記事詳細
7月18日に横浜港を出航したチャーター船オーシャンドリーム号が10月9日、石巻港に入港した。このクルーズ「地球一周の船旅」は国際ＮＧＯピースボートがコーディネートし、１９８３年の第1回から30年間で、延べ4万人以上が参加。１８０以上の港に寄港した。
今回の第80回クルーズは横浜を出航し、85日かけ、ベトナム、シンガポール、パナマ他20の国と地域に寄港した。地球を西回りに一周した後、最終寄港地である石巻に到着した。寄港地では、地元住民との交流や、過去に現地で起こった戦争や内戦を知ること、観光など多くのプログラムが用意されており、航行中の船内ではフリースクールや英会話教室などが設けられ、バーやジャグジー、トレーニングルームなど娯楽施設も充実している。
東日本大震災の記憶風化が進む中、世界各地の人たちに震災の経験、教訓を伝え語り継ぎ、互いに学ぶことを目的に、石巻からは２名のユースアンバサダー（青年大使）が乗船した。
青年大使の一人でいしのまき市民劇団「夢まき座」に所属し舞台の脚本などを担当した高橋さやかさんは、勤めていた会社を辞め参加した。偶然出会った女性から、シンガーソングライターのさだまさしさんが震災後の石巻について書いた小説を紹介されて、「何かのカタチで船の上で発表するために私のもとに来たのだ」と思ったそうだ。すぐにその小説を朗読劇の脚本にまとめた。参加者も「今、船内で上演することに意味がある」と賛同し、発表を実現させた。
この演劇でみんなが石巻に興味を持ってくれたこと、涙を流してくれたこと、小説を貸してくれた女性が「この本で2回感動することができました」と言ってくれたこと、ワークショップに参加した子どもが役者を目指すと言ってくれたこと、声が小さかった人がちゃんと声を出せるようになったこと。高橋さんは「85日でこんなに人って変われるものだと感動しました。今回の旅は可能性にあふれた旅、他のジャンルの人と関わることによって自分の新たな可能性を見出せた」と語った。
「再確認の旅」と振り返るもう1人の参加者は、女川町出身で在住のデザイナー崎村周平さん。現在、Graffiti Writer D-BONSとして女川を始め東北、東京等でも活動中。船内活動では参加者と大漁旗を制作。石巻寄港時、崎村さん自身が女川町の現地ガイドを務めた。船旅を共にし、被災地の現状や震災時の話に耳を傾けてくれた仲間に実際に見てもらえたことが青年大使として一番充実した取り組みになった。「子どもたちに自分の姿をみせることで、好きなことを女川でもできると証明したいです。復興に関しても、何か新しいことをはじめたりつくったりすることだけではなく、人の思いをつなげていくことで果たせるものがあります」。女川が今、進もうとしている方向は間違いではないと語ってくれた。
―◦―◦―◦―
注：国際ＮＧＯピースボートは、１９８３年に日本で設立。東日本大震災緊急支援などの災害支援活動のほか、地雷根絶キャンペーンなど、世界各国で活動は多岐にわたる。２００２年には国連の特別協議資格を取得した。
取材・文・写真：千葉 拓人（東松島高校３年生）
2013/12/11
The Youths of Ishinomaki – Looking at the World
Hiroto Chiba, 3rd Grade, Higashimatsushima High School
On October 9, the chartered ship “Ocean Dream”, which set sail from Yokohama harbor on July 18, arrived in Ishinomaki harbor. This “once around the globe” cruise, coordinated by the international NGO “Peaceboat”, whose maiden voyage was in 1983, has continued for thirty years. It has had a total of over 40,000 participants and has docked in over 180 ports.
This 80th cruise, lasting 85 days, set sail from Yokohama, stopped by Vietnam, Singapore, Panama and an additional 20 countries and regions. After one complete westward circumnavigation of the globe, she dropped anchor in Ishinomaki, their final stop. At each port of call are cultural exchanges with the local people, opportunities to learn about wars and civil wars that took place in the area, and the chance to take part in sightseeing activities. In the ship, there is a “free school” and an English conversation class, as well as recreational amenities, including a bar, Jacuzzi and a gym.
As the memory of the Great East Japan Earthquake continues to fade, two Ishinomaki youth ambassadors came aboard Ocean Dream with the intention of passing on and sharing experiences and lessons learned from the disaster with people from around the world and learn from each other.
Takahashi Sayaka, an organiser of the Ishinomaki drama troupe “Yumemakiza”, where she is in charge of scripts among other things, is one of the ambassadors. She took time off from her job to participate. Through a chance meeting, she was introduced to a novel written by singer/songwriter Sada Masashi about the aftermath of the disaster in Ishinomaki and she said she felt that “It was as if it came to me so it can be presented in some shape or form on this ship.” She quickly organized the novel into a script for recital. Participants agreed that, “It means something to perform it now on this ship.” and announced that they would go ahead with it.
Through this play, everyone present developed an interest in what happened in Ishinomaki and were moved to tears. The woman who lent the novel to Takahashi said, “I was able to be moved for a second time thanks to this book.” Children who took part in the workshop stated their desire to become actors. People whose words had previously been ignored were able to make their voices heard.
Takahashi said, “I was stunned that people could change so much within 85 days. This has been a trip overflowing with possibilities and, thanks to the opportunity of being involved with different kinds of people, I have been able to find new possibilities in myself.”
Another person who recalls their “reaffirmation trip” is Sakimura Shuhei, a designer from Onagawa. Currently known as “Graffiti Writer D-Bons”, Sakimura is based in Onagawa but has also been active in Tohoku and Tokyo.
While on board, Sakimura and the other participants made a large fishing flag. Upon arrival in Ishinomaki, Sakimura himself was the tour guide around the Onagawa area. Taking part in the voyage and being able to show his friends who had listened to stories of the current state of the area struck by the disaster and the moment of the disaster the area first-hand became his most fulfilling activity as a youth ambassador. “My wish is to demonstrate that in Onagawa too, children can achieve whatever they want, if they put their minds to it. A restoration is not just about starting or building new things; there are things that can be achieved by connecting with other people’s thoughts”. He stated that Onagawa is taking the right path forward.
Note:The international NGO “Peaceboat” was established in Japan in 1983.
As well as providing emergency assistance after the Great East Japan Earthquake, Peaceboat has a landmine abolition campaign and manifold other activities across the globe. Peaceboat was granted “special consultative status” in 2002 by the UN.
(Translation: James Long, Andy MacKenzie, Tara Raeside, Jennifer Hikari Dixon)