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Kamakura Group
Fathers, mothers, and educators all gather at Maeno Elementary to learn about Exploration for Wisdom and strengthen the bonds of their own community. 00.01.11/ Temperature: 4C/ Weather: Partly cloudy/ Wind Direction: SW
Current Location: Maeno Elementary, Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, 35 46 09 N 139 41 20 E
Distance Traveled: 0 km (Rest day)During the Kamakura Era in Japan (1192-1333), fathers of villages surrounding the capital of Kamakura used to say, "If the need arises, we'll go to Kamakura." This meant that if a war broke out or any major trouble occurred, the men would rally together to uphold the capital. This evening I met with a group that say, "If the need arises, we'll go to school." The call themselves the Kamakura Group and are a dedicated group of fathers rallying together to create a good school and community environment.
Seated in the music room of Maeno Elementary School, it was slightly hard for me to imagine how my evening with 7 school fathers, 7 mothers, 3 teachers, a grandfather, and the vice-president of the Healthy Youth Education Association would turn out. Small school desks were arranged in two rows so the lot of us could all be seated. Pianos were to the front and rear of the classroom, drums hidden in the corner. The fluorescent glare from the lights above and their reflection on the linoleum floor reminded me of classrooms back in the US.
As we all began eating, a fairly common Japanese ritual of self-introductions circled around the room. An initial curiosity for me was why have all of the fathers, mothers, and educators gathered on a week night to not only meet with me but to pitch tents with me in the school yard of Maeno Elementary. It turns out that I was an interesting excuse for the group to gather and maintain community bonds which have been in the making for quite some time.
What followed was a very interesting question and answer session. Answering to why Maeno Elementary has such a strong sense of community, one father replied, "In Tokyo we are country bumpkins. Itabashi Ward being close to Saitama is considered the countryside. There is still a local awareness and many people come back to Maeno(as opposed to other country towns). This may be why we can all gather together and say, 'Let's stick to our community.'"
The principle jumped in with a similar comment, "In the old days we all used to share with each other delicious foods when we had them or carry food dishes next door when we made a lot. The fact that a lot of graduates from Maeno Elementary are still in the area, it is easy for people to gather at the school."
One after another, comments filled the room. "We can't just leave education up to schools," said one father. "Parents, fathers need to get more involved in the education process. That's what we are doing." The fathers seem to be doing so through much of the Kamakura Group's activities. "We all have different jobs. We also have various wisdom. Creating a way to share this has been a part of the Kamakura Group's work."
It turns out that the Kamakura Group has its roots in youth league baseball close to 20 years ago. Fathers of the community gathered to help support the young baseball players of Maeno. Only recently has the work of baseball fathers spread to create a larger circle. In seeking new ways to get more fathers involved, the Maeno Elementary Principal reached out to fathers for help and only recently has the Kamakura Group formed. Now the school has a computer specialist, a Boy Scout troop leader, a specialist in recycling steel and many other specialists, not to mention a reassuring back up "If the need arises."
Whether in the city or in the country, one source of wisdom, which may be indispensable in our daily lives, is a good sense of community.
What do all of you think about the bonds of your own communities?
Still 12 kilometers from Nihonbashi, Tokyo
Greg
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