The Issue with Apologies

What's so hard about saying, "I'm sorry."

Ah, this will be difficult to write becuase I am missing a key quote. Hopefully, I can convey this clearly.

So the story goes...

I visited the Museum of Modern Art or Contemporary Art in Kyoto. Expecting to find the avant-garde of Japanese art, I was surprised by the collection of international artists. None of them stand out in my mind, but this one exhibit. Using photography and storytelling a Korean-Japanese artist displayed the events of his wedding to another Korean-Japanese. The display took up three walls, photos lined the middle of the walls with the artist's words on the bottom. So if you were to see this, you would start by the wall closest to the entrance and as you read the story unfolding you made your way along the walls.

The story was one I easily identified with because I am first generation American. The artist and his wife struggled with their Japanese identity because of tensions and history between Japan and Korea. A quick note, I just remembered, the husband is half Korean and Japanese and his wife is second generation Japanese of Korean descent. Their Japanese identities are troubling because of history. As Japan modernized and sought to surpass Western powers Japan conquered other Asian countries, Korea being one of them. Imperialism is the word and name of the game during this time and it has never left a "happy legacy."

And this is where the quote that I cannot find comes in. Apology, just a simple apology is all it takes to move forward. The artist felt that acknowledgement and a sincere apology from the Japanese people is necessary in order to fully heal and move forward from the nightmarish past.

That reminded of back home in the States. People say slavery is over; move on! Yes, let's move on, but it is the attitude towards the subject matter. Ah, how do I describe this attitude? It's almost like a defense mechanism. I feel many people just want to dismiss it, but we cannot. And it's not only slavery; it's Jim Crowe, imperialism, United States involvement in Latin American countries and the list goes on. This all weighs on the consciousness, it's the chip on one's shoulder. I just want to hear "I'm sorry." Or at least a sincere understanding of this chip that burden's my shoulder.

History is a heavy burden, because we must make sure it's horrors never happen again.

I hope this was clear. It has been on my mind since I left Kyoto and finally I have purged it from my mind.

And that is the Issue with Apologies...

Photo Series 3: Okinawa

A few words about Okinawa. Sadly, I left my travel journal at home. As I said before I'm back in Ithaca and I dare not ask my parents to send my journal.

The two big places for me where many ideas for stories, philosophies, and poetry came to mind where in Kyoto and Okinawa. Why Okinawa? Was it the intoxicating salt sea air, waking up to the sound of waves crashing on the rocks, or the rhythmic beats of the Okinawan Drum? Ah, it was combination of all that and much more.

Okinawa is another place in my memory I look back on the as place where ,I guess, I changed? Grew emotionally? Can't seem to find the right word at the moment.

There I learned forgiveness is hard, peace of mind will come with time, and real friends pinch when they try to save you. I believe for a time in Japan up until the trip of Okinawa I lost sight of what I wanted in life, my goals, my hopes and my DREAMS. The most important aspect of ME, my dreams. My dreams keep me going. Well, in short I found them while looking through my wallet. The little pieces of paper-one written by me and the other by my father-and I smiled knowing that I can still dance staring right into the dragon's eyes without fear.

Enjoy the photo series of Okinawa(沖縄)

Shuri Castle

Photo Series 2: Kamakura and Ito

Street in Ito

Tea Leaves: Ito
Squid for sale: Ito
Kamakura: Gate to shrine of war ( I forgot the name, gomenasai! Sorry!)
Kamakura: War shrine
Little cute statues on the shrine grounds in Kamakura. I think this was the shrine for fertility....
Kamakura
These statues are for babies that have died. Sad, it seems to go on for miles.
Sake Barrels near a shrine

Kamakura's Big Buddha

Photo Series 1: Kyoto, Nara, Osaka

Kyoto: Street Carriage

Silver Temple

Philsiopher's Path in Kyoto

The Great Buddha of Nara

Prayers hung near a shrine

Temple near the Great Buddha in Nara

Osaka Castle

Osaka City

Kyoto: Gion District. Geishas can be found here

Zen Temple: Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)

Before you enter a temple or a shrine you have to cleanse your hands. This particular fountain was outside one of the temples in Kyoto.

Inside of one of the many temples in Kyoto

Temple in Kyoto

School has started up again and I have a few more stories that I want to share about my adventures...

Coming soon within the next week:

The Issue with Apologies

Okinawa War Memorial: Do You Know How I died

The Self. The Growth of Me

Saying Goodbye

Transition and the Next Step

Race in Japan Part 2

And my story on race in Japan continues....

You and Your Asian Hottie

The number 1 problem I had with all this race madness had nothing to do with me being black in another country. There's this phrase "Yellow Fever." Oh please Jasmine, you're overreacting. No, no, no and NO! I'm standing up and putting my foot down. Ever notice when someone goes for a particular racial minority it is associated with a sickness, a disease. You've been infected by this bug blurring your vision for something "exotic." That phrase along with "Jungle Fever" bothers me and it hurt me to hear some of my guy friends use it to describe their attraction for Japanese women. It hurt me even more when they tried to justify their use of the phrase. And some of that was directed at my Japanese girlfriends. Uh huh! I'm not letting you disprect my Japanese sister like that, man.

Sometimes....

YOU NEED TO THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!!!!!

What can I Learn from this White person?!

Flashback to London....

This is a big shout out to my good friend Greta. I didn't think it was possible to learn about racial issues from a white person, but while in London I found this to be totally untrue. Not only issues revolving race, but so many others. I swear getting to know Greta was like the opening of the world! Every time I talk with her I feel that the goal of the Civil Rights era has been met. I really admired that she sought to take classes on race and ethnicity to learn about something she wasn't confronted with in her hometown. I also want to thank her for the introduction and love to hip hop. Yes, you can learn from a white person.

To be a black and a traveler...

If anything, being black and travelling to these countries I have seen how far we have come as people, how much has changed (for the better) and how much MORE we still have to go. I never a had an issue with specific people about race showing me that people are less crazy than their grandparents in the 1950's. Yet, I gotta give a big ouch to those who keep greeting me by throwing a gang sign and saying "wat up." Hey man, I grew up in the rural burbs of California

Crash those stereotypes!

What I love about this whole experience was exchanging stories about being a racial minority.

"So how is America?"

"United States are awesome, but..."

Of course what came after that was my explanation of the racial climate of U.S.A.

One day during lunch I tried in Nihonglish to discuss "Black Hair." You can't discuss Black Hair without explaining race. As I tried to explain, I could see my Japanese friends faces twist into a sad contemplative state as they tried to comprehend why on Earth it would be so hard for a person to live in a country due to their skin color. Like come on! It's skin color! I could use foreigners as an example and that works, but it's the fact that many who experience this intolerance are American themselves and America is supposed to be this place of racial harmony. No place is what seems.

My friend Teka and I had the honor of talking to a class about race in America. The class did research on American Black History. Each group had a specific topic, researched and then presented. They found out things I didn't even know about. After their presentations Teka and I talked with them, more like talked to them about being Black in America. I was honest and that whole idealistic notion they had of the States crashed with every experience I told them. However, I tried to leave them with a sense of hope that conditions are getting better.

Whatever views or preconceived ideas about Black people my Japanese friends had before, I hope I changed them. No one was outwardly racist, but we must remember that even though the meaning of race changes from country to another, race has globalized.

Black woman in Japan. How was it? Not bad. Not bad at all.

Shout out to Gretaaaaaaaaaaaa

Race in Japan Part 1

Black Lady in Japan

One evening in the common room of my dorm

Me: Waah, who all these men that keep coming up to me?!?

Carr: Jasmine, you're a Black Women in Japan? You're quite rare here.

Alright y'all. You know I'm the "race" girl. Oh yes! Even in Japan I discussed racial politics. This travel abroad year has been eye opening If anything, I realized even more how race is a social construct. Many people say it, preach it, but they don't follow this very real truth. You hear "all people are equal." And then you hear FOX news. Sometimes it's people from Fox news saying that! Being in Japan reminded that the notion of race is stupid! Idiotic! Frustrating! Damn, we can just fix this shit already? Nope!

I digress...

Japan is not a racially diverse place. It's not London or New York City with their hodge of cultures. If you find something "ethnic" it has probably been "Japanified." This country is almost completely Japanese. I say" almost" because there are ethnic minorities: Koreans, Chinese, Ainu (natives of the Japan), and Okinawans. If you're a Westerner, a bit dark-you stick out. Sticking out was the least of my worries though. Honestly,before I came to Japan I read some horror stories about horrendous racism towards Black people from the Japanese. At the same time I read stories about how it actually wasn't that bad. Going to London, I didn't think about the treatment of the British because I was going to be London. It would be somewhat similar to the States. But Japan? How do they view Black or non-white minorities? How is race classified there? Is there even a race issue? Well, I experienced it for myself. It really was not bad...at all. In fact, I felt so relaxed here after eased into my daily life. I'd say I was more at ease in Japan than in London and the U.S. Dare I say it? Sometimes I wasn't aware that I'm black. WOA! Anyway, I feel that the attitude towards black people is one of curiosity especially when one goes to parts of Japan that may not be used to seeing foreigners of the dark sort.

Story!

During Golden Week in Kyoto. I left my hostel to catch the bus to the Silver Temple. As I was walking to the train station I passed by a two ladies on edege of the sidewalk. Before I passed them one lady looked up at me, did a double-take, whispered to friend and proceeded to stare at me. You know that look you get when you see something you know exists. You've seen it in picture books, maybe read about it, but never actually seen it with your own eyes. I was that subject. They heard about black people, seen them in the movies, but dammit here comes one walking their way. I wasn't offended. I just laughed and moved on.

Now you know how it feels???

The funniest part about all of this was hearing the white students talk about "standing out." My friend, who is also black, and I just looked at each other and moved on. We're used to the standing out already. This was nothing new to us. But funny aside, I hope my white friends got a taste of what it feels like to be a minority. I hope they gained some sort of understanding. They sounded frustrated the first couple of weeks in Japan and I wonder if they realize that's frustration minorities in the States have from childhood.

Food for thought?

I don't want to bomabard one post will all this "race talk." Thus ends Part 1.