越川芳明のカフェ・ノマド Cafe Nomad, Yoshiaki Koshikawa

世界と日本のボーダー文化

The Border Culture of the World and Japan

ババラウォ、鳥取県知事に会う。

2017年10月19日 | ババラウォ日記
２０１７年１０月１８日　 明治大学駿河台キャンパスに、鳥取県知事の平井伸治さんが見えられた。 明治大学と鳥取県とで、就職協定を結ぶのが目的だ。 土屋学長が所用で不在のために、代わって調印式に出席した。 平井知事の挨拶は、空疎なおしゃべりを繰り返す安倍首相と違い、 高浜虚子の短歌を交えて、実に教養深い、中身のある、政治家にしておくには惜しいと思える ほどのスピーチだった。なるほど、「（鳥取には）スタバはないけど、日本一のスナバはある」と言って、マイナスをプラスに変える逆転の発想が できる人だ。 その様子が、昨日のNHKニュース首都圏版でも放送された、と先ほど職員の一人から連絡があった。 調印式の後、NHKから取材を受けたが、てっきり鳥取放送局とばかり思っており、実際の放送は見逃した。 政府が「地方創生」と称して、首都圏（２３区）の大学定員を制限するという話なので、その法案に首都圏の私大は反対している。 首都圏以外の学生や留学生にたくさん来てもらって、大学を活性化、国際化しないといけないので。国際化した大学で学んだ学生や留学生を 地方に送り込みます、と。その取り組みの一つが、就職協定なのです、とインタビューでは答えておいた。 http://www3.nhk.or.jp/shutoken-news/20171018/0001962.html Shinji Hirai of Governor Tottori prefecture visited on the Surugadai campus of Meiji University, yesterday. Meiji University and Tottori prefecture are aimed at making employment agreements. Because President Tsuchiya was absent, I attended the signing ceremony in place. Governor Hirai 's greeting, unlike that of Prime Minister Abe who repeats sparse chatter, is a great speech. quating Takahama Kyoko's Tanka, It seems regrettable for him to be a politician, because he is really a man of culture and wit. We should remember that he is the man of humor who said, "There is no Starbucks (in Tottori), but there is a Snaba(Sandpit)." using the idea of ​​reversal to change minus to plus. A staff member of Meiji Univ, told me today that the situation was broadcast at the NHK News Tokyo Metropolitan version yesterday. After the signing ceremony, I got an interview from NHK, but I just thought it was a NHK Tottori Station and I missed the actual broadcast. Since the government is said to plan to limit university capacity in the Tokyo metropolitan area (23 wards), the private universities n the metropolitan area is opposed to the bill. With foreign students and many students from other than the metropolitan area,　Meiji University would be multi-cultured, activated and internationalized. We will send international and internationalized students to rural areas. I answered in an interview that one of those efforts is this job search agreement. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/shutoken-news/20171018/0001962.html

10月13日(金)のつぶやき

2017年10月14日 | ババラウォ日記

10月5日(木)のつぶやき

2017年10月06日 | ババラウォ日記

Film Review: Gabe Klinger's "Porto"　

2017年10月05日 | 映画

 

How to leave memories of happiness
Gabe Klinger's "Porto"　

Yoshiaki KOSHIKAWA

Male and female strangers involved in something encounter in a foreign country and take a night together. Even though the couple tasted a sense of unity that is unforgettable for a lifetime, such a relationship will not last long. But in just a moment in your life, the memory that tasted happiness does not disappear. This movie tries to leave such a momentary ephemeral memory that remains in the human mind.

As a narrative of the movie, it adopts the "minimalism” which aims at the maximum effect with minimum representation. Rather than telling many stories, it appeals to the imagination of the audience rather. For that reason, it repeats several scenes that left intense impression on the two protagonists.
For example, the scene that the man and woman stare at each other shows at the beginning and ending. They will face sideways on the bed and stare at each other. The man is naked, but the woman is dressed. In the morning, only a woman gets up and goes to buy breakfast for them and it is a blissful moment to lie on bed again. At the beginning this scene lasts only a few seconds, but at the end of the film it lasts for more than a minute. Both of them are silent without any speech. It is the imagination of the audience to establish the conversation between the two people, and what they think of then.

Another scene is a late-night restaurant. After making love, they go out and eat. For the first time the information exchange on each other is made. Male (Jake) is an American of 26 years old. When his father was a diplomat and transferred to Lisbon, he was a high school student and also came to Portugal. When his father was to be transferred to another place again, he decided to stay with an older sister in this city. He does any work he gets, but he doesn’t like the job itself.  The images of train stations, rush hours and clocks will flow, but he does not seem to take part in the modern industry which seeks productivity and efficiency.

A woman (Matty) is a French student of 32 years old. She was learning archeology and classics at Sorbonne, but she became in love with the Portuguese professor who came to Paris. The professor said that he wanted to divorce and want to be with her, but she refused his offer because he wanted freedom.  She has led a student life for many years because she was hospitalized of a mental illness. She is not cured yet. She seems to have come to this city following the professor.
This place is the second largest city of Portugal, Porto. It is also the title of this film. Construction of the old city was done before the 5th century, and there are also residuals of Celtic culture.  It is also a multicultural city open to the outside. The Old Town is registered as a World Heritage Site in 1996 as "Historic District". Although the image of the "historical district" such as the elevated iron bridge over the Douro River and the Saint Bent railroad station comes out in the film, it seems to have a deep symbolism, not being merely the backdrop.

For example, the hordes of seagulls flying over the Gulf of Porto are displayed several times with their distinctive barks. Among other things, the beautiful scene is where the seagulls flock to the expanse of blue sky on the dawn when the two spent together.
It goes without saying that seagulls are omnivorous and strong enough to eat crabs, octopus and small fish, and garbage thrown away by humans. In addition, they give birth and raised babies in colonies, and are considered that the mate fidelity is very high. They  rarely cheat.
The large group of seagulls is a thing that does not change over time.  Love affair is easy to change. It is only memory of love that does not change. What this movie tried to capture might be the beauty of things that will not change.

　Conversely, in this world, all things are changed and lost. Matty speaks of the paradox of forgetting while quoting the words she read in a certain book. "People forget everything, but things forgotten are not lost."
Soundtrack is also wonderful. It is itself a unique presence rather than a background for a movie. Two contrary black musicians are used.  While this movie has a Western couple as main protagonists, African music gives a global perspective and spiritual element of the different culture.

One is John Lee Hooker's thick voice, singing lightly and soulfully, the Blues song "Shake It Baby" of the 1960’s. By the way, John Lee Hooker is a black guitarist / singer (1917-2001) from the South of the United States. He had session with Rolling Stones, Doors and  numerous rock bands in the 60’s, but he simply continued working for the rest of their lives without ending as " a legend". In the movie, the strange man and woman meet at a cafe restaurant in the Old Town called "Ceuta", then the music of John Lee Hooker flows in a crushing moment. Refrain of "One Time for Me" (for once, for me) and "Me and you, nobody but you (me and you, only you)" is very impressive.

Meanwhile, in contrast, the flow is Emmahoy Tsegue-Maryam Ghebrou's piano, "Homeless Wonder" and "Presentiment (Insect Notice)".  Emmahoy is a pianist, a composer from Ethiopia, influenced by Western music. Two songs are adopted here from the album of the 60's. Like Eric Satie, her piano music is unique that a strange dynamics is felt in a tranquil melody.  Once it is heard it cannot be forgotten. The audience is playing a role in imagining the mental and physical of the couple who have experienced a shocking love and lose it.
Speaking of a love affair between foreigners at a journey, Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise" is reminiscent of it, but this work is an interesting indie work that surpasses that.


("Subaru" October 2017 issue)

 

 

 

 

　

 


映画評　ゲイブ・クリンガー監督『ポルト』　

2017年10月05日 | 映画

 

幸福の記憶を残す方法

ゲイブ・クリンガー監督『ポルト』　

越川芳明

 

　見知らぬ外国人同士の男女が何かの因縁で、異国で出会い霊感を受けて一夜を共にする。生涯忘れないほどの一体感を味わった二人なのに、そうした関係は長く続かない。しかし、人生の中でたった一瞬であれ、幸福を味わった記憶は消えない。この映画は、人間の脳裏に残るそうした一瞬の儚い記憶をスクリーン上に残そうとする。

　映画の話法としては、最小の表現で最大の効果を狙う「ミニマリズム」の話法を採用している。多くの物語を語らずに、むしろ観客たちの想像力に訴えるのだ。そのために、二人の脳裏に強烈な印象を残した、幾つかのシーンを繰り返す。

　たとえば、冒頭と結末で繰り返される、男女が見つめ合うシーン。二人はベッドの上で横向きになり、互いを見つめ合う。男は裸だが、女は服を着ている。朝方、女だけが起きて朝食の買いにいってきて、再びベッドに横になる至福に満ちた一瞬である。冒頭ではわずかに数秒のシーンだが、幕切れでは延々と一分以上も続く。二人とも何もしゃべらずに無言である。二人がその時何を思っているのか、二人の間の会話を成立させるのは観客の想像力である。

　もう一つは、深夜のレストラン。二人は濃密な愛の時間を過ごした後、外出して食事をとる。ここで初めて互いに関する情報交換がなされる。男（ジェイク）は二十六歳のアメリカ人。父親が外交官でリスボンに赴任した時、高校生で一緒にポルトガルにやってきたという。父親が再度よそに転任することになった時、姉と共にこの地に残る決心をした。手に入る仕事は何でもするが、仕事自体は好きではないという。その時、鉄道の駅やラッシュアワーや時計の映像が流れるが、彼はそうした生産性や効率を求める近代産業の片棒を担う気はないようだ。

　女（マティ）は三十二歳のフランス人の学生。ソルボンヌ大で考古学や古典を学んでいたが、パリにやってきていたポルトガル人の教授と恋仲になった。教授は離婚して、彼女と一緒になりたいと言ったが、自由が欲しいので断ったという。なぜ長年、学生生活を送っているかというと、心の病気で入院していたからだ。今も治っているわけではない。彼女は教授を追ってこの地にやってきたらしい。

　この地というのは、ポルトガルの第二の都市ポルト。本作のタイトルにもなっている港湾都市だ。建設は五世紀以前とも言われ、ケルト文化の残滓もあり、外に開かれた多文化都市でもある。旧市街は「歴史地区」として、一九九六年に世界遺産に登録されている。本作にもドウロ川に架かる高架鉄橋や鉄道のサン・ベント駅など、「歴史地区」の映像が出てくるが、単なる舞台とは違い、深い象徴性を帯びているように思える。

　たとえば、ポルトの湾岸を飛ぶカモメの大群が幾度か、その独特の鳴き声とともに映し出される。とりわけ、美しいのは、二人が一緒に過ごした明け方の、青を基調とした大空にカモメが群れなすシーンだ。

　いうまでもなく、カモメは雑食性であり、植物の種から蟹やタコや小魚、さらに人間の捨てたゴミまで食すほどにたくましい。その上、集団繁殖地（ルビ：コロニー）で子作りをする彼らは、つがいの忠誠度（ルビ：メイト・フィデリティ）が非常に高いという。人間でいえば、滅多なことでは浮気をしないらしい。

　カモメの大群は、時間の経過とともに変化しないモノである。かたや、恋慕の情は移ろいやすい。移ろわないのは、恋の記憶だけだ。この映画が捉えようとしたのは、そうした変化しないモノの美しさなのかもしれない。

　逆にいえば、私たちの世界では、変化して失われるモノばかりである。女主人公マティは、ある本で読んだ言葉を引用しながら、忘却のパラドックスを説く。「人はあらゆることを忘れるが、忘れられた事柄は失われない」と。

　サウンドトラックがまた素晴らしい。映画のための背景というより、それ自体が独自の存在感を放っている。二人の対照的な黒人演奏家の曲が使われていて、欧米の白人を主人公とするこの映画に、グローバルな視野とスピリチュアルな異文化の要素が付与される。

　一つはジョン・リー・フッカーの野太い声で、軽快かつソウルフルに歌われる、六〇年代のブルース曲「シェク・イット・ベイビー」。ちなみに、ジョン・リー・フッカーはアメリカ南部出身の黒人ギターリスト・歌手（1917-2001）だ。ローリング・ストーンズやドアーズをはじめ、数多くのロックバンドとセッションを組んだこともある大物アーティストだが、単に「レジェンド」で終わることなく生涯、現役を通した。映画の中では、見知らぬ男女が「セウタ」という旧市街のカフェレストランで出会う、ときめきの一瞬に流れる。「ワン・タイム・フォー・ミー（一度だけ、僕のために）」や「ミー・アンド・ユー、ノーバディ・バット・ユー（僕ときみ、きみだけ）」のリフレインがとても印象的だ。

　一方、それとは対照的に流れるのが、エマホイ・ツゲェ・マリアム・ゲブルーのピアノ曲、「ホームレス・ウォンダラー」と「プレゼンチメント（虫の知らせ）」だ。エマホイは、西洋音楽の影響受けたエチオピア出身の作曲家、ピアニスト。ここでは六〇年代のアルバムから二曲採用されている。エリック・サティにも似て、静謐なメロディの中にも不思議な躍動感が感じられるユニークな曲想で、一度聞いたら忘れられなくなる。観客が、電撃的な恋を経験しそれを失う男女の心象風景を想像するのに一役買っている。

　旅先での外国人同士の行きずりの恋といえば、リチャード・リンクレーター監督の『ビフォア・サンライズ　恋人までの距離』が彷彿させられるが、本作はそれをも凌ぐ興味深いインディーズ作品だ。

（『すばる』2017年10月号）


The Two Ichi

2017年10月05日 | キューバ紀行

The Two "Ichi"
Yoshiaki Koshikawa


   In the evening, walking along the downtown Havana, I saw a lot of     boys are playing baseball on a street full of holes.


   I checked the UN population estimate (January 2010), but the          percentage of young people (under 15 years old) to Cuba's total            population (11.2 million) is 17%.

   Since Japan is 13%, it seems that there are not many                      Cuban kids in particular.


   Downtown Havana is a densely populated area with many                 kids, but there are also many adults and elderly people.


   I was surprised at the sight that the young kids half naked                   playing the baseball, are using the cap of plastic bottle and the stick.


  When I think about it, in Japan as well, after the war, I was                doing so-called "triangular baseball" without a second base                 in narrow lanes and shrine precincts.


  I asked the boys to borrow me the stick and let me stand in the box. Before the pitcher threw it, I tried to pose a bit.

  I turned the stick straight towards the pitcher and touched the           right arm with the palm of the left hand.
  A boy shouted to me, "Ichiro!"
  I nodded at the the boy, as if to say “Leave it to me, I will                 bang it off to the Havana Bay.”
 

  The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is to be held once every four years, and the Cuban state-owned television will broadcast not only the game of home country, but also many other games of the foreign countries including Japan.


  So, the Cubans know not only Ichiro Suzuki but Matsuzaka,              Darvish, Iwakuma and many other Japanese professionals.

  At one time, a Cuban friend pointed out to me that one of                my relatives had appeared in the WBC.
  At first, I thought "Who is it?"  But I immediately realized that              it was SOFTBANK Hawks’ "Uchikawa." 

  Writing our names in kanji is quite different, but the sounds               of Uchikawa and my name (Koshikawa) resemble each other.               

  For the Cubans pronounce  “shi” of Koshikawa  as "chi" and                   call me "Kochikawa."
 

 The Cubans are familiar not only with baseball players, but also            with other Japanese people.


 Regardless of the field, who is the most well-known Japanese                in Cuba?  

 It is Shintaro Katsu as he performed “Zatoh Ichi (Ichi the Blind          Maseur)” in the film.

Professor Mario Piedra of the University of Havana                                

 explained that in 13 years since 1967,  13 "Zatoh Ichi"                   

 series were screened in a big hit.                 

 People over the age of 60 were always watching as they were young. 

 The man in charge of the promotion also recites that "the last             row of the crowd made in front of the movie theater could not               be seen."

  Well, the imposter Ichiro struck out awkwardly. The cap of the plastic bottle made an irregular move and he was not able to hit it at all.


  An old man sat on the entrance of the house along the street,            seeing the whole scene. When I tried to take a stick back to                 the boys,  the old man called to me "Ichi !" 


  I got a good excuse. I immediately closed my eyes on the spot.  With support of a stick like a blind man, I slowly staggered a couple of steps.

  * This is a translation of a part of my book.