2010年03月31日
英語で案内：『沈黙』の外海町
外海町がある長崎の西彼杵半島の海はとてもうつくしいです。その海岸沿いにある遠藤周作記念館から、眼下に拡がる外海の海を眺めながら、小説『沈黙』や地域の隠れキリシタンにまつわる歴史的事実を考えてみると、『自由』というものがいかに大切であるか、と実感したことがありました。
外海町は『沈黙』の主人公の宣教師が潜む村のモデルとされています。実際この地域には『隠れキリシタン』の人たちが暮らしていたそうです。
Sotome is located in the western part of Nagasaki. "Sotome" refers to "open sea". It faces the East China Sea. The sea is so beautiful that several cars pull over to the side of the road to enjoy the breathtaking view. "Tomogi Village" in "Silence" (a literary masterpiece about the Christian Martyrs and the Christians in Hiding) was written by Endo Shusaku and modeled after Sotome-cho. Sotome-cho is also one of the homes of Kakure Kirishitan history
This is a Krishitan (Christian) shrine. Only three Kirishitan shrines exist in Japan. Graves for Christians surround this shrine. Kakure Krishitan used to secretly get together in this forest and chant Orasyo behind this rock.
Baschian led the Kakure Kirishitans after the missionaries had disappeared from the Sotome area. While hiding in this cottage, he had been carrying on the religious practices of the Kakure Kirishitan with residents in Sotome for about 23 years. But the smoke from his cooking in this cottage was seen by someone from another mountain. He was captured and detained in a jail for 3 years and 3 months. He was severely tortured 78 times and finally beheaded in Nagasaki.
以前、隠れキリシタンについて興味がありまして、いろいろ調べたことがあります。通訳案内士の資格を取ったのも、外国の人たちに隠れキリシタンに関係する土地を案内したかったことがひとつの理由でもあります。隠れキリシタンの所縁の土地である平戸や生月また『沈黙』などについては、いずれまたここに英語で案内しようと思います。
外海町は『沈黙』の主人公の宣教師が潜む村のモデルとされています。実際この地域には『隠れキリシタン』の人たちが暮らしていたそうです。
Sotome is located in the western part of Nagasaki. "Sotome" refers to "open sea". It faces the East China Sea. The sea is so beautiful that several cars pull over to the side of the road to enjoy the breathtaking view. "Tomogi Village" in "Silence" (a literary masterpiece about the Christian Martyrs and the Christians in Hiding) was written by Endo Shusaku and modeled after Sotome-cho. Sotome-cho is also one of the homes of Kakure Kirishitan history
This is a Krishitan (Christian) shrine. Only three Kirishitan shrines exist in Japan. Graves for Christians surround this shrine. Kakure Krishitan used to secretly get together in this forest and chant Orasyo behind this rock.
Baschian led the Kakure Kirishitans after the missionaries had disappeared from the Sotome area. While hiding in this cottage, he had been carrying on the religious practices of the Kakure Kirishitan with residents in Sotome for about 23 years. But the smoke from his cooking in this cottage was seen by someone from another mountain. He was captured and detained in a jail for 3 years and 3 months. He was severely tortured 78 times and finally beheaded in Nagasaki.
以前、隠れキリシタンについて興味がありまして、いろいろ調べたことがあります。通訳案内士の資格を取ったのも、外国の人たちに隠れキリシタンに関係する土地を案内したかったことがひとつの理由でもあります。隠れキリシタンの所縁の土地である平戸や生月また『沈黙』などについては、いずれまたここに英語で案内しようと思います。
