BEFORE TSUNAMI
(Satoyama Initiative – Ishikawa Prefecture)
Having seen landscapes and seascapes of Satoyama-Satoumi, and having understood the meaning and origin of the concept, I've been thinking all the time that the true meaning of this word is another: a more powerful and less easy to be defined. It goes beyond thinking that is a conceptual framework, a well-coordinated initiative, or a socially accepted model for territories management. Satoyama-Satoumi can have any face that you want. Its meaning is complicated but beautiful, for me, is a material expression of an untouchable and pure sense.
I began to think it when we visited Noto Peninsula. Everyone that we met has that untouchable sense: farmers, charcoal-makers, salt-makers, professors, students, community leaders. Everyone has the meaning of Satoyama-Satoumi as an inscription, but anyone explained it with words. The whole was greater than the sum of their parts, I understood that Satoyama means ‘mind’.
When we went to temple Shoganji, everything became clear. Matsubara sensei told us about the spiritual culture of Noto. He mentioned two aspects that define the essence of Satoyama: (a) the phrase 'One in All, All in One', and (b) the word 'Kokoro'. The first talks about how these landscapes are more than the sum of their parts (they are functional, rich and complex), while the second refers to the mind as a concept that expresses relationships with heart
and spirit as an underlying harmonic
core that shapes territories. Thus, Satoyama is a ‘Mindscape’ that everyone has, that everyone needs to find.
Japan, as a developed country, is understood as an international economic power. We are always thinking that everything is going very fast in countries like this, and also that the only way to be developed is to put everything in the hands of a cost-efficient, mechanical and inhuman rationality that serves the economic growth ensuring. Among other things, I've learned from Japan that economic growth and developing processes should have sensitivity and ability to appreciate the value of local cultures.
Reflections as deep as those that support Satoyama’s model for environmental management should be considered like elements of learning for our countries, particularly in the design process of public policy. As far as I could, I will work on it. The challenge is to find and develop our own mindscape; to learn from local and ancient cultures, and then to find pathways to build our own way of development.
Sebastián Restrepo-Calle & J. Ong.
Kanazawa, XII/1/2010
(Satoyama Initiative – Ishikawa Prefecture)
Having seen landscapes and seascapes of Satoyama-Satoumi, and having understood the meaning and origin of the concept, I've been thinking all the time that the true meaning of this word is another: a more powerful and less easy to be defined. It goes beyond thinking that is a conceptual framework, a well-coordinated initiative, or a socially accepted model for territories management. Satoyama-Satoumi can have any face that you want. Its meaning is complicated but beautiful, for me, is a material expression of an untouchable and pure sense.
I began to think it when we visited Noto Peninsula. Everyone that we met has that untouchable sense: farmers, charcoal-makers, salt-makers, professors, students, community leaders. Everyone has the meaning of Satoyama-Satoumi as an inscription, but anyone explained it with words. The whole was greater than the sum of their parts, I understood that Satoyama means ‘mind’.
When we went to temple Shoganji, everything became clear. Matsubara sensei told us about the spiritual culture of Noto. He mentioned two aspects that define the essence of Satoyama: (a) the phrase 'One in All, All in One', and (b) the word 'Kokoro'. The first talks about how these landscapes are more than the sum of their parts (they are functional, rich and complex), while the second refers to the mind as a concept that expresses relationships with heart
and spirit as an underlying harmonic
core that shapes territories. Thus, Satoyama is a ‘Mindscape’ that everyone has, that everyone needs to find.
Japan, as a developed country, is understood as an international economic power. We are always thinking that everything is going very fast in countries like this, and also that the only way to be developed is to put everything in the hands of a cost-efficient, mechanical and inhuman rationality that serves the economic growth ensuring. Among other things, I've learned from Japan that economic growth and developing processes should have sensitivity and ability to appreciate the value of local cultures.
Reflections as deep as those that support Satoyama’s model for environmental management should be considered like elements of learning for our countries, particularly in the design process of public policy. As far as I could, I will work on it. The challenge is to find and develop our own mindscape; to learn from local and ancient cultures, and then to find pathways to build our own way of development.
Sebastián Restrepo-Calle & J. Ong.
Kanazawa, XII/1/2010
No comments:
Post a Comment