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Hana
by Chris Rowe
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| Justin Rowe and Hana |
Last month we moved house. Our new home is surrounded
by a variety of palm trees, thrashing their long leaves
in the crisp August breeze. The pool in our back yard
holds the sky like a deep blue cup. The children come
together in the park across the road in the late afternoon
to play in the long shadows of a great African Mahogony,
calling Justin from over the fence.
Last week we got a puppy. A blue heeler, kelpie
and something or other cross. We called her Hana.
All the children gathered in our driveway to admire
her. There they were, Kimiko teaching some girls
origami, when I got home from work. Justin wanted
me to chase him, Hana and the boy next door around
the garden.
As they would say in Japan, I'm so fond of Hana
that you could stick her in my eye and it still
wouldn't bother me. A surprising turnaround really.
I didn't like dogs at all when I was a boy.
Kimiko loves animals. Some of that must have rubbed
off on me. Dogs, people ..... we don't like what
we don't know, until we know. That's what Japan
taught me above all.
I will never look out into the garden in the same
way since I sat under a cherry tree. For I know
that the same wind that sends the palm fronds crashing
from the sky scatters those pale pink blossoms over
the castle grounds. I wish I were the wind, blowing
here and there, carrying blossoms to distant fields.
But I'm not, so we called our puppy Hana.
The
Launching of a Newsletter,"The Shimanean"
by Etsuyo Asano
The vessel bearing the wonderful title "The
Shimanean" was launched to the calm seas in the
summer of 1992. At the helm were five enthusiastic
CIRs (Coordinator for International Relations). The
CIR for the Shimane Prefectural Government's Office
of Cultural and International Affairs at the time
was Mr Lee Crockett, and it was he who became the
first captain of this ship. I still remember today,
the day I heard Lee say: "I want to make an English
newsletter". Even though it was ten years ago,
I can still recollect how much I was interested in
this unique project, after listening to Lee and his
colleagues explain, in such a spontaneous and positive
way, the concept of this newsletter and what they
hoped to achieve from it.
The biggest problem we faced at the Prefectural
Office was, as always, the budget. However after
much discussion and persuasion from the CIRs, we
obtained the appropriate funding from the prefecture,
as well as the SIC, and the first issue sailed her
maiden voyage.
The following summer, in 1993, the SIC received
its first CIR, Michael Jacobs, and all the responsibility
of creating the Shimanean was transferred across
to him and his office. His supervisor at the time
was actually me, and I became the tugboat that kept
the Shimanean on course. Sometimes I actually went
on board and kept a steady eye on the compass, but
even so, the world stretched beyond horizons and
the path of the youth was laden with new and refreshing
experiences; I felt like Alice in Wonderland! Every
issue became an exciting travelogue.
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And so over the years, the Shimanean has transformed
according to the unique personalities of all its
skippers, and now in the present day, we send copies
to over 150 people in 15 countries around the world:
every issue containing a wide range of stories of
Shimane's history, culture, people, and other interesting
things for readers to enjoy.
Recently, I looked back over the years, by flipping
through back issues of the Shimanean. It was a delight
to stop and see an endless parade of nostalgic articles
written by people long since departed from Shimane,
and even noticed photos that I had taken myself!
Not only that, but in keeping contact with those
that have moved on from a life in Shimane, I see
that they have used their time here to propel them
to their next stage in life. I am very proud and
happy for all of them.
It's been many years now since I retired from
commanding the tugboat. However, I will always keep
a keen eye on the vessel and where it is headed,
using my high-powered telescope, from ashore.
I am thankful that the Shimanean is alive and
well today, being supported by many parties, and
hope that it continues to entertain its readers
while building a network where information on Shimane
can be published. Right, Captain Jason?!
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