―A Transition Period for Local Roles―
Abe Keita OFM
Franciscan Priest
This year on July 16 there was a special celebration for the 40th anniversary of the inauguration of literacy education classes at “Omoni Hakkyo (Korean mothers Private School)” located in Ikuno Ward, Osaka City, where many Koreans reside. Ikuno with a population of 150,000 has over 40,000 Koreans living there. In the 1977 a group of volunteer citizens, responding to the wishes of Korean resident mothers, decided to open literacy education classes for them at the United Church of Christ in Japan Seiwa Church. The literacy classes still continue to be held there.
From 7:30 p.m. twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, Korean mothers attend literacy classes at the Seiwa Social Center. The Omoni learning there are Koreans who have lived in Japan since before the Pacific War, elderly women who came to Japan during the turbulent times of the Korean War, as well as newcomers, like young women who came to marry in Japan and others. There is an 88-year-old elder among them. The staff, 10 students and employees, are all volunteers. Classes run from the low level of primary school to the middle school educational level. Normally, about 30 Omoni participate in these educational programs.
Motivations for becoming literate vary. Some who have decided to live in Japan felt the need to study the Japanese language. Others, because of the war situation, were not able to receive basic education or enter school in Japan.
Many Omoni, after coming of age, make the effort to learn the Japanese language and recover their identity by studying and meeting with others in the classroom. Observing the wide scope of their cultural activities, such as Korean cuisine and dancing, for instance, one can recall the words of Paulo Freire: “Liberation is obtained through being able to read and write.” They are living models rooted in their local environment.
The Ikuno western branch of the Mindan, Korean Residents Union in Japan, celebrated the 40th anniversary of the “Omoni Hakkyo,” the pioneer of all similar institutions in the country, on July 16. The event was a success covered by NHK Osaka. I, too, attended it and had the impression that big changes have occurred since the time I was involved there, from 1995 to 2003.
In 1997, while I was working there, an evening middle high school opened in Ikuno. That happened 20 years after Omoni Hakkyo was established. At that time, the Omoni advanced from the Hakkyo to the evening middle high school and, as a result, the numbers of Omoni attending the Hakkyo seemingly diminished temporarily. Nowadays, though, people claim that the numbers from the middle school to Hakkyo have increased. The school has graduation terms, but the Hakkyo is an open program. Thus, after graduating from school, Omoni are guided to continue their life studies at the Hakkyo.
Again, organizations promoting ethnic education, like Mindan, formerly had a negative view about teaching Japanese to Omoni, because Mindan has many bilingual Korean members. Nevertheless, this time the event was held at the big hall of Mindan-Ikuno and members of the National Academy of Arts of The Republic of Korea performed Korean folk songs. At the same time, those who had not previously been cooperative with the Japanese assimilation programs, overcame all ideological constraints and attracted the interest of the Omoni and so were able to encourage their participation in the event. That was due to continuous efforts of the staff to contact local residents and to the large presence of Omoni residing there. For the past 10 years, collaboration links among Mindan and public schools have expanded greatly.
Ikuno is home to many Koreans living in Japan who collaborate with other organizations regarding local activities. I feel that their friendly cooperation could offer hints for the future for model collaboration links also in other places in Japan, where many foreigners live.
