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Life Onboard |
LAST UPDATE
July 19, 2005
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| October 5, 2004 |
In Pictures – Photo Tour 9 of Life Onboard |
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| A Global University student participating in the world trade game |
Project F is a series of collaborative events organized by Peace Boat staff and volunteers that aims
to bring young people together over social issues that interest them. So far the project has explored
fair trade, hunger, inequality, organic farming, the environment,the history of war, informal education
and cross-cultural communication. The "F" in Project F stands for subjects important to
youth, such as future, food and family. It also refers to Sato Futoshi, a popular staff member on
board who was central to starting the project. For one recent event, people participated in a game
simulating world trade. The audience split up into groups to play the role of a country the 46th voyage
has visited, such as the United States, Vietnam or Eritrea. The teams faced the imbalanced power relationship
between different countries, since each group had different amounts and kinds of resources, tools,
people and money that affected their ability to make a profit. For the Project F events, participants
actively research and present topics, learning to both absorb complex issues and produce their own
work. As the project covers diverse issues, from international politics to economics to healthy living,
the participants learn about their inter-related nature and the importance of seeing things comprehensively. |
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| Writer and Director Kakinuma Toshiaki |
On October 9th, Peace Boat participants attended the premiere of "Mystery on the Boat - an original
movie filmed, written and produced entirely on board. The 40 minute long movie was written and directed
by Japanese author Kakinuma Toshiaki. The cast of 13 actors and actresses worked with a crew of seven
film-makers, including professional cameraman Yamaguchi Yoshihiro. For some of the amateur cast it
was their first time trying their hand at acting. The story follows a detective named Kimura recovering
from the death of his wife, who had committed suicide by jumping from the top of building. After retiring
from his job, the detective joins Peace Boat's 46th voyage, where he bumps into two of his former
subordinates. On the same boat is a woman named Aya, who blames Kimura for wrongly accusing her father
and causing his death. Slowly the film reveals that Kimura's wife was killed by Aya, who also intends
to kill Kimura with her boyfriend. Fortunately, Kimura's two junior detectives catch the pair in the
nick of time and save his life. Editor Kawabata Ryo also produced a follow-up solo film documenting
the creation process behind the movie. |
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| GET teacher Cat Poon and her English student Tanaka Tomomi |
On October 8th, a speech contest was held for students learning English and Spanish through Peace
Boat's GET program. A total of 29 people spoke in front of a packed audience of more than 300 people,
with 25 people speaking in English and four speaking in Spanish. The themes of participants' speeches
focused on ship life, their experiences in foreign ports and thoughts on peace and how to achieve
it. The speakers took many approaches to their topics from serious stories to funny performances.
At the end three GET teachers also had a chance to make a speech in Japanese. Two of the judges, Eric
and Clara Ellefsen said "All of the speakers were really amazing, especially their content and
performance. We felt their hard work really showed." Afterwards, the panel of four judges deliberated,
finally awarding the English prize to Mano Takako for her speech "What I've Got on the Peace
Boat." Another panel of two judges awarded the Spanish prize to Sugawara Katsuyuki for his speech "La
Luna Quiere Decir Nos Algo." The audience also got to pick its favorite speaker with Iwamura
Momoko winning the People's Choice. |
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| Hagino Tugiko preparing an aromatherapy mix |
Late at night a rich scent of aroma and relaxing music floats out from the theatre. This welcoming
atmosphere attracts dozens of participants several times a week from midnight for two hours. This
quiet aromatherapy slumber party allows people to kick back together, to stretch out, write in their
diaries or do other soothing things to end their day. Organizer Hagino Tugiko has been practising
aromatherapy as a hobby for several years and decided to have an aromatherapy space on board even
before she joined the ship. One day she discovered her friend Iida Rumiko was planning a stretch class
and the pair decided to combine their classes. Iida helps alleviate the lack of exercise many on board
the boat suffer, while Hagino takes requests for aromas such as citrus fruits or wood scent. When
some people are sea sick, she puts on a scent of mint to help them feel better. |
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| The Panama Canal's San Miguel locks |
Traveling from Colombia to Guatemala Peace Boat passed through the Panama Canal, an immense engineering
feat that has been a source of many social upheavals since its completion. The canal was conceived
in 1878 by Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps. Lessep's efforts failed and US President Theodore Roosevelt
bought the development rights and began to negotiate with Colombia, which owned the fifty-mile strip
of land across the isthmus. When Colombia refused his bid, the chief engineer of the New Panama Canal
Company organized a revolt and Roosevelt sent a battleship and marines to support him. For nine years
thousands of workers battled landslides, malarial heat and mosquitoes carrying yellow fever to create
a railroad, three sets of concrete locks and a massive artificial lake. In 1968, a coup wrestled control
away from the traditional European elite, who represented less than 10 percent of the population.
Omar Torrijos's military dictatorship allowed the black and mestizo (mixed-race) poor to share more
power than in the past. By 1983, the ruler was Manuel Noriega, who was on the CIA's payroll even though
he was a known drug trafficker. Noreiga's growing independence threatened US interests and in December
1989, the US invaded, killing thousands of civilians. This restored power to the rich white elite
- just in time for the administrative changeover of the canal on January 1, 1990. In 2000, control
of the canal was transferred completely to Panama. |
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Media Team Contributors:
- Tamiko Hirata
- Tomomi Kusakabe
- Hiroyuki Katsuma
- Aya Hiromura
- Tim Wagner
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