The Purpose of Children Point

November 23, 2000

The children live their lives and although they live in the countryside they are little concerned for nature.��� We wanted to discover, with the children, the wisdom of the old times the pioneers had created for the use of water in their daily life.�� We also wanted the children, through this research-walk, to reconsider their current lives and to take the first step in paying attention to nature.

The children have already been taught the wisdom by their townspeople, and have also studied for themselves the relations between the people and the water.� We encouraged them to deepen their understanding by giving Greg and younger children a ‘Wisdom Quiz’.�� In doing so, we wanted them to notice where the water they usually use without any interest comes from, and why it is important not pollute rivers.

Thirdly we wanted them to understand what the earth’ s spirits are and what the shrines are dedicated to. This project will thus be the first step for them to proudly inform other people about their indigenous cultures.

Schedule

13:30-14:15　We introduced Greg to the children, and the children introduced themselves to him.
14:00-16:00　All the participants, taking the Quiz lesson, walked around to the pipeline, the well and the tank of the provisional water supply system, the shrine in Chikanaga, learned about various kinds of gods, and the vestiges of the ferry port and River Kamo’s dam
16:00-16:15　The junior high school students gave answers to the quiz, showing some photos.� We also had a question-&-answer

How children felt during walking Tsuyama with Greg

　 The quiz program was very good and fun. It was made by the 6th graders and junior high school students, and they could get more understanding of what they had studied by explaining it to Greg and to the younger children. And the younger children could learn what they had not known about their hometown.�

The role Greg played at Children Point"HIDEYOSHI"

　Walking around with the children, Greg asked them some questions, told them� stories about Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto and the USA which he had visited. He explained simply about what he had experienced while he had been traveling.� It was very kind of him to talk to each of the students.

The outcome of Children Point"HIDEYOSHI"

At school(especially junior and senior high), students usually just listen to their teachers and take notes.� But in this project, it was quite different.� For instance, the students visited and interviewed some people, and walked around practically, took photos, organized what they had learned, and told younger children about their study.� They enjoyed this project.� They could study independently, not for other people but for themselves.� They could look at things they took for-granted in their daily lives.��

Also, Greg walked with them that day, which impressed them.� They could recognize that a foreigner dared to come to such a remote place to find Japanese wisdom, and that there are a variety of great people in the world.� I think this encouraged the children to be active and enlarged their world.

Comments from children

I could understand what I could not in the previous research for wisdom, the earth’s spirits and the dam.� I am happy to have taken part in this event. �Greg said, “Some people are taking a nap in the temple and in the park,” which annoyed me.� I also wondered how they could sleep in such a place.� It was fun to walk around with my friends.

I could understand various things I had not known.� I knew about Thanksgiving Day in the USA.� A lady I met at the ferry port said to me, “What has become of the boat here?”� When I said to her, “They cleared it away because it got worn-out,” she said, “What a shame!”��� I felt really impressed that she had come to see the boat, though I do not know where she came from.� I am deeply moved that Greg is traveling across Japan.

I was tired >from a long walk, but I was very happy to have gotten interested in what I had not been interested in before.

I did not know what we re deified and where they were, but I studied very much in this project, and it was fun.� Greg knows a lot about many things and I have learned a lot from him.�� And the quiz was great, too!

I visited various places with Greg, and I was one of the quizmasters. �From this experience, I was very much impressed by the variety of wisdom relating to water in Chikanaga� And I thought that, by traveling across Japan, Greg was finding the differences between Japanese cultures and American ones.

Comments from Navigator Mrs. Torigoe

I had a great time indeed!�� It may have been because of Greg’s personality.� The quiz was great, but it is a pity that, since it took us a long time to walk around, we could not spend much time to exchange our opinions as scheduled in the program.

Study Plan after Children Point

We have not made any definite plan yet, but we would like to talk with the children about what we should reserve or reform, and give a summary of the study of wisdom we found during our walk.� After that, I do hope that we should share the summary with Greg and all the participating groups. �I would also like to ask Greg for his advice and messages.� Why don’t we have a meeting for the summary after we finish this year’s schedule?

The advice to other navigator

It should always be enjoyable and done independently.� Any group can do it, no matter how small it is. We ourselves made it!�� There are treasures hidden near at� hand.

Overview

Not only the children but I also enjoyed this project and learned a lot from it.� I knew little about the water supply system, the pipeline, and the history of the city water.� But, now that I understand them, when I use water I will appreciate it more.� I also enjoyed talking to Greg and was much encouraged by his active personality.� Thanks again for giving me a chance to study.