Our Planet

Text：Chihiro Taniguchi

In 2020, eight unique children left the nest. Looking back on the final year, we have challenged them for various things, such as mountain climbing, river play at Yamanoko camp, Mt Gassan climbing, and ice skating. We took these actions because we knew these children were up for the challenge and even in the last project, we wanted them to challenge themselves to something that they had all wanted to achieve.

Also, at the same time as the children were planning, the children themselves complained about the environment in which they were placed, and those dissatisfactions caused a riot (see details described in the previous issue). In that exchange, children said “only adults are free to eat what they want and it’s not fair! I want to make money and eat what I like!” Specific desires such as those have come to be issued one after another. From these figures, I felt that these children were sending signs that they wanted to connect with society and that they wanted to accomplish something with their own power. The intentions of us adults and the actions of children overlapped, and the eight children decided to open their own shops and buy pizza from Ischia (See another article in this issue for details of the project)

During the last week before graduation, the eight children seemed to be in a great whirlpool of emotions. The appearance of being full of self-confidence, the appearance of anxiety about leaving a familiar place, the appearance of tears of feelings of parting, and the appearance of every child seeking skinship for adults were remarkable. It was a week of trying to carefully accept the emotions that could not be expressed in each word.

March 31st
Eight children came to Yamanoko in a different outfit from usual. It seemed that they were a little nervous, but during the ceremony which lasted for about an hour, they were surrounded by many gifts and smiles, and while being missed by everyone, they left the nest with an energetic expression. And when they left the Yamanoko gate, it was finally time for pizza. Eight children headed to Kunekuneyama and waited for the arrival of pizza. They were able to buy two pizzas that they had longed for with the funds collected at the Yamanoko Shopping Street the day before! I hope that this experience, in which an idea they once had has changed to an experience that they have achieved, will give us a great deal of confidence.

By the way, what is the state of Akebi after the eight older children who had a great influence in our community left the nest? At first the children did not know what to do or play. They did not seem to be able to find something fun. There were some people who were confused, such as having a lot of time on hand, but gradually they started to find something fun on their own. We started to see “the wiggle” amongst children where we could see them trying to rebuild their own place by using their power through trial and error. I am excited to see what kind of year this year will be.