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2/24 The present situation of foreign workers in Japan

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2/24 The present situation of foreign workers in Japan

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These days, the number of foreign workers in Japan has been increasing. In this article, the writer who was working in Japan uncovered four difficulties in working in Japan. One of them was about a communication way. Japanese often tells something indirectly to respect others. That is one of good Japanese cultures, but it sometimes go badly.

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In my many years of living and working in Japan, you can bet that I have experienced all types of imaginable highs and lows as one of the country's foreign workers.

There are days when I feel like I'm on top of the world and living my best life. During days like this, everything's going perfectly: my hair looks awesome, my shirt looks neat, I arrive at the office on time, I finish my tasks ahead of schedule, and I manage to win a couple of games on my computer's solitaire application. Moments like this make me feel like I'm unstoppable.

There are also times when I just feel like giving up, as nothing's going my way. I look awful, the weather's terrible, the train is a tad late, and I can't seem to get any work done. And to add insult to injury, I go 0 for 10 on solitaire (the last one is what really upsets me). These are the days I seek solitude and prefer to stay in for the rest of the day.

But regardless of what type of day it is, there are recurring obstacles that foreign workers like me will likely face and experience during our employment in the Land of the Rising Sun. In this article, we'll discuss the challenges of being a foreign worker in Japan.

Long Working Hours

It's no secret that Japan is known throughout the world as a hardworking country. In the past, the nation's workforce has had some ridiculous records of working hours. The country's hardworking culture and mentality have led to hundreds of workers dying due to karoshi or dying from overworking.

Even the current Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, is aware of this whole ordeal. Since being inaugurated in 2012, he has made numerous attempts in demanding companies to reduce overtime and increase compensation for workers.

But despite the government's efforts, a lot hasn't changed. Long hours are still the norm in Japan as the decades-old practice is deeply embedded in Japanese culture.

From time to time, I see some foreigners sleeping inside the train out of exhaustion. But the worst thing I normally see is Japanese nationals sleeping on random staircases on their way home, unable to continue, after working their hearts out.

Seniority and Hierarchy

Aside from giving importance to hard work, Japanese companies also value their employees' loyalty and commitment. Based on experience, seniority and the hierarchy system should always be observed within the company at all times.

I vividly remember an interaction with a fellow foreign co-worker early on in my career. While having drinks at a bar, he shared that the hierarchy system is the most vital part of any company.

He told me that if I work hard enough, impress the higher-ups, and be passionate about my job, I'll have a great career and earn a promotion in due course. He was hoping to see the fruits of his perseverance and enthusiasm for the company.

Lo and behold, 10 months later, he would get promoted to a higher position. I was so proud of him. His story serves as motivation and reminder for foreign employees like me that we can achieve any goal we set our minds to.

I love how the Japanese are so thoughtful in showing gratitude and respect towards the ones who have paved the way. They have earned the right to be revered by everyone, regardless of skill and ability.

Indirect Communication

Japanese people are known to be some of the most polite and respectful people you will ever work with. A lot of them always think about what's great for the company, especially in maintaining great relationships in the workplace.

But their principles sometimes present a disadvantage for foreign workers like me. Because they want to keep relationships as smooth and as unblemished as possible, they will sometimes tell you white lies instead of the bitter and much-needed truth.

I remember being unaware of this before, as I was tasked with a department presentation. During the meeting, the seniors were responding to my proposals with "we will look into it" and "we will consider it". I thought they were being genuine but learned later on that they just didn't want to disappoint me.

I appreciate them for being thoughtful and considering my feelings, but a simple "no, we want something else" or "we need more" could've been better and would've saved me some time. Besides, I have tough skin and wouldn't have been offended by their remarks.

Lack of privacy

You might take a simple office cubicle for granted in your home country but foreign workers here in Japan would undoubtedly do anything just to have a bit of privacy inside the workplace.

Japanese companies usually provide long tables or round office tables for their employees, which means that the only thing that separates you from your neighboring workmate could be a few office supplies.

This issue is correlated with the hierarchy system in Japan. Usually, the seniors are the only ones who get to use the best and most comfortable chairs per table and the executives are the only members of the company who have their own cubicle.

Personally, I would really love to surround my work area with photographs of my family and loved ones but it seems weird since it can be seen by anyone who'll pass by my side of the table.

Language barrier

Trust me, language barrier issues will more than likely emerge in the life of a foreign worker in Japan. Although my knowledge in the language has improved throughout the years, mainly thanks to the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), I still consider language and communication as huge hurdles for me in my life inside the office.

There are still moments when I would question my abilities to comprehend Japanese, especially when engaging in important conversations with some of my co-workers. My workmates assume that because I have stayed in the country for a long time, it means that I can understand the most intricate words and phrases.

I still don't know how I managed to survive here in Japan during my first few years, knowing that I had little command of the language back then compared to now.

Conclusion

No matter where you work or which company you work for, challenges and obstacles are always going to be in your way. I used to be bothered by these issues before but it got easier once I accepted that these challenges come with the country's culture and there was nothing that I could do but embrace it.

Consider these challenges first if ever you want to be one of the thousands of foreign workers here in Japan and evaluate if you can overcome them.

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The Challenges of a Foreign Worker in Japan

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In my many years of living and working in Japan, you can bet that I have experienced all types of imaginable highs and lows as one of the country's foreign workers. There are days when I feel like I'm on top of the world and living my best life.

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In this video, many Mexican foods were introduced and reviewed by some Americans. all of foods looked like delicious. That made me so hungry. I thought I wanted especially camotes which was sweet potatoes with cinnamon.

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Americans Try Mexican Street Food for the First Time (Tlayuda, Tostilocos, Esquites)

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Today, I learned soooooo maxo things about Latin Americans from Nydia Martinez. So I will tell some things I learned. For example, the changing of categories of identity. Mexican, Columbian(1800s-present)→Mexican American(1848)→Hispanic(various)→Chicana/o(1960s)→Latina/o(1990s). One of Latin Americans identities is their music because this is central to them. We listened to "La Bamba". I have never listened to such song and it was really fantastic and comfortable for me. Other example, Spanish is the second most common language in the US and Spanglish is used as a means of communication. In addition, their traditional foods like churro, taco are so great. I really like them. On the other hand, as for Puerto Rico, people in Puerto Rico can enlist military, but they can't vote. That is kind of descrimination. Lastly, I learned about how to communicate well from her. That was asking like "How do you identity yourself?" So I want to ask like that when I meet people in other countries.

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This website is about to be a better ally for minority people. There are 8 things to be that. As BJ Robinson said, it seems to be important to "Listen" what they are telling.

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How to be an ally has become an increasingly popular discussion this year, and an important one at that, but many are confused about what exactly it means to be an ally. This list is by no means comprehensive. Rather, think of this list as a jumping off point to begin your journey into better understanding your role as an ally to Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) and other marginalized communities, and as with any important subjects, I encourage you to go out and do more research on your own.

Before you jump to action in any social justice movement, you need to know the history. Especially in cis-white communities, there is a lack of knowledge about racism and discrimination, but do not turn to your BIPOC colleagues and friends to explain these concepts to you. It is not their job. Rather, do your own research to learn the history of the movement you want to ally with. Learn what has been done before, what has worked, and what still needs to change moving forward. Movies and TV series are also good places to start if reading isn't your thing.

Syracuse University offers a variety of educational resources on this subject, like the Library's Racial Justice Resource Guide, or the STOP Bias workshop that teaches you how to identify and address bias. Be sure to explore Conversations Around Race and Ethnicity (C.A.R.E.) circles, free lecture series and Student Association's Multicultural Week from Oct. 19-24 to learn even more!

To best understand how to help BIPOC, listen to what they are telling you. If there are local speakers on the subject, attend and be attentive. Podcasts are another great resource! Consider checking out NPR's "Code Switch" and Reni Eddo-Lodge's "About Race," about the experiences of BIPOC in America, or Marlee Silva's "Tiddas 4 Tiddas" celebrating indigenous female achievements.

If your friends who are a part of marginalized communities decide to engage with you on the subject of discrimination, listen to them and offer support where appropriate. As an ally, your job is to listen and learn.

If you were active on social media during the height of the BLM protests this summer, you've seen performative allyship in action, as floods of black squares all over your feed or celebrities insincerely using protests as a photo opp. Australian journalist Monisha Rudhran defines performative allyship as "the practice of words, posts and gestures that do more to promote an individual's own virtuous moral compass than actually helping the causes that they're intending to showcase." Basically, it's using the struggles of other to make yourself look like a better or more moral person. Be more aware of the motivations behind your social media posts in the future. Ask yourself: are you posting this because it's with the intention of being a true ally, or because it will make you look good?

As a person of privilege, you have access to social circles that BIPOC do not. Perhaps you have heard racist or derogatory language used by family members or friends? Take some time at your next family reunion to challenge peoples' beliefs, and speak up for those who are not there.

As humans, we are averse to change. If your life has been one of comfort, it is difficult to voluntarily give up that comfort. However, to work towards being a good ally, you need to forfeit it, as your comfort comes at the expense of others. By remaining in the status quo, you are directly benefitting from social structures that harm BIPOC and other marginalized communities. Now is the time to own up to your complicitness in discriminatory systems. So yeah, get comfortable being uncomfortable.

The United Way of Central New York in partnership with multiple Syracuse organizations is currently running a Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge that pushes you to get outside your comfort zone with daily challenges throughout the month of October. This is an accessible, convenient way to get used to the level of personal discomfort needed to grow as a person and become a better ally. The challenge will conclude with a conversation lead by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, historian and author of #1 New York Times bestseller, "HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST." Register today!

Being an ally is an ongoing process, and you are bound to say or do the wrong thing at certain points. Sometimes, the best way to learn is through trial and error. The important thing is to acknowledge when you're wrong, and to not make those same mistakes again. Essentially: welcome failure, but learn from it.

There are so many amazing speakers and writers from BIPOC and other marginalized communities with important stories and messages that need to be shared. In short, promote others' voices and don't center yourself in the conversation. It's okay to feel bad about your role in an unjust and racist society, but as an ally it is necessary to realize that your role is one of support.

Last, but certainly not least, make your actions match your words! Show up for BIPOC and other marginalized communities in ways that matter. Take responsibility for your actions, educate your peers, attend protests and marches, sign petitions, and donate, if you can! Another way - volunteer your time. In Syracuse, one place you can find volunteer opportunities is through the Shaw Center.
Written by Cecelia Kersten '23, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications Sources:
Kivel, P. (1995). Guidelines for Being Strong White Allies. Retrieved October 11, 2020, from https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/kivel3.pdf

Rudhran, M. (2020, June 03). What Is Performative Allyship? Examples & Alternatives. Retrieved October 10, 2020, from https://www.elle.com.au/news/performative-allyship-23586

Wahi, S. (2020, June 05). How To Be A Better Ally To People Of Colour. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.elle.com.au/news/black-lives-matter-ally-23575

YWCA. (2020). 10 Things Allies Can Do. Retrieved October 11, 2020, from http://www.ywcahbg.org/sites/default/files/manager/10%20Things%20Allies%20Can%20Do.pdf

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How to be an ally has become an increasingly popular discussion this year, and an important one at that, but many are confused about what exactly it means to be an ally. This list is by no means comprehensive.

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2/23 The gap between white & black people

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2/23 The gap between white & black people

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There are big difference in property, income, jobless rate, poverty rate among white and black people. I guess the reason why this happens is much related to descrimination. In Japan, it's unbelievable. To be sure, foreign workers take disadvantage in income, right that they can do. However, there is not as huge difference as in America.

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（ＣＮＮ） 米国における黒人と白人の間の経済格差は歴然としている――。新型コロナウイルスのパンデミック（世界的大流行）が発生するまで長らく経済的に繁栄していた米国だが、富や所得に関して言えば、人種間で大きな格差が存在し続けている。

バイデン政権はこうした格差に再び焦点を当て、新型コロナウイルスによる経済不況からの脱却を図る中で人種間の格差是正に取り組んでいる。

また、かつて「黒人のウォール街」として知られたオクラホマ州タルサのグリーンウッド地区で起きた黒人虐殺事件から１００年を迎えたことも、黒人と白人の間の不平等な富に注目を集める契機となっている。

Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2019 Graphic: Christopher Hickey and Curt Merrill, CNN

数値が示す状況は驚くべきものだ。

連邦準備銀行の最新データによると、２０１９年の典型的な非ヒスパニック系白人世帯の純資産は、非ヒスパニック系黒人世帯の約８倍だった。この格差は、黒人の持ち家率が低いことや相続財産が少ないことに起因している。

富は景気低迷時のセーフティーネットとして機能するため、最近ではますますその重要性が高まっている。また、黒人は株価や住宅価格の値上がりによる恩恵を白人ほど受けていない。そうした資産を所有する人が少ないためだ。

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 2021 Graphic: Christopher Hickey, CNN

国勢調査局の最新データによると、１９年の黒人の所得（中央値）は過去最高に並んだ。だが白人も、好景気によって所得の中央値が過去最高を記録したことから、人種間の格差は残ったままだ。

米国のシンクタンク、エコノミック・ポリシー・インスティテュートによると、黒人は労働市場において大きな賃金格差に直面しており、その格差は００年以降拡大している。こうした賃金格差もまた、黒人世帯による貯蓄や資産形成を困難にしている要因の一つとなっている。

Source: US Census Bureau, 2019 Graphic: Christopher Hickey and Curt Merrill, CNN

一方、改善された分野もある。失業率の格差縮小はその一つだ。何十年にもわたり黒人の失業率は白人の２倍を超えていた。だがパンデミック発生前の２０１９年には、好景気を受けてその差は最も縮まった。

しかし、新型コロナウイルスによる景気後退は黒人労働者に大打撃を与えた。昨年のパンデミック発生直後には記録的な数の黒人が失業し、景気が上向いても雇用回復ペースは鈍い。労働省によると、今年４月の黒人の失業率は９．７％で、パンデミック前の昨年２月は６％だった。

一方、白人の今年４月の失業率は５．３％、昨年２月は３％だった。

Source: US Census Bureau, 2019 Graphic: Christopher Hickey and Curt Merrill, CNN

国勢調査局によると、１９年の黒人の貧困率は１８．８％と過去最低を記録した。だが、白人の貧困率（７．３％）と比較すると依然として２倍以上となっている。

子どもの貧困格差はさらに顕著で、１９年に貧困線を下回った子どもは、黒人が４分の１以上だったのに対し、白人は８．３％だった。

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４つのグラフから見る　米国の黒人と白人の格差

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（ＣＮＮ） 米国における黒人と白人の間の経済格差は歴然としている――。新型コロナウイルスのパンデミック（世界的大流行）が発生するまで長らく経済的に繁栄していた米国だが、富や所得に関して言えば、人種間で大きな格差が存在し続けている。 バイデン政権はこうした格差に再び焦点を当て、新型コロナウイルスによる経済不況からの脱却を図る中で人種間の格差是正に取り組んでいる。 また、かつて「黒人のウォール街」として知られたオクラホマ州タルサのグリーンウッド地区で起きた黒人虐殺事件から１００年を迎えたことも、黒人と白人の間の不平等な富に注目を集める契機となっている。 Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2019 Graphic: Christopher Hickey and Curt Merrill, CNN 数値が示す状況は驚くべきものだ。 連邦準備銀行の最新データによると、２０１９年の典型的な非ヒスパニック系白人世帯の純資産は、非ヒスパニック系黒人世帯の約８倍だった。この格差は、黒人の持ち家率が低いことや相続財産が少ないことに起因している。 富は景気低迷時のセーフティーネットとして機能するため、最近ではますますその重要性が高まっている。また、黒人は株価や住宅価格の値上がりによる恩恵を白人ほど受けていない。そうした資産を所有する人が少ないためだ。 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 2021 Graphic: Christopher Hickey, CNN 国勢調査局の最新データによると、１９年の黒人の所得（中央値）は過去最高に並んだ。だが白人も、好景気によって所得の中央値が過去最高を記録したことから、人種間の格差は残ったままだ。 米国のシンクタンク、エコノミック・ポリシー・インスティテュートによると、黒人は労働市場において大きな賃金格差に直面しており、その格差は００年以降拡大している。こうした賃金格差もまた、黒人世帯による貯蓄や資産形成を困難にしている要因の一つとなっている。 Source: US Census Bureau, 2019 Graphic: Christopher Hickey and Curt Merrill, CNN 一方、改善された分野もある。失業率の格差縮小はその一つだ。何十年にもわたり黒人の失業率は白人の２倍を超えていた。だがパンデミック発生前の２０１９年には、好景気を受けてその差は最も縮まった。 しかし、新型コロナウイルスによる景気後退は黒人労働者に大打撃を与えた。昨年のパンデミック発生直後には記録的な数の黒人が失業し、景気が上向いても雇用回復ペースは鈍い。労働省によると、今年４月の黒人の失業率は９．７％で、パンデミック前の昨年２月は６％だった。 一方、白人の今年４月の失業率は５．３％、昨年２月は３％だった。 Source: US Census Bureau, 2019 Graphic: Christopher Hickey and Curt Merrill, CNN 国勢調査局によると、１９年の黒人の貧困率は１８．８％と過去最低を記録した。だが、白人の貧困率（７．３％）と比較すると依然として２倍以上となっている。 子どもの貧困格差はさらに顕著で、１９年に貧困線を下回った子どもは、黒人が４分の１以上だったのに対し、白人は８．３％だった。

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Spanglish is the hybrid of Spanish and English. There is not "standard" one. Spanglish is just a version of "code-switching" which means mix them together when they talk like “pero like,” which means “but like”. This language has old history, so there is a key sentence. "Spanglish is not just an effect of being raised bilingually: it’s a source of pride in their Latinx identity. Speaking a certain way can signal to others that you’re part of their community."

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How Many People Speak Spanglish, And Where Is It Spoken?

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Spanglish is not just a cool linguistic phenomenon, it’s also an increasingly important part of the Latinx culture and identity.

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Today, we did tough talk with BJ Robinson and I learned many important things from him.
These days, in not only America but also all over the world, the effect of the death of many black people is getting bigger and bigger. The reasons of their death were unbelievable and can't be understood.
From BJ Robinson, I got a new idea. Because he is an educator, I asked him like "How can we teach students about racism or the situation of minority like Black people? Then, he answered that using comparison was useful. He explained with interesting example, pizza. Some people like pineapple tastes, about that if another people say like pineapple tastes are not good. Even if people who said like so don't intend to hurt people who like pineapple tastes, they can feel they are hurt. That's why we should consider the impact occurred by our intention. That's how at first, we start from small allowance, then we apply to bigger one.

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I have two questions to you, but second one is gonna be tough questions for you. I'm so sorry about that.

①Have you ever experienced your intersectionality had been useful to help minority people?

As you said in your video, You are queer. From that, I'm curious about how your intersectionality affcts better. Tell your story.

②What do you think how people can keep their life safe? how people can protect their identity?
→For us, Is there any ways of helping black people?

I want to be a person to help minority people like LGBTQ, Black people. I am struggling to think about the solution to live life equally for everyone.

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I got more information about Native Americans' culture, especially about their clothing.
①Thire clothing was different depending on the tribe and the climate they lived.
②As for materials, their clothing was made from Animal hides like deer skin in Cherokee & Iroquois, the plains indians used buffalo skin.
③All of their clothes were made by hand of generally women, by tanning which makes animal skin into leather.
④They would use feathers of animal fur such as rabbit porcupine quills and after European came to their land, they used glass beads to decorate thier clothes.
⑤In area especially with warm climate, almost all Native American men wore breech cloth that coverd the front and back. On the other hand, in cooler climate, theo wore leggings to keep their legs warm.
⑥The Native American women wore skirts or leggings and shirts.
⑦After European came there, they incorporated their culture a little, so they wore woven blankets, fringe buckskin tunics, and feather headdresses. a roach was made from animal hair.

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I found the interesting things about Native Americans. They are symbols which show animals, natures, family and the like. By using them, they indicated some important information. The most interesting one was "fire" which represented cleansing and renewal because out of the ashes of fire, there was new growth. That's because the shape of this symbol was like not a fire but a flower.

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A list of all the native American symbols.

Arrow

Arrows symbolize protection and defense. An arrow facing to the left is meant to ward off evil. Meanwhile, an arrow facing to the right is meant as protection and an arrow facing down means peace.

Arrowhead

An arrowhead is a sharpened tip that can be added to an arrow. They are made of stone and can penetrate the skin. Arrowheads symbolize alertness.

Bear & Bearprints

Animals act as spiritual guides because they have traits admired by humans. That is why bears symbolize courage and physical strength. It is a good omen that conveys authority. Meanwhile, bear prints represent leadership.

Bird & Birdprints

Birds symbolize light-hearted freedom. The tracks are meant to indicate a specific direction.

Brothers

Brothers symbolize two people who are bound together and have shared a journey through life. The line connecting their feet represents their equality.

Butterfly

Butterflies symbolize transformation. However, the color of the butterfly provides further information. A black butterfly signifies bad news or illness, yellow signifies hope and guidance, brown signifies important news, red signifies an important event, and white signifies good luck.

Cactus

Cacti symbolize warmth, protection, and endurance. It is a symbol of maternal love because it can endure and thrive in harsh conditions, just like a mother's unconditional love. However a cactus could also, more literally, signify the desert.

Camp

Camp is meant to indicate an Indian village consisting of tepees. These teepees were constructed from wooden poles and animal hide. They could be set up quickly and dismantled quickly, making it easy for the Native Americans to travel.

Campfire

Camp fires are meant to indicate a temporary overnight stop.

Change

The rain, lightening, and clouds in this image symbolize change, renewal, and fertility. The lightening symbol is closely associated to the Thunderbird, which is a powerful spirit.

Coyote

Coyotes are a holy creature. However, they symbolize a trickster deity. This spirit is mischievous, selfish, deceitful, and greedy.

Cross

Crosses symbolize the Earth's forces, their origin, and the manner in which they work.

Crow

Crows are a symbol of wisdom because they are one of the smartest birds in existence. Some believed that the animal even had the ability to speak.

Dancing Man

The dancer indicates that a celebration or ritual dance has taken place. Those ceremonies are an important part of the Native American culture.

Days & Nights

These markings symbolize the passage of time. Since the Native Americans did not have any clocks, they would have to tell time based on the positioning of the sun.

Dead People

When symbols appear upside down, it symbolizes death. Therefore, this image would indicate the death of a man and a woman.

Deer & Deerprints

Deer symbolize gentleness, safety, prosperity, and shelter. Their tracks can be used as a tool to indicate where food has been found. The direction they are facing indicates the direction of the deer.

Dragonfly

Dragonflies symbolize happiness, speed, and purity. This is because dragonflies live in water for the first year of their lives as nymphs and then metamorphose into dragonflies.

Drum

Drums were an important part of ceremonies. They were meant as a way to communicate with the Great Spirit.

Eagle & Eagle Feathers

Eagles are a sacred bird. They are a symbol of courage, wisdom, and strength. Their feathers were used during prayer and during special council meetings where they were held as an assurance that the person was telling the truth.

Enclosure

This symbol was meant to indicate that an area had been set aside for a ceremonial dance or ritual.

Family

The circle surrounding the family represents family ties, closeness, and protection. The circle has no starting point or ending point of separation, which means it cannot be broken.

Fertility

The Kokopelli fertility symbol depicts him hunchbacked, dancing, and playing the flute. In a legend told by Hopi Native Indians, Kokopelli carried unborn children in the sack on his back and distributed them to women.

Fire

Fire represents cleansing and renewal because out of the ashes of fire, there is new growth. Fire was used during ceremonies to cleanse sacred items such as drums, shakers, and pipes.

The Four Stages Of Man

This symbolizes the milestones in a person's life. Their birth and infancy, their youth and adolescence, their maturity in middle age, and their wisdom in their old age.

Gila Monster

This symbol represents preservation and survival because The Gila Monster is believed to be able to go a year or more without food or water.

The Great Spirit

The Great Spirit was the principal deity in the religion of many Native American people. The symbol represents the eye of the higher power watching over humankind.

Hand Or Handprint

A hand represents success in hand to hand combat. It can also symbolize human life in general.

Harmony

This symbol represents balance because Native Americans believed in striking balance, peace, and harmony among all humans, animals, and plant life.

Heartline

This symbol represents the life force of an animal. When it reaches from the head to the heart of a bear, it symbolizes a warrior having a heart as strong as a bear.

Homecoming

This symbol was meant to represent the return of a warrior. Ceremonies and homecoming dances were performed whenever warriors returned home alive.

Hoofprints

Hoof prints represented the number of horses that were taken on a raid. It was a way of conveying important information to fellow tribe members.

Hope

This symbol of an eight pointed star represents the four cardinal points of north, south, east and west and their connection to the outermost points on the horizon where the sun passes through the year. It represents wishing and hoping.

Journey

This picture of a horse was meant to signify a journey back home.

Lake

A lake symbol was drawn to signify the presence of a body of water. It was meant as a helpful guide for anyone who was in need of water.

Lightning

This symbol was commonly painted on the faces of Native Americans as war paint. It was meant to add power and speed to the warrior and it was painted in red, like the Thunderbird.

Many Fish

This symbol indicated a body of water housing food. It was meant to help the survival of their people. Fish were caught by hunters and prepared by women, who had it smoked in order to preserve it for the winter months.

The Eye Of A Medicine Man

A medicine man was thought to have magical healing powers and could see into the future. The outer lines of the symbol represent the four corners of the Universe. The inner lines represent the Spirit world. The center circle represents the eye of the Medicine Man and his spiritual vision.

Moon

The moon was the protector and guardian of the earth. However, it could also be drawn along with snow to indicate the winter or drawn with falling leaves to indicate autumn.

Morning Star

The morning star signifies the renewal of tradition and resurrection of the heroes of the past. It is a sign of courage and purity of spirit.

Mountains

This symbol was either meant to indicate the geography of an area or it was meant to announce that a journey had been made across a mountain range.

Peace

A broken arrow represents peace. It represents an end to the war. It means the fighting is going to end and the arrows are going to be put down.

Protection

Arrows are portrayed in the symbol of Protection because they were the Native American's main form of defense. The circle wrapped around the two arrows signifies family ties, closeness, and protection

Rain

Rain represents renewal, fertility, and change. It can also represent plentiful crops.

Serpent

This is a malevolent creature of the Underworld. It is a monster who devoured his enemies. Whenever a serpent is seen, it represents death.

Shaman

A shaman acts as a medium between the visible world and the spirit world. They practice rituals to ensure good health, bountiful harvests, successful hunts, and good weather.

Sisters

Like the symbol for brothers, the sisters' symbol represents two people who are bound together and have shared journey through life. The line connecting their feet represents their equality.

Star

The star symbol was used to describe a famous event that occurred in 1833, the Leonid meteor shower. The Native Americans considered it the year the stars fell.

Sun

The sun is the provider of light and heat, which is what causes crops to flourish, which is why it symbolizes growth. Its symbol depicts the cardinal directions, north, south, east, and west.

Circle Symbols (Four Elements, Water, Earth, Air, Sun)

The circle symbols represents the cycle of the seasons. It represents the cycle of life to death to rebirth. And it represents the four elements.

Thunderbird

When the sound of thunder was heard, Native Americans believed it was the omen of war. They believed that the beating of the Firebird's wings caused the thunder and stirred the wind.

Turtle

Turtles can live up to 150 years, which is why they symbolize good health and a long life. The shell of the turtle represents perseverance and protection.

War

Since arrows were the main form of attack and defense by Native Americans, two arrows were the symbol of war. They were meant to mimic the arrows being thrown between two warriors.

Water

This symbol was meant to guide others toward drinking water. It is meant to signify the flow of life from the Earth and to chart the features of a particular area.

Did we forget any Native American symbols? If so, leave them in the comments and we'll add them to the list.

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54 Native American Symbols With Deep, Poetic Meanings

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A list of all the native American symbols. Arrows symbolize protection and defense. An arrow facing to the left is meant to ward off evil. Meanwhile, an arrow facing to the right is meant as protection and an arrow facing down means peace. An arrowhead is a sharpened tip that can be added to an arrow.

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Today, I learned about lots of term related to Native Americans through reading the passages. In addition, I also knew what culture Native Americans have, how Native Americans think about themselves in two videos. It was really difficult for me to remember all words because I was not familiar with these words.
Firstly, "sovereignty" was new for me. That means that the right to controll ourself, decide ourself and also the power that an independent country has to govern itself. Another one I have never heard was "fiduciary" which meant someone who is responsible for the assets of people, organizations.
Secondly, from the videos, I got interested in thier culture. For instance, from the video about POW WOW, they wear colorful traditional outfits, danced with pretty music, the turtle was seen as moving calendar because of their slowness of their act. Moreover, from the other video, I felt great that Native Americans were striving to keep their tradition showing their identity lost in past by reconnecting in the specific place like POW WOW. Not only that, putting the animals' name into people's middle name like bear, a wild horse was surpising for me and  at the same time, I thought I wanted these names because these names were so cool.

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This video was overview of Native Americans Hitory and Culture. In this paddlet, I will introduce some points I got about them from the video.
1. Native Americans seems to have been the first people ever lived in North America.
2. As long as 30 thousand years ago, some hunters from Asia walked or sailed along the coast of a land bridge. →The descendants became known as Native Americans or American Indians.
3. They were separated in the vast continent. That made different regions and hundreds of unique cultures. Ex: the Plains Indians hunted Buffalo.
4. Because of outsiders like the first white settlers in the 1500s, Native Americans had to fight to resist them. As a result, Native Americans needed to leave their traditional homelands and live on "reservations". → Next century, they continued to fight for their right.
5. The ngative situations of Native Americans has been changing like religious ceremony is being held again, sand painting is being created to pray for the safety of the group.

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Today, I learned about some new words related to LGBTQ＋ more and the history about the Native American, especially in the plateau people.
Firstly, I got new words, such as "constructed" which means the idea that people should follow the rule created in society, "Non-Conforming" which means people don't necessarily follow the gender rule. As for LGBTQ＋, we watch the video in Ted talk. The contents was about the story of one of transgender people. One of phrases from the presenter which I liked was that to be a good ally, "Be open to thinking in entirely new ways. Start thinking outside the gender binary." I felt that people in Japan should know this way of thinking well to respect them.
Secondly, I got interested in Native American people. There are many kinds of Native Americans in the U.S. in the past. Each of them has unique features. For example, people in plateau hunt and gatherered, and they changed the way of living in their settlements, according to the season, because the climate of plateau area was so harsh. It was really interesting for me. That's because their life and their environment were so different from the present world.

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This is the map of "Native American Culture Areas".
There were many kinds of cultures in the American continent. Each of them had unique cultures like the beliefs, living ways, and the like. These were united into one country. From this point, we can know the reason for cultural diversity in America. It was interesting fact.

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This is the news about "Black lives matter" movement. These days, a Black people passed away because of the violence of the police. Then, "Black lives matter" movement occurred in all over the world, more than 16 countries. Especially in America, things of the police are changing for black people, in terms of the equality, such as a city's cutting the funding for the police department. It is a really tough matter, but we should not avoid touching it to help minority people...

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お使いの端末ではメディアプレイバックはご利用になれません

1人の男性の死でアメリカはどう変わった？　ジョージ･フロイドさん事件から1カ月

フロイドさんの死をきっかけに、人種差別に対する世界的な抗議行動や警察改革、植民地時代の象徴の破壊が起こり、アメリカと世界で組織的人種差別をなくすよう求める声が高まっている。

アメリカでは何が変わったのか。そして、その変化がなぜ重要なのか。事件からの30日間を振り返る。

プロデュース、ナレーション：リトゥ・プラサド ／ ビデオ製作：アンヘリカ・M・カサス

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1人の男性の死でアメリカはどう変わった？　ジョージ･フロイドさん事件から1カ月 - BBCニュース

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お使いの端末ではメディアプレイバックはご利用になれません 1人の男性の死でアメリカはどう変わった？　ジョージ･フロイドさん事件から1カ月 フロイドさんの死をきっかけに、人種差別に対する世界的な抗議行動や警察改革、植民地時代の象徴の破壊が起こり、アメリカと世界で組織的人種差別をなくすよう求める声が高まっている。 ...

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This is one of the community of LGBTQ＋ people in Japan. This group's aim is to create safe and opem spaces that affirm, support, and celebrate various identities. I was surprised at that existence. This is the great place!

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There are lots of flags which symbolize LGBTQ＋. I think a rainbow one which represents 'Gay' is most famous. Actually,  except for it, for the first time I see them. The lesson from Maggie was very interesting.

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In today's lesson, Maggie who is a activist at EWU's pride center taught us LGBTQ＋, gender pronouns, language shifts.
One of what I got interested in was especially LGBTQ＋ flags. There are various kinds ones. Actually, before I learned about them, I onle knew about a rainbow one. So, the lecture was really interesting for me. Regarding the color of flags, it has a meaning itself. For example, red of the rainbow flag means “Life”, orange does "Healing", yellow does "Sunlight", green does "Nature", blue does "Harmony", and violet does "Spirit". In addition, we talked with people who are in EWU pride center. Each of them has different backgrounds and told about what EWU's pride center was. It has the place where minority people like LGBTQ people can spend comfortable time with people who have similar experiences and similar backgrounds. That places makes such people given the place where they express who they are, how they feel. Through listening to them, I thought that how I could help such people in Japan. Then, I asked them that question. One of partcipants answerd my question like "Please research the community of LGBTQ in Japan." That's why I decided to go over such groups to support them in Japan. Then, I want to make some actions to support them im the future.

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Not America but Hungary, there is a big problem about LGBT.
The government tried to create the law which banned children from knowing about LGBT. I thought that to know various term, concept of LGBTQ was good way to understand others, especially minority well.  To respect, help minority, it will be precious opportunity. In addition, I thought that there were various people who have different perspectives respectively, so to move straight forward was really difficult, but the attitude which try to understand others was important if not possible completely.

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LGBT Content aimed at children to be banned in Hungary - BBC News

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Even if it will be difficult, teachers should consider these aspects well in order to see, understand "individual".

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I learned about two things in today's lesson. Firstly, I thoght that to know the situation, the society where minority faced was really important to understand them. there are big differences between Japan and America in environment. In America, it is a multicultural countries and there are various people who have lots of difficulties like LGBTQ people, Black people. To help them, people like Vanessa act, for example, to make the comfortable place, to try to connect people who are minority to each other. That helps minority to be themselves, express themselves well. Around me, these people rarely exist. However, I want to be helpful to people facing lots of difficulties.
Secondly, I learned about to see individual was so important in education from the perspective of “intersectionality”. When we become a teacher, we touch students who has unique aspects. If we don't know much about each of them, some students may lose their position, they may not be able to  be as they are. Actually, I haven't decided to be a teacher yet. But If I were it, I wanted to support, understand, respect each of them.

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First thing I thought it was important was to create the place, environment, the opportunity to be easy for minority people like LGBTQ people, Black people, to be comfortable. These people were exposed to not good environment. So, I want to be a person who can help these people, respect people. Second thing I learned was that if I got the exchanged students or students who are from different countries, we, teachers try to “see individuals”, even though we should do other things as a job like making test, talk with students' parents. In addition, we, teachers need to acknowledge these students in order to be comfortable to live. So I want to care about these people and reach out these students.

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スクリーンショット (5)

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Bisexual Man Breaks Free of Parents’ Expectations: “It's Important to Remain True to Yourself.”

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He is Gabe Lopez. When he was a child and went shopping with his mother, he tried to buy jeans that looked very fitted, but she rejected his request because it looked like gay. Then he understand that being gay or being bi wasn't good. When he was a student in college in New York, he recognized himself as gay, also bi. In his senior year, he was dating a guy and told his parents what he was doing. His mother was so sad to hear it that she said it was thd worst day of her life. About his father, at first he acknowledge Gabe, but he changed the perspective later because of Gabe's sister's struggling. He was refused to be himself by his family. After he graduated the college, he got a job at Apple and met one of best friends. His friend said to him that he didn't need to obey his parents. Then, he decided to live his life as he wanted. Lastly, he gave us message like "Live your life."

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Today, I learned about LGBTQ＋. There are lots of term about LGBTQ＋. It was difficult for me to understand each of words because each of them included many meanings in sexuality. In addition, I got surpised at LGBTQ because I was not similar with this topic. In this lesson, I watched the video about the boy who was really brave to help LGBTQ people. Through watching it, I felt two things. Firstly, I was really impressed by his act because I could hardly do like him.  Secondly, I guess in Japan, there are LGBTQ people, to some extent and few people who already understand LGBTQ well. So, I thought that I wanted to be the person who can reach out them, respect them, understand them.
At last, I have never thought about my gender, so today's lesson was really precious experience for me. Thanks!

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2/15 ②Interesting Conversation / Culture Difference

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2/15 ②Interesting Conversation / Culture Difference

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When l talk about 'Noticing the gap of interlanguage, a volunteer said that her friend who is from Chinese can't pronunce "d" sound. When she talked with the friend, she sometimes couidn't get what the friend really meant. Because of pronunciation, it seemed to lead to misunderstanding. That was the interesting example for me. Concerning culture difference, I noticed one thing about culture difference. Actually, I couldn't come up with good examgle in above topic. That's because in Japan,there are few chances to talk with people in other countries. On the other hand, in America, there are lots of people who came from other countries, so I guess the situation as I said above must often be occurred. I imagined that I may have experienced that if I went to America. At last, I felt negotiation of meaning and noticing the gap were really important to communicate with others.

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I also really like this movie!

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TOP 20 ESL games to get your students talking! - Linguish

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Today, I learned about “How to learn More English as a Second Language”. In old time, the way to learn English was basically listening & reading. On the other hand, as a new way, the opportunity to produce, such as speaking & writing is required. That means that it is ideal for students to be positive for learning in class. However, being positive is difficult for students because they can be embarrassed, they scare mistakes in speaking English. To be positive, teachers can help students in some ways. For example, creating the atmosphere which students can speak easily, introducing game activities. As for activities, there is the effective thought which is called “Language Use”. That goal is NOT language-focused like “Language Practice” BUT to solve a problem or to create something with others. Through doing activities based on the thought, students can focus on doing something with language. That’s the way students can learn more English effectively.

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I really like this video!

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My name is Yu Hirayama. I'm living in Ibaraki. I'm junior at Ibaraki University. My hobby is watching Movies, such as "Fast & Furious", "Avengers". The reason why I join this program is that I want to improve my speaking skill in English and I want to acquire the attitude to understand minority people like LGBTQ people, Black people, respect them, and help them. I am especially interested in "BLM". I'm very looking forward to having precious time with you, guys! Nice to meet you!