Female Foreign Minister with tattoos on her face
In the United States, the presidential election is still open, but in New Zealand, the second Ardern cabinet was formed on November 2, and Grant Robertson, who already clarified he’s been a gay, was appointed as deputy prime minister.
And Nanaia Mafta, who is Maori people, was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Her face has a traditional Maori tattoos called “Moko Kauae”.
It’s said that many women and Maori members have been appointed to the 20 new cabinets, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern emphasized that the appointment is based on “achievements and talents”, and one of the great things about New Zealand is that there are many places where these questions are not very important.
Diversity and “Tuning pressure” about protecting the rules
In Japan, there are many discussions about diversity recently.
And it mat be so famous story though, many Japanese mind may tend to prefer keeping diversity to protecting order and unity.
Absolutely, the diversity isn’t just what gather several gender or ethnicity.
And there is a goal to aim for as a premise, and it is after various people are gathered and realized in the rule.
If it weren’t for it, it would just be a “crowd of crows.”
So, there is no order or unity, only conflicts.
Tradition has the same meaning in terms of creating and nurturing this order and unity.
The tattoo “Moko Kauae” is also a common consciousness that Maori people have, which inherits the Maori tradition.
In other words, it’s the “rules”.
There are some “gaps” between individual issues and the social community and between the rules of “to be followed (inherited)” and “not to be followed” , too.
In addition, it is shared with individual issues in multiple layers other than the country such as religion, ethnicity, and region all of the world.
Now in Japan is…
In fact, there were people in Japan who had a tradition of tattooing their faces.
The famous are Ainu people in Hokkaido, where is the north of Japan.
Originally, it is one of a rite of passage in Ainu culture.
There was one of no existent tradition now.
The reason is due to banning for the assimilation policy by the Edo Shogunate and the Empire of Japan.
Not only the face tattoos but also body tattoos were a custom in the Jomon (before bc 10c) and Yayoi periods (bc 10ｃ – ac 3c).
They have completely disappeared since the Yamato period(ac 3c – 8c), but it keeps remaining as a fashionable and penalties.
In Ainu and Ryukyu they had remainded as a culture.
But it wouldn’t revive face tattoos especially again, even if there are Ainu people.
Because many Japanese intend to feel disliking tattoos itself now.
By the way they don’t like about cosmetic surgery too.
Even so, nowadays, especially young people, they are less disgusted than they were a long time ago.
After all, few people may have a positive impression.
It’s also said that the cause is influence of “ Yakuza (Japanese mafia) movie boom” after WWⅡ.
In other words, the feelings have various historical backgrounds sneaked into each consciousnesses.
Let’s be generous to others
Naturally, there is such a continuous history and culture not only in Japan and Maori but all over the world.
many “an individuality” gather, and they form a region.
It changes to lead a custom, which sublimates into tradition and culture.
“Aversion” may be a common perception of the social community, but it may be a matter of someone’s personal taste.
In other words, such problems exist in every region of the world.
From domestic discord to world conflicts, the more people involved, the harder it is to manage.
If so, what is required of each in a diverse society?
It is “tolerance to others when it is not in your interest“.
Unless “achievement and talent are prioritized,” as Prime Minister Ardern commented , a truly diverse society won’t be achieved.
It depends on his or her achievements and talents, and suggests that it never depend on their backbone.
It’s too abstract on an individual basis to fit into such a category as “because you were born as a man or woman” or “because you are one national person”.
So we want to see more about the person oneself and his or her “lifestyle“.
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