If the student can have a little different perspective of just the daily life or how to look for hours, or how to have a tea, now just the moment of having tea, instead of just, you know, grabbing coffee and Okay, I gotta go instead of a moment of this that communists. I think that might be interesting too for students.
The confluence of labor and art are very important in very specific ways regionally in Japan, Central Illinois, students are going to get an opportunity to experience traditional Japanese ironwork, the art of flower arranging and a Japanese traditional tea ceremony in their own backyard. This is random acts of knowledge presented by Heartland Community College. I'm your host, Steve fast. Today we're talking with the organizers of the Japanese Festival at Heartland Community College.
Hi, my name is Zack Petrea. I am Professor of English and the Study Abroad coordinator at Heartland Community College.
My name is Sanae Ferrier. I'm from Japan. I'll teach Japanese at Heartland and it also I help global education.
So I think we'll start by I just like to ask you both about what are your involvements in this upcoming Japanese festival? How did the idea come about?
The Japanese festival is being paid for by a grant from the Indiana University, the cyber, it's international business. And we applied for it because I have been bothering Sanai for years, just in all manner of ways. And she has been so gracious and helping out. She is one of the active members of the Global Education Committee. And she has expertise and she's got connections in Japan. And so the idea when we saw the grand opening was to take advantage as soon as we can. And her friend Mr. Yaegashi is the centerpiece of this particular festival. And we built it around him. And it just seemed like a really cool experience for students. Because we don't have anything like that here in central Illinois, talking to the art faculty, we originally wanted him to actually be able to cast some of his stuff here on campus, because we have a small kiln. But his process requires equipment that we don't even have at the universities U of I doesn't even have one, I have to go down to southern to find something. So it's just a really cool learning opportunity to see handmade crafts work.
Tell us a little bit about Mr. Yaegashi. And what he does and how you got to know him.
So I got to know Mr. Yaegashi from college in Japan. So he was a year younger than me. And so back then we were just a student, he was in actually English major in college. But after we graduated, we learn he actually start working for this company, which is very traditional. And he became a apprentices of being IRAM. Maker. So he makes the iron kettle basically by hand. So that's what a my head all the time when he when Zack told me about this opportunity to his name just popped up. And oh, this will be a great opportunity, you know, introduce Japanese tradition, art, and also his work so I can throw the idea and then that made it happen.
So what makes Japanese traditional iron work? Specifically Japanese? What is the cultural connection? What is the style? How is it different?
Yes, that's a very good question. So specifically, Mr. Yaegashi makes Nambu Tekki which is kind of on the map, it's a no, but in that area, that kind of south of that area, had a special kind of pardon, and then makes the kettle work like I don't kettle work. And then so, they do by hand with the patterns and then shapes and then I can combine what the history of the tea ceremony and that area specifically, kind of develop the style and tradition that way. And then also the because of the that area is so famous is because they kind of produce island in history. So that kind of makes that area is a special as a non techie, which is Iron Works. Or you
said he apprenticed to learn this, this is something that gets handed down generationally.
Yes. So he he had a master. And then he started doing small part of his work, and then he became Master 2011. So after college, you know how many years ago now? It's almost like, what 30 years maybe? Yes, apprentices apprentices so like 1111, so maybe almost 20 years of his learning process and he became a master and he because certified for the traditional craftsmanship, that time also,
it's quite a long internship. So that's pretty amazing to bring that very specific and very learned style to this area. So you mentioned Sanae, in there that there's a connection to the Japanese tea ceremony, can you elaborate a little on that.
So when the tea ceremony happens, they will make hot water, so that time you need to use some kettle. So from the old old history with the tea ceremony, that's the time they use the like a big kind of pot, I don't have to boil water, and then you can scoop the hot water and then use to make a tea. So the issue cannot combined with developing each other. And then tea aisle heddle is a big part of that history too.
Zach, as a Westerner with an interest in this, what were the things that you felt in helping coordinate this Japanese festival? What did you want to expose your students to? And what do you think will offer you kind of the most discussion for them to learn a little bit about how they can benefit from some of these cultural expressions and approaches?
Yeah, the Japanese interest on campus is really high from the students to me as Study Abroad coordinator, I feel requests and questions. And Japan has always been the number one requested location that students ask, do we study abroad in Japan. And up until now, it's always been No, but that's always very high on my priority list is I need to get students what they're asking for. And that's why Sanaya has been so helpful. We've tried to create at least two different times programs to Japan and she's been ready to go there. And then COVID happened. And so this was an opportunity with the grant is okay, if we can't get students to Japan, let's bring Japan to our students. And having her personal connection with this. Artists craftsmen, was really kind of fit the grant parameters amazingly well. But even if it wasn't that we would have proposed it anyway, because it's a artistic medium. That is his business. And so you watch who is the company, and they're really well known, very quality products, because it's handmade. And this is showing our students who are so trade school kind of focused and building our CTE programs that you can actually merge the artistic with the entrepreneurial. And so I wanted them to see this as a good example of someone who's married those two different pieces, business and arts. So that's the theoretical kind of underpinning of the festival. We also wanted to emphasize the diversity of our essential competencies, and showing students that the world outside is not just a different other world, but it's something that we can all learn from and grow from. So having him here, he's going to bring models and display pieces, so they can see exactly what he's making the tea ceremony, we're bringing them in from the Japan house in Champagne, so they're going to offer traditional tea ceremony and they have been so gracious because they're actually going to use his kettles. And so it's just really nice. He's bringing stuff with, they're going to use that in the tea ceremony, we're also going to offer some Shibori, tie dye and some Ikebana, flower arranging, so just different artistic mediums from Japan, that people are making a living in a business out of. And so I think a lot of times students hear from parents, you know, don't go into music, don't go into art, you're not going to make a living. And I'm sorry to say no, you can. This is a good example of how you could do that.
Do you have any thoughts about why the interest is so high in studying abroad in Japan visiting Japan from your students?
I don't have an easy answer for that. I think we kind of have a historical, romantic idea about Asia. And I think that feeds into it a lot. Part of that romanticization is because it's on the other side of the world. It's so far away from us. And so I think that kind of taps into that yearning desire to travel that people have to experience new things. We're around people from Europe all of the time, whether it's German or British or Canadian, but getting someone from parts of Africa in East Asia, it is a different culture, from our everyday experiences. And I think that is intriguing. The art is also just so gorgeously intricate and different. The writing just Everything about it is different enough to be challenging for kind of traditional Western perceptions of art and literature. And so I think it's, it's a good sign that our students want to challenge themselves and learn more about it.
Since they tell us a little bit about the tea ceremony and its significance and what the process is the approach for somebody participating in the ceremony?
That's a very big question. But I would say it's a very ritual ceremony. So you have a way to take a look at cup, and it's just a ritual, every single moment is the beautiful, have a meaning to it, I just experienced couple of times, but that's one of my big red, I should learn before I came to the United States, because just the value of Japanese culture, but at the same time, I think it will personating for other people. Also, it's just the simplicity of what they do just drinking tea, but at the same time, have so many meaning, but at the same time, combined with the nature, or what's important in your life, or it just represents so many meanings. So I think that kind of speaks to people who maybe never seen it, or just the beauty of some simplicity, or B kind of speaks to just that simple gesture of having tea, but at some time, they have so meaning, put meaning to it. So I think it's just so different. So hopefully students signed up for this event. And that experience, because just watching it and experience that is, I think very, very meaningful to
I think what's interesting about it, and maybe this is also the case with the flower arranging, that is also part of the festival is that these traditional ceremonies are intentional. And as you say, they're simple acts, but they're done with maybe intention and contemplation. And nowadays, I'm not singling out just college age students here, but I think all of us are very distracted by things. And we're very, our attention is in a lot of different places, especially in the digital age. So I wonder if that is an element of enduring culture that seems to continue in Japan, a little bit, at least to the point that we can have demonstrations of it that we don't, you know, Western world doesn't seem to have that quite as much, maybe in religion or something where there's a ceremony you go through, but in our everyday lives, the ritual is a little bit different around here, or maybe not as intentional with those cultures that we'll be welcoming here to the festival.
So yes, that if the students can have a little different perspective of just the daily life, or how to look for hours, or how to have a tea, now just a moment of having tea, instead of just, you know, grabbing coffee, and Okay, I gotta go instead of a moment of this, that calmness. I think that may be interesting to for students. I think cool, think about it. Those are very traditional, but still, very, very actively practice for many people. That's interesting about it. Also, go back to that number take either I don't work, they are very, very traditional, but same time, they try to fit in this modern life. So they mix different modern style of tea kettle, or like they can use for the electric stove, instead of gusto. So they can they have a different style of cooking where in stuff. So I think that the old and the new combination is just interesting to see.
So Zach, what other activities and demonstrations will be happening during this festival.
On both days, our Japanese guest will be giving a short lecture talking about the process and craftsmen work that goes into producing the items that they're going to bring to display. And so that's something that we very much want to promote how people come and learn from and how he does it, not just come in look at the products themselves. We'll also have the tea ceremony. And so people who register in advance we can have them come in and watch a tea ceremony and then actually partake in a tea ceremony themselves. And then the end of day one will be the shibori tie dye where they can create a scarf or a small blanket for their own use. And then on the second day is the make Ivana flower arranging which we're also bringing in from Champagne and People who attend the workshop will also be able to keep the flower arrangement that they make in that workshop. So there's lots of things that people can come look at, and then walk away with, which will, we hope kind of memorialize it in their memory, but then also have something to be able to show other people and say, Look at this cool thing that I was able to do. And here, let me tell you about this flower arranging that I got to make or the tea ceremony that I got to do. So trying to spread it beyond the festival. So that has lasting impacts in the community. It is
so great that we're able to bring a lot of this expertise to the community. But I wonder in formulating this and reaching out, is there a Japanese diaspora in central Illinois that you can tap into? Is there a significant amount of Japanese culture that is available in central Illinois, and that that some of these connections are part of our heartland culture as well.
Sanae is actually a former board member of the Japanese Sister City Association. So we have that kind of direct contact that she can explain. And we have been fortunate to reach out to you via with the Japan House who's associated with University of Illinois, for both the flour and the tea. But the shibaura tie dye is coming from Western Illinois. And so you have middle of Illinois, these little arms and tentacles just kind of going all over demonstrating that there's a pretty significant interest around here in the Japanese culture and art. But let tonight talk about the sister cities.
So a sister city committee is Bloomington Normal has a sister city in Asahikawa. Hokkaido in Japan, I'm no longer serving for the committee at this moment, but they actually celebrating 60 years. Relationship this summer is supposed to be a last year, but what the COVID put onto the tissue. So we have a very long history of sister city relationship with Hokkaido, one city in Hokkaido, two, and then exchange program happens and then delegation comes and we went to. So I think it just a friendship is growing now became huge, but at the same time, growing for years and years. And then we have so many students came back from Japan and went to Japan, and then still learning Japanese or learning Japanese culture. And so which is really neat to see,
over the years with your involvements in the sister cities, what was the common things that you would find that when we'd have Japanese visitors that they wanted to know about our city in our area?
Oh, let's see, I think, just see the differences of how we live also what American people and eats and experienced and what they do for work, and what's their life generally, but at same time, last time, so 10 years ago that Japanese delegation came over, I was happy to help and then it was very good opportunity. But we had friendship posts, family, I forgot what they call but just became a friends and getting getting know each other that was the I think treasure and then highlight of the event, just basically get to know each other and we can laugh, same thing so we can watch some things and then talk about it. And then it just those simple experience makes this so strong, and then make a stronger connection. And then we can understand each other. I think that was the best for me to see that. And then they still connect each other, some people so I think just getting know people to people is important.
Well, more connections coming with this festival that is happening. Zack, what are the dates of the festival? And how will people even beyond the college, be able to learn more about it maybe participate?
The two day festival is going to be on Monday, April 24. And Tuesday April 25 variable start time. But pretty much from nine to five both days on campus. We have already started promoting on the display boards on campus and social media. We are restricting the workshops to Heartland students, faculty and staff. But the demonstrations and the displays are open to the community at large and we hope they can come in and see what Heartland offers. And then I did just aside I was negligent in not mentioning so CNA is a program of one. So she teaches all four levels of our Japanese here and she has such a following that with our decline in our language enrollment. We lost French we lost German, but Spanish and Japanese were able to sustain themselves. And Spanish is taught here K through 12. And that makes sense but the fact that CNA is able to cultivate a sustaining interest in four different On levels of Japanese at the higher education level, it's just a testament to how good she is. And again, the interest in Japan that we have here in Bloomington Normal. Well, it
sounds like those programs are feeding the interest as well. So probably it continues to grow sight. Zach, thank you so much for talking to us today. And we look forward to seeing a little bit of Japanese culture brought to Heartland Community College.
Thank you so much. Thank you
Zack Petrea and Sanae Ferrier, our faculty members at Heartland Community College. They talk to us today about the Japanese festival to be held at Heartland Community College at the end of April 2023. If you're interested in other interviews about culture, art, or other subjects, subscribe to random acts of knowledge on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you found this one. Thanks for listening
