Opening

Thursday, on 30th of July we finally had an opening of our exhibition, thanks to Christoph and Abusha, who helped us to decide a placement of each work, and gave us practical and technical help. Also many, many friends gave hands for us to make this show possible. I was so happy to come this far since Italy despite that we have faced many, many problems. We are going to continue this project after the show, which means we have to start figuring out how and what step we are going to take, but for todayI just want to be happy that we finally made a first baby step. Please check the exhibition's blog www.in40years.wordpress.com for pictures of the show.

７月３０日、ついに展示をオープンさせる。オーストリアから手伝いに来てくれているクリストフと、アムステルダムから帰国中のヤエールの従兄弟、アブシャが展示作業をほぼ引き受けてくれたお陰で、すごくいい展示になったのではないか。他にもたくさんのヤエール友達に助けてもらった。いつも通り、最後の最後までばたばたしたけど、パーティー開始2時間前に無事終了。オープニング当日は、沢山の人に来てもらうことができ、いろんな意見や感想、質問を交換する。これをやる事と日本からきていることの関係性をあまり考えなかったけど、やっぱりそこが珍しいところなんだろう。何故日本人のあなたが？？？、やっぱり気になるみたい。NYでの経験をいろいろ話す。明日から関連イベントの準備に追われるけど、今日は最初の一歩を踏み出した満足感に浸って、ダンス狂いの夜を過ごす。写真をアップしているので、www.in40years.wordpress.com を見てみてください。

Tour in Yafa, Yaffet, Jaffa

Last week, Sami, a historian from Yafa gave us a tour of Yafa. Yafa is known a s a "mixed" city, meaning that  both Jewish citizens and Palestinian citizens live together. I don't know how much and what level they are integrated but considering that other parts of Israel are pretty segregated, I heard, it is said to be a unique place. I did not know anything about the complexity of the city that it had so many occupiers in the past and was the center of Palestinian culture. Sami, also an community organizer, talked about the ongoing gentrification process happening here, which is driven by neoliberal economic ideas and connected with discriminative policies against Palestinians, are pushing already marginalized Palestinian population away from the area. It was crazy to find out that the local museum mentions the Yafa's local history with foreign powers, but there is no mention on the Palestinian people's history. Of course, there are many different narratives, both Palestinian and Israeli ones, as Sami also makes it very clear that what he explained is a perspective of a Palestinian person. Though this, "there are many narratives" should not be used to justify injustice, there should be a clear distinction.

Reunion

Yo, Max, Christoph arrived in the last weekend. Both Yo and Christoph are from UNIDEE 2008 crew. Last year exactly around this time,  we were together in Biella, drinking, dancing, eating, making stuff...it's amazing how time flies so fast. It feels just normal to be with them, nothing special, but just normal. Yael's house has been converted to a summer residential place. Papa Christoph, our key man for the last minutes preparation for the show, is getting better at mimicking technique,  Yo is asking too many questions, as usual and with Max, bringing Trans Racial Institute to our event. And Max!!!! is a brilliant funny man, I can laugh endlessly, when thinking about him. Our communal life is going well, and it's just nice that we are together once again doing project.

[Note] Graffiti in Tel-Aviv

[Note] Puzzled

    On Wednesday, 22nd, after going to see the theater show Yael is producing, Yael, Yali, and I went to this Karaoke place where middle aged men and women gather and sing Karaoke. It was an amazing experience. All of them there are blue color workers, very friendly and welcoming, and according to my friends, they are all Jewish Arabs. They were dancing, singing, ladies there showing off their bodies... it was really funny and beautiful at the same time. I was kind of a star, just because I am from Japan, so they put a phrase like "Go, Japan" or "Welcome Japan" in the middle of many songs, I was completely embarrassed that my nationality being the center of attention.  While I was dancing and drinking beers, I was thinking what would happen if I tell them about my project. What would be their reactions???? My impression was that they would kick my ass and order me to leave the bar. Yael thinks that they are the most patriotic populations in Israel who probably supported politicians like Liberman, a foreign minister of Israel now, and from the very right wing party. We might be making a stereotype or falling into easy categorization, but this strange relationship (to me) between class, ethnic group  and political opinions, a mechanism of reproducing  and maintaining the very social hierarchy that make poor people poor, and discriminate them no matter how Jewish they are, always puzzles me. Of course I can think of many reasons (media, education, need for assimilation, etc..)why this mechanism functions not only here, but everywhere in the world, but I cannot help but stupidly keep questioning why.

Sakiko Sugawa