I am a Kite - Fukushima child and mother

Shusei is 4 and lives in Fukushima City, north west of Fukushima Daichi. He really liked a kite from Aomori, so I painted his face into the kite. Shusei painted the wind blowing the kite.See below for an image and words by his mother

His situation The levels of radiation are so high in Fukushima City that some parents and schools are not allowing children to play outside at all. They usually wear long sleeves and face masks when outside, and avoid the rain. They try to be careful about food and water. 

 

Drawing solely by Shusei's mother

 

 

 

This picture is by Shusei's mother Kaori. It shows Fukushima Daichi, radiation and the tsunami at the top. She has drawn the whole family below. Scroll down for her words

 

 

 

By Kaori, Shusei's mother
3.11　福島市で被災
3.14　原発事故があった日、
私たちは放射線が舞っているとは知らずに、水をもらうための行列に並んだり、食料を買うために店に何時間も並んだり、自転車で出かけたりしていました。原発から1.5kmに自宅がある大熊町の友人は、一晩だけの避難と思って出て3.11に家を出て以来、戻れていません。

私たち親子は避難生活はしていませんが、休日の度に、身体を休めるよう環境放射能の低い地域に行っています。 福島のお母さんは、そのような方が多いと思います。

原発事故以来、家族が遠く離れ離れになり、子どもは外遊びを控え、土は汚く危険なものと教えざるを得なくなりました。祖母の育てた野菜を子どもが口にすることはできません。子どもを外で遊ばせることができる暮らし。畑で採れたものを食べられる暮らし。私がしたいのはふつうの暮らし。

でも運命に、屈してはならないと思います。立ち上がる希望が明日を切り開くのだと思います。 世界中のみなさん、福島を応援してください。 そして、原発なんかいらない世の中を作りましょう。

"3.11: We experienced the earthquake disaster in Fukushima-city.
3.14: The nuclear accident followed.

We did not know about the radioactive fallout. We were standing outside in queues to get water, queuing outside the shops for hours and going around by bicycle.

My friend from Okuma-machi (which is 1.5km away from the plant) left their home. At the time the friend thought it would be for one night, but they have been unable to return home since March 11th.

Since the nuclear accident, our family has become separated, with some going away to live. My child has to avoid playing outside, and I have to teach him that soils are dirty and dangerous. He cannot eat the vegetables that are grown by his grandma.

We have not evacuated, but we go to places where the radiation is low each holiday to rest. I think that many Fukushima mothers are doing the same thing as us.

I just want to live an ordinary life where he can play outside and where we can eat vegetables from the allotment.

However we should not give up. Standing up with hope will open up tomorrow.

Everybody in the world, please support Fukushima.
We will make a world without any nuclear power plants."

Hundreds of happinesses: Fukushima evacuee child たくさんの幸せ：福島から避難する子ども

 

 

モモちゃんは3歳。彼女は自分で色を選び、夢中で絵を描いた後で、私が描いた彼女の肖像画の横に字とおぼしきものをたくさん書き加えてくれた。その朝、モモちゃんの髪は母親の手によって美しく編み込まれていた。

Momo is 3. She chose the colours, drew her picture intently and did pretend writing on it afterwards. Her hair had been beautifully plaited by her mother that morning.

彼女の置かれた状況：
モモちゃんは福島第一原発から33キロ離れたいわき市に住んでいた。2011年3月11日に地震、津波そして原発事故の被害を受けた場所である。震災後、彼女は家族と共に自主避難した。彼女は現在、母親とお姉さんと3人で東京のアパートに住んでいる。モモちゃんとお姉さんは、同じアパートに住むいわき市からの家族らとすっかり仲良しになった。　
Her situation: 
Momo was living in Iwaki, 33km south of Fukushima Daichi at the time of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. Her family self-evacuated to Tokyo. She now lives in an apartment in Tokyo with her big sister Waka and her mother. She and her sister are great friends with another family from Iwaki who live in the same apartment building.

母親からの言葉：
モモはいつも頼りになるお姉さんの影になってしまっているけど、おしゃまな頑張り屋さん。モモの名前の最初の文字は「百」。私達は百回どころか数えきれないほどの幸せを彼女からもらっている。私達のモモ、いつも応援しているからね。
Momo's mother wrote:
"Momo is in the shadow of her big sister, who often helps her out. She’s a bit precocious and very determined. Her first Kanji (Mo) means “one hundred”, and she brings us happiness not once, but hundreds of times. We’re always supportive of our Momo, too."

Clever girl in mother's hands: Fukushima evacuee お母さんの腕に抱かれたお利口さん：福島から避難した子ども

サヤは一歳三か月の女の子。彼女の肖像画に母親が「世界中の子ども達が皆幸せでありますように…」と書き加えてくれた。
Saya is 15 months old. On the picture her mother wrote 'I wish for the happiness of all the world's children.'

彼女の置かれた状況：
地震、津波、原発事故の三次被害が起きた時、サヤちゃんは福島第一原発から33キロ離れたいわき市に住んでいた。震災後、家族はまず大阪、栃木へと自主避難し、そして東京に移ってきた。この日、サヤちゃんは母親に連れられて、東京で開催された福島避難者対象のチャリティイベントにやってきた。

Her situation
She was living in Iwaki, 33km south of Fukushima Daichi at the time of the triple disaster.  Her family self-evacuated, first to Osaka, then to Tochigi, before getting to Tokyo. Her mother brought her to a support event for Fukushima evacuees in Tokyo.

母親からの言葉：
「サヤはメロンが大好き。とても大人しくて優しい子です。彼女は家のお手伝いが好きで、鍵を持ってきてくれたり、丸めた紙屑をポイッと投げてごみ箱に捨ててくれたりする。その紙屑がゴミ箱から逸れても、それを丁寧に拾って捨ててくれるんです。サヤは一歳になる前には歩くようになって、今では走り回るのが大好き。今はスペースがあまりなくて、サヤを自由に走らせることができなくて残念です。」

Her mother's words
"Her favorite food is melon! She’s a calm and gentle baby. She loves to do “お手伝い”、or helping around the house. For instance, she can bring my keys to me or throw balled-up paper into the trash.  If she drops a bit of trash, she always picks it up neatly and puts it in the bin. She learned to walk before she was a year old, and now she loves to run. We are cramped for space right now, and Saya misses being able to run around freely."

Using the roped off swing, Fukushima

 

ブランコに乗って外で元気に遊びたいなあって思った。ブランコに乗るのは楽しいから好きだけど、今は外で遊べないから、ブランコの絵を描いた。ブランコに乗ると、風景がいつもと違ってキレイに見えるよ。

Hanako is 6 years old and lives in Fukushima City, Fukushima. She felt very intensely about her picture and was very upset when she thought she had run out of time to finish it. Her friend helped her to finish it later.

Hanako's mother wrote these words (Japanese below):

"I live in Fukushima with my husband, 6 year old daughter and 1 year old son. The earthquake on March 11 caused the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident and high levels of radiation have been leaking since then. We can still detect cesium in many areas around Fukushima.

Every morning, when my children leave home for school, I remind them to carry tissues, a handkerchief and a face mask. In the nursery school yard there are lots of sunflowers*. And there is a rope barrier around the climbing frames and slide to prevent the children playing with them.

Our family have decided to keep living in Fukushima even under these conditions. When people say "All mothers in Fukushima, be brave and evacuate from there!" I feel pain.  I just cannot make that decision because I read about Fukushima residents who evacuated to somewhere else and the children got bullied by local children. Also,
I can't help being concerned about work, money, and the stress that might be  caused by starting life in completely new place as a stranger.

However, there is a good side to remaining in Fukushima too.
I received 2 dozen bottles of water with the message "Please use it to make milk for your baby."  I also had a chance to meet people who really care about children in Fukushima. I am touched by the warm-heartedness of many people.

We all have no idea how Fukushima children’s health will be in the future. However, Fukushima children have infinite possibilities. We all believe that. My wish is that we adults lead children towards a great future shining with hope.

*grown to try and remove radiation from soil

今、私は福島市に住んでいます。
主人と６歳の女の子、１歳の男の子と住んでいます。
３月１１日の地震で、福島原発から高い放射能が漏れ、
いまだに福島市の多くの土地からセシュウムが検出されています。

朝、子どもが小学校に出かける時、
「ハンカチ、ティッシュ、マスク、持った〜」と言って送り出します。
保育所の庭では、ジャングルジム、滑り台にロープが張ってあり、
たくさんのヒマワリが咲いています。

我が家は、避難する事なく福島市に住み続ける事に決めました。
「福島のお母さん、勇気をだして避難して」と言われると
苦しくなります。
転校をした学校でいじめにあった記事を読んだり、
仕事の事、お金の事、新しい土地でのストレスを考えると、
どうしても．．．

でも、悪い事ばかりではありません。
「赤ちゃんのミルクに使ってね。」と２ダースの水が届いたり、
福島の子どもたちの事を真剣に考えてくれる人たちと出会えたり、
人の温かさに触れる事ができました。

これから、福島の子どもたちの健康がどうなるかは誰もわかりません。
けれども、福島の子どもたちの可能性は無限です。
それはみんな、わかっています。
子どもたちの未来がキラキラと輝けるものとなるように
私たち大人が導いていけたらと思っています。

Anger at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster

He is 9 and lives in Kaneyama-machi, Fukushima prefecture. As well as living with the nuclear accident ongoing since 11.3.11, two weeks after making this drawing his house was flooded by the Tadami river, damaging everything on the first floor.

I am the wind ボクは風

 Eちゃんは7歳。　作文を書いてくれた。
E-chan is 7 and lives in Okuaizu, Fukushima. Her writing is below:

“I am blowing wind to generate electricity. Since the day the earthquake caused the nuclear power plant explosion, we are not able to grow vegetables like we used to, and I am not allowed to walk on the pool side barefooted. I was shocked. I protest against nuclear power plants. However, we are not able to carry on our life without electricity so what I suggest is wind generated power instead. There are many people in Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate who have lost their house, clothes or money and are having trouble because of the power plant explosion or the Tsunami. I have a friend in Fukushima City. I wonder how my friend is doing now. I think the earthquake is a really dreadful disaster. Perhaps everyone feels the same. Perhaps my teachers feel the same too. Everyone feels the same. I pray for the day when everyone lives in peace with a safe, wind generated power system. But it doesn’t’t have to be a wind power system. As long as everyone is satisfied and can live in peace, it will be great.”

In memory of a much loved baby 愛された子供を追悼して

 

福島から避難した母親の言葉

福島県楢葉町はありふれた田舎の町です。
人よりも木々が多い。
秋には山々が紅葉し、冬には葉を落とす。
春の淡い若葉、夏の潮風。
東北の海の色は少し暗い。
子どもの数は少なくて、元気なじぃじゃばぁばがいっぱいいます。


そこを地震が襲いました。
地震は津波をよんで、津波は原子力発電所を襲い、
大きな災厄をもたらしました。
自然を予測することは難しい。
千年に一度の出来事だったのです。
誰かを責めるより、今は頑張ってくれている人を応援したい。
そして、いつかありふれた故郷に戻りたい。
私達の悲しみが未来の糧となりますように。
この出来事が子ども達の未来を、よりよくしていくきっかけに
なればいいと思っています。

*******************

 この母親が住んでいたのは福島第一原発から数キロの地点。現在は東京の赤坂プリンスホテルに避難している。彼女は私に地震前に肺の病気で亡くなった赤ちゃんの絵を描いてくれないかと依頼してきた。赤ちゃんは生涯をずっと病院で過ごしたので、医療器具が装着された写真しか存在しないのだと言う。彼女は携帯電話に記録された小さな画面を見せてくれた。私は彼女に「この赤ちゃんを抱っこしている写真はありますか？」と聞いて、そのような一枚を描きましょうと提案した。彼女は、温かく愛情を感じるからと暖色を選び、その色を使って私は母子の肖像を描いた。亡くなった直後に撮られた写真の赤ちゃんは目をつぶっていたが、絵の中では目を開き、その小さな手でお母さんと手を握っている。

Written by the mother above who evacuated from Fukushima:

Naraha-cho in Fukushima prefecture is just an ordinary local town.
There are more trees than people.
In autumn the mountains change colour, in winter the leaves fall.
In spring young delicately coloured leaves come, in summer the sea breeze.
The colour of Tohoku’s ocean is a little dark.
There are only a few children, though there are many energetic elderly men and women.

This is where the earthquake attacked.
The earthquake caused the tsunami, and the tsunami attacked the nuclear power plant.
The result was an overwhelming disaster.
It is so very difficult to predict nature.
It was a once in a thousand years incident.
I don’t want to accuse anyone, but I do want to support people who are giving everything for us
Someday I want to go back to that ordinary local place.
I hope that our sadness will nourish the future.
I hope what has happened will be become a chance to start making a better future for our children.

About the drawing
This mother was compulsorily evacuated from a few kilometres away from Fukushima Daichi and was staying in emergency acommodation at the Akusaka Prince Hotel in Tokyo. She asked if I could draw a nice picture of her small baby who had died of lung complications before the disaster. They only had pictures with medical equipment. She showed me a small mobile phone picture. I asked if she had any nice pictures of her holding the baby, and suggested that we make one. She chose colours that she felt had a warm loving feeling. I opened the baby's eyes and drew them holding hands.