailand, is a different person altogether. The ones who take the bus to Thailand, may visit the many houses of pleasure, but when it comes to food, will seek the nearest halal restaurant.

The man, with a young woman by his side, is most probably going to marry in a syariah court in south Thailand, because his first wife has refused permission, for him, to marry again.

The Malay men in the casinos of Macau, Nice, Monte Carlo, London and Las Vegas are also hypocrites. No one minds if they want to gamble their life savings away, drink till they develop cirrhosis of the liver, and flaunt their mistress, but back home, these men act holier than thou.

Today, we worry about the creeping Talibanisation of Malaysia,but this did not happen overnight. What did we do to stop it? Mahathir used religion to advance his power.

The Malay men make the rules, despite the belief that there is equality in Islam. The reality of life, in Malaysia is that women have little say in important matters.

The women appear not to want to take charge of the issues which affect them. Perhaps, when they are forced to wear the niqab, or the burqa, and have to fight for further education, like the women of Afghanistan, or northern Pakistan, they may look back fondly at the golden age of secularism in Malaysia, and wonder why they did not make a stand.

The people, who are now desperately trying to turn back the clock, have finally realised that the Malays are more backward than ever. 

 

They have become less motivated, because they are told, on one hand, that the government will bail them out, and on the other hand, everything will be taken care of in the life hereafter.

Going to be November ...

リラックスと奮闘の交互を日々津々浦々。。。

気がついたらポール・ウェラーが三年ぶりに日本公演をしており、そのニアミスにショックを受け、、、

なんだかんだ忙しくて、気がついたらもうすぐ11月。

ここ数カ月は、ビジネスコーディネートに最近断っている通訳を2回程珍しく引き受け、さらにリサーチ業が数件、おかげさまでkepyokもテクテクと半人前に歩いている。

長豆（ささげ）の栽培でちょっとミスをしてしまい、一気に収穫期がやって来てしまって、大量のささげを毎日食し、昨日は村内近所の2件のレストランにおすそ分け。

摘みたては、柔らかくクランチーで甘いので皆喜んでくれる。

今週末から日本から大切なお客様が宿泊に来られるので、つかの間の数日間はメンテで費やした。

ファーミングのプロットがもうすぐ24個に！それをちょっと中断して、大掛かりな部分の掃除や修理、池の掃除、雨晒しになったドアのペンキ塗り、などなど。

日本のお客様から来月のはじめ頃まで空く日がないからだ。

とても嬉しい、感謝の悲鳴だ。

A deep sense of hospitality

日本の文化をうまく説明することは、意外と大変なものだ。

例えば日本流の「おもてなしの精神」。

おもてなしは英語でよく hospitalityとか entertain themとかと訳されているけど、ちょっとニュアンスがシックリ来ないかもしれない。

そこにはもっと「思いやり」という意味の言葉が秘められていて、「おもてなしの精神」の本質は、他人への思いやりにありという論法のように感じるからだ。

同一言語や同一民族である日本は日本人同士の「あ、うん」の呼吸があると言われれている。

確かに教育などもほぼ全国均等で、格段に日本的なモラルから脱した人というのがあまりいないので、気持ち的には相手もわかるだろうという節があると思う。

日本では「その折々に充満する目に見えない雰囲気」を、空気を読んで相手の身になって考える、そしておもてなしができたら理想だと思っている。

私の場合はというと、「おもてなし精神」などと口にしてしまうと、肩が張りすぎているような気がしてあまり好きじゃない。

日本に行って過剰なサービスが鬱陶しいと感じるのと同じだ。

なので、「モットーはおもてなし精神ですよ」とも言いたくはない。

心さえあれば、それは万国共通だ。

----------------------

a deep sense of hospitality 

Japanese hospitality or treat or entertain someone is called "omotenashi" in Japanese word.

But As omotenashi mean is slightly difference in nuance from merely hospitality, so that non Japanese also use this Japanese word "omotenashi" for its meaning. 

Because omotenashi is not only sincerely and warmheartedly, At the core of omotenashi is attentiveness to the needs of others. To be attentive means to read the atmosphere, sense the mood, and feel the invisible energy pervading an occasion. Ultimately, or ideally, it means not to entertain the guest to achieve some kind of self-satisfaction, but to be quick in perceiving the guest’s needs, desires, and the overall mood, and to entertain the guest accordingly.

Japan has only a language, race from the time of our ancestors to modern era, so ... we have some strong thought to take as much care each other, the same way they take care of their guests.

But frankly I never think too much "omotenashi" spirits to offer.

Once I mention this word, I feel it's too much over high spirit as if the purpose in it will be blur. 

Anyhow The human heart is universal.

Warns,Malaysia to lose nearly RM5 billion every year in TPPA deal.

TPPAの影

環太平洋経済連携協定（TPPA)がついにほぼ決定しそうだ。実際のところは、マレーシアがTPPに署名した場合のメリットとデメリットを明確に分析してからその後国会で審議が行われるそうだ。

言われているように、TPPAによってマレーシアの輸出は確かに伸びるだろう。

でも、誰がアメリカでキチャップ工場なんて作る？

でもそれよりも輸入がもっと大きくなる。

これまで中国から安い原材料を仕入れていた工場ももっと高い原材料を購入しなければならなくなったり、それによって製品の値上がりも著しくなったり、巨大企業もぐんぐんと押し寄せてくるだろう。

貿易バランスが崩れるのだ。

アメリカと自由協定を結んだら、もうちっぽけなマレーシアなんて潰されてしまうのは目に見えているわけだから、これはやはり、経済協定でもなんでもなく、不利なナジブが買われた政治協定だと思っている。