To be read as a direct continuation of Part 5; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-2020-summer-oiympics-opening.html
The Rose of Allendale.
The sequence featured a work gang of carpenters. Who marched into the arena carrying their lumber as Jesus Christ is said to have carried his wooden cross.
Picking up the recurring theme of improving rights for women within Japanese society.
Along with Endocrinological basis for homosexuality. Which should have dominated the 2014 Winter Olympics held in Sochi, Russia.
The site foreman/project manager was a woman.
I suppose you could even make a talking point. Out of the fact that this woman and her work continue to go uncredited.
Specifically these were Daiku carpenters. A school of carpentry which came into being during Japanese Edo Period.
The hosts are very keen for people to learn about the Edo Period. With it still being cherished as Japan's golden age.
The earlier "Strength From Within" sequence touched on the entertaining Internet conspiracy theory. That Jay Z and Beyonce are the leaders of a global secret society of celebrities. The; "Illuminati."
The Illuminati were a real organisation. Dedicated to bringing scientific and cultural knowledge to Europe during the 17th Century. An era known as; "The Age of Enlightenment."
Due to their opposition to abuses of state power the Illuminati were banned in 1790. Alongside another group which continues to this day. The Freemasons.
Also often at the centre of strange Internet conspiracy theories the Freemasons actually began life as almost an early Trade Union.
An organisation for master craftsmen (masons) who were free. Rather than being tied to a single employer.
The master craftsmen of 13th century Europe tended to work in stone. Hence the term; "Stonemason."
Japan however is, still, about 70% covered in forest. As I'm sure people who attended the Olympics have noticed. It is also a very hot and humid country.
So their master craftsmen tended to work in wood.
They were able to develop this extremely complex Daiku school of carpentry. Which specialises in joining pieces of wood together without nails, screws or glue.
So sophisticated is this type of joinery that it results in extremely tough structures. Some of the oldest wooden buildings still standing today were built in the Daiku school.
You could certainly work that contrast in the type of building materials up into a discussion. About how we have to adapt our built environment to our natural environment.
Something which is only going to become more important. As Climate Change alters our natural environment. Forcing us to work even harder to adapt.
Daiku carpenters are also famous for singing while they work. So elaborate are their work-songs that they developed into a distinct school of choral singing. Daiku Choir.
That is something the performers here set out to showcase. Singing the traditional song; "Kiyari Uto" as they set to work on their work benches.
In what is probably a break from traditional Daiku work-singing. These performers also downed tools and started performing an elaborate dance routine.
Eventually all the work benches were brought together to form a stage. On which Kazonuri Kumagai performed a Tap Dance solo. He also arranged all the music used in this sequence.
This dance routine was another show of solidarity with South Korea and the Opening Ceremony for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
That Opening Ceremony introduced us to the five elements of the Wu Xing. All of which are represented by a colour.
The sequence that dealt with the Wu Xing element Fire, represented by the colour Red, took aim at the Black Lives Matter movement in America. Specifically the thought crime of; "Cultural Appropriation" that it has invented.
The sequence featured the South Korean dance group; "Just Jerk." As viewers of the 2017 season of the US TV show; "America's Got Talent" would know. They specialise in a form of dance known as; "Jerk Dancing."
Jerk Dancing was invented in the Black American community in the 1960's. As part of the Motown/Atlantic Soul soul music scene. It is from Jerk Dancing that Break Dancing evolved.
Having Asians perform Jerk Dancing would obviously have Black Lives Matter more foaming at the mouth than usual. Due to that thought crime of Cultural Appropriation.
That is unfortunate. Due to Jerk and Break Dancing being extremely popular in Asia. They've been instrumental in it being included as an Olympic Event. Starting at the 2024 Summer games.
I suppose you could also develop the reference into a discussion about the "Boogaloo" movement in America.
More a loose ideology than a group the Boogaloo movement has looked at the likes of Black Lives Matter and has concluded that American society is inevitably going to collapse. So are preparing for life afterwards.
The movement takes its name from the 1984 US Break Dancing movie; "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo." Which is generally considered to be one of the worst sequels there has ever been.
Although the return of the Biden regime seems intent on making it a close run thing.
The link to the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics also highlights the potential global cultural significance of such events. An impact Japan would no doubt like to repeat.
In Britain a lot of effort goes into the big Christmas TV commercials. It is almost the equivalent of America and its Super Bowl commercials.
For Christmas 2019 the department store Marks & Spencer ran a commercial featuring Jerk Dancing. Set to the House of Pain song; "Jump Around."
It was very clearly inspired by the Jerk Dance sequence of the 2018 Opening Ceremony.
Rather predictably the British confederates of Black Lives Matter instantly attacked it. For the horrific thought crime of Cultural Appropriation.
The joke was that the House of Pain song features a sample from the 1963 Bob and Earl song; "Harlem Shuffle." Which is very much part of that 1960's soul music scene.
It specifically celebrates the Harlem area of America's New York City. Where Jerk Dancing was invented.
So rather than appropriating Jerk Dancing. The commercial was actually giving you a lesson in its history. More than acknowledging its roots.
Also, the first line of the House of Pain song goes;
"Pack it up. Pack it in. Let me begin."
Which sounds like what Jeff Bezos mutters to himself. As Amazon and other online retailers set about destroying traditional retailers like Marks & Spencer.
A trend that has been accelerated by the pandemic and its Lockdowns.
All that though went straight over Black Lives Matter's heads. As they were ranting and raving about Cultural Appropriation.
The more they talk. The more convinced we all become. That the collapse of American society is inevitable.
Japan and South Korea had best start preparing for life afterwards.
There has been some debate over what the Daiku were supposed to be building during this sequence.
Some have said that it was supposed to be an Olympic village. Which would make the workers; "Sukiya-daiku."
Others have suggested they were building a Japanese Animist shrine. Which are often central to Japanese summer festivals; "Matsuri." That would make the workers; "Miyadaiku."
From the way the female gang boss came bursting into the arena. Like the Figurehead sculpture that has adorned the bows of sailing ships since the days of Ancient Greece.
It was obvious to me that they were building a ship.
A point that was underlined towards the end of the sequence/process. When they brought out the ship's sails.
Although some people may have mistaken those for traditional Japanese paper lanterns.
Obviously Japan's Edo Period was defined by the; "Locked State (Sakoku)" policy. Leaving them with little need for ship builders. So they never developed a term for that specific type of Daiku.
This was actually something which really impressed me about the way the Opening Ceremony was structured.
The first "Fun With Flags" sequence took place pretty early in the ceremony. Giving us an early introduction to the nautical themed protocol stage.
If the Olympics had been able to go ahead as scheduled. This would have allowed me to cover the nautical history of Japan and the Asia-Pacific quite early on.
As you can see. It's certainly a topic that takes more time to explain than the Fun With Flags sequence lasted.
It was followed up by this much longer sequence. Which allowed the nautical history topic to breathe. Giving us time to enjoy and properly reflect upon it.
Due to the pandemic. There was really only one cultural event in all of 2020.
Britain's; "Henry Wood Promenade Concerts." Which are more commonly referred to as; "The BBC Proms."
These took place in the Summer. Back when the mask-nutters thought they'd got the pandemic beaten.
Forgetting that Wu Xing truism. That Autumn follows Summer. Just as surely as Winter follows Autumn.
To really maximise the attention on themselves. Britain created a faux Black Lives Matter outrage. Surrounding the famous "Last Night of the Proms" concert.
Apparently people were objecting the traditional inclusion of the songs; "Rule Britannia!" and; "Jerusalem." As they were celebrations of Colonialism and Slavery.
As always with Black Lives Matter outrages there were quite a few logical problems with that.
Jerusalem is not a celebration of Colonial thought at all.
Instead it is really calling for the abandonment of the Colonial conquest of faraway lands. In favour of improving life at home in Britain. Clearing away the dark, satanic mills and slums of the poor.
Likewise Rule Britannia! is not a celebration of Britain's Colonial Naval power.
It was written at a time when Britain was at one of its weakest points as a sea-faring nation. It was urging Britain to once again go out and try to rule the waves.
Rule Britannia! has also never been used in the Last Night of the Proms.
Instrumental elements of the song are used in part of a much longer medley. The; "Hornpipe Medley." Which, itself, is only used as part of an even longer musical sequence. "Fantasia of the Sea."
Also the Last Night of the Proms isn't really a Proms concert.
It's really the drunken after-party. For all the really talented and creative musicians who've worked so hard during the Proms concerts.
It is most certainly not to be taken seriously.
If you do not like the original lyrics of one of the songs. You are more than encouraged to invent your own. Rather than complain and moan.
One of the most famous alternative lyrics to Rule Britannia! are the; "Nelson Farewell Medley!" by Irish folk band The Dubliners.
One of Britain's most famous landmarks is Nelson's Column. Which stands in Trafalgar Square in the heart of London.
It celebrates Protestant Christian Admiral Nelson's victory over the combined Catholic Christian Spanish and French. In the naval Battle of Trafalgar.
Britain's return to naval glory. Some 60 years after they were urged to pursue it by the song Rule Britannia!
When Ireland was nothing more than a British colony. Another Nelson's Column was erected in Dublin's Sackville Street.
After Ireland won independence from Britain, in 1921. Dublin's Nelson's Column became a lot less popular.
Efforts to remove it though were hampered. By a complicated arrangement that saw the land owned by a trust, which had a legal duty to maintain the monument.
By March 1966, the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. Veterans of the original Irish Republican Army (IRA) had had enough. So just blew it up.
They used so much explosive. The joke at the time was that the statue of Nelson had become Ireland's first astronaut. The country's attempt to join the Space Race between the USA and the Soviet Union.
Set to the tune of Rule Britannia! the song Nelson's Farewell Medley celebrates that event.
Britain had two objectives in creating the fake Black Lives Matter outrage.
The first was the Brexit negotiations. Which almost dominated life in Britain in 2020 more than the pandemic.
Rule Britannia! sets out a sort of idealised vision of post-Brexit, Global Britain. A return to the Gunboat Diplomacy of Commodore Perry and his Black Ships.
The Nelson's Farewell lyrics highlight the longstanding historical links between Ireland and Britain.
Admiral Nelson may have been British but you can bet most of the sailors at the Battle of Trafalgar were Irish. It's always really been the Irish colony that propped up the British Empire as a sea-faring nation.
It also highlights the potential for violence. Which has really been the history of the Irish Sea over the last thousand years.
There's actually an ethnic group know as; "Black Irish." However this does not refer to Irish people who have Black skin. Such as the actress Ruth Negga, from the 2016 Oscar nominated movie; "Loving."
It refers to Irish people of Hispanic heritage.
Specifically descendents of survivors of the Spanish Armada. Who were shipwrecked in Catholic Ireland.
Suffering under British, Protestant occupation. Ireland, particularly its women, were very welcoming to those Catholic sailors.
It was actually the threat of Ireland being used as a base for a Catholic Naval invasion of newly Protestant Britain. That spurred the Tudor invasion of Ireland in 1540.
All the sort of noise that makes for an extremely pressured negotiating environment. Particularly if you're not an expert on Irish and British history.
Of course 2020 did not just see Brexit trade negotiations between Britain and the European Union (EU). It also saw Brexit negotiations between Britain and Japan.
The UK-Japan Free Trade Agreement (UK-Japan FTA) being reached on October 23rd 2020 (23/10/20). More than two months before the deadline for an agreement between Britain and the EU.
The UK-Japan FTA really just rolls over the EU-Japan FTA. While giving Japan slightly more favourable terms. The British taxpayer really now pays for Japanese companies to operate factories in Britain.
However the UK-Japan FTA is entirely dependent on Britain being able to agree a Free Trade Agreement with the EU.
So if Britain had gone for a No Deal Brexit, as it was promising to do. Then the UK-Japan FTA would have slammed down on them like a hammer. While the EU's trading relationship with Japan would remain unaffected.
Obviously. We take it as a given that no-one in Britain understands the UK-Japan FTA. However, it is a little disappointing that no-one in the EU bothered to read it.
It must be very frustrating for Japan. To side with the EU over Britain on Brexit. Only to see the EU somehow manage to screw it up for themselves.
Britain's second objective in the fake Black Lives Matter outrage. Was to secure Donald Trump a second term as US President.
It is a symptom of Britain's complete withdrawal from reality. That they believe they played some sort of elaborate Jedi mind-trick on me. Getting me to swing the 2016 US Election in favour of Donald Trump.
It is also a symptom of Britain's complete withdrawal from reality. That they thought they could repeat the same elaborate Jedi mind-trick in 2020.
Giving support to numerous fake Black Lives Matter outrages. Which I would then rail against. Swinging US public support behind President Trump, securing him a second term.
One of the key demands of Black Lives Matter has been the removal of Confederate statues.
Their motivation behind this is quite simple. They are the paramilitary wing of the US Democrat Party. The Confederate Armed Forces were the military wing of the US Democrat Party.
So this is just Democrats demanding that statues of other Democrats be removed. To erase the history of the Democrat Party.
To stop voters being reminded that the Democrat Party is the party of slavery.
There are though some similarities with the arguments over the removal of Dublin's Nelson's Column.
I think one of the most famous of America's Confederate statues is the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond, Virginia.
The centre of the 2017 Unite the Right Rally. Along with the extreme violence of the Democrat 'anti-racism' rally the following day.
The land the Robert E. Lee statue stands on was donated to the city. On the condition that the city maintains the statue. It's been a long legal argument over whether the city can break that contract and remove the statue.
A knowledge of Irish history also reveals the ideological fallacy of Black Lives Matter.
Black Lives Matter are just the latest incarnation of the Black Panther Party (BPP). Who were famous for their 'uniform' of a black beret, a black trench-coat and, often, a pistol holster worn with a bandolier of bullets.
This was the 'uniform' of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921).
Although we use the term; "uniform" loosely. The Irish War of Independence is really recognised as the first Guerrilla war. With the IRA being the first irregular, guerrilla force.
A black, beret-like, hat and trench-coat was really just what men in Ireland were wearing in 1919. When some of them chose to strap on pistol holsters and bandoliers of bullets. Becoming the IRA.
The look was so iconic within Ireland. That the Provisional IRA (PIRA) adopted it as their uniform when The Troubles began in the late 1960's.
The Troubles began during the Cold War between the NATO nations and the Soviet Union. So the Soviet Union didn't waste any time in grasping the opportunity to destabilise a NATO rival.
So the Soviet Union backed a rival to PIRA, the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA). Which also adopted the uniform, as an attempt to gain credibility.
The INLA were merely part of a much wider arc of Soviet interference in NATO. The Black Panther Party being the American branch.
Which is why they too wear the 'uniform' of a black beret and black trench-coat, along with a pistol holster and bandolier of bullets.
All while making the raised fist salute of the Communist Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).
The pan-Africanist nonsense of Black Lives Matter was provided by Libya's Muammar Qaddafi. He even managed to get them to fly the black, red and green tricolour of the (hated, by him) Libyan Monarchy.
As a way to mock them.
There is no ideological validity to anything Black Lives Matter says or does. They're simply a Soviet plot to destroy America from within. What you wish upon your worst enemy.
So you can certainly see why Britain would think I would have a lot of ammunition. With which to rail against Black Lives Matter.
However their elaborate Jedi mind-trick did not work.
Joe Biden has been able to (illegally) seize power in the US.
While, through Britain's promotion of it. The ideological and intellectual poison that is Black Lives Matter has become even more entrenched within western society.
Two facts which should help Britain see how utterly detached from reality it has become. The little bits of reality starting to penetrate through the cracks in their golden walls.
Of course, if you really want to talk about "Cultural Appropriation."
The Star War movies are just complete rip-offs of the 1954 Japanese movie; "Seven Samurai."
The Jedi robes are just Samurai robes. To the point I think the costume department just raided a load of Japanese washing lines.
It is testament to how little happened in 2020. How bored everyone became.
That the Last Night of the Proms received so much attention. That it spawned the "Sea Shanty Craze." Which swept TikTok and other social media platforms.
That craze was picked up by the 2021 US Super Bowl. One of its main themes was America's great racial divide. How music proves that chasm may not being as unbridgeable as it seems.
Both the Rap music enjoyed by America's Black community. Along with Country music enjoyed by America's White community. Are really just someone telling a lyrical story over a rhythmic baseline.
In many ways this is true of all forms of music. You can trace it back to Sea Shanties and Work Songs. Traditions that go back, at least, as far as Ancient Greece.
Japanese Daiku and their work-songs. Show that no one culture can claim a monopoly on that tradition.
Sea Shanty memes were also heavily embraced by users of the "WallStreetBets" Reddit forum. In their efforts to make money and humiliate large hedge funds by buying stock. Particularly of GameStop.
They became another target of America's big, bold move. The thing that would make us all drop to our knees in worship of the new saviour, Joe Biden.
As with everything else this involved Miley Cyrus. With her tacky, desperate efforts to advertise a Robinhood-like stock trading app on Instagram.
Along with her appearance on Saturday Night Live (SNL). Alongside Elon Musk and his ramblings about cryptocurrency.
If you don't know what America was trying to achieve with all that. Don't worry.
Japan is only mentioning here. To highlight that it failed to launch, never getting off the ground.
Well. It smashed face-first into the tarmac.
In the sort of embarrassing face-plant that would humiliate even the worst Olympic skateboarder.
It is a matter of IOC Protocol. That every Opening Ceremony must include an unveiling of the hosts take on the Olympic Ring logo.
That was the climax of this sequence. Revealing Olympic Rings made of wood.
Presumably these Olympic Rings were made by Sashimono-shi, daiku who specialise in furniture. Or Tateguya, daiku who specialise in ornate furnishings.
Officially the 2020 Summer Olympics pick up the baton from the 2016 Summer Olympics. Which were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The nation with the largest ethnically Japanese population outside of Japan.
The 2016 Opening Ceremony included the compulsory Athletes Parade. In which athletes were given a seed and asked to plant it in a planter as they entered the arena.
The sequence ended with these planters opening to reveal Olympic Rings made of grass.
That was intended as a reference to the 1964 Summer Olympics. Which were held in Tokyo, Japan.
There the athletes were each asked to plant a tree. Which would grow into an Olympic forest.
The wood used to make the 2020 Olympic Rings was taken from that Olympic forest.
Climate Change and other Environmentalists can discuss, at length, how it was sustainably harvested.
Officially this sequence was entitled; "Rhytmn of Tradition." It certainly showed the mutual appreciation between Japan and Brazil.
As the Olympic Rings were brought out. Alongside the sails/lanterns.
The traditional Daiku dancers were joined by dancers representing modern Japan. Predominately women.
Some were wearing the housecoat, apron, sunhat combination. That Japanese housewives stereotypically wear while tending to their vegetable gardens and chores.
They were also joined by women in business suits. Along with young women, presumably university students, wearing all the latest fashions.
In an effort to give the Para-Olympics a space within the Olympic Opening Ceremony. There were also some wheelchair dancers.
I though was particularly taken by the fashionista Goths. Who seemed to enjoy their time at the centre of proceedings.
A clear reference to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
In case Miley Cyrus still hasn't got the message. About my long relationship with Japan. Including Japanese conglomerates. Such as Sony Music.
To show that they were made of wood. The Olympic Rings had not been painted. So did not have the colours of the Olympic Ring logo.
Those colours were provided by the firework display which ended the sequence.
That contrast between sustainable harvested wood and smoke being released into the sky. Provided a neat talking point for efforts to combat Climate Change.
Particularly Carbon offsetting.
In which Carbon Credits are created by things which absorb Greenhouse Gases (ghg) such as forests. They are then sold to ghg emitters to offset those emissions. Creating a carbon neutral system.
The mechanism that was finally developed to overcome the problem created by John Locke's Labour Theory of Property.
Although one that was sadly abandoned with the Paris Agreement.
To be continued in Part 7.
19:35 on 9/9/21 (UK date).
No comments:
Post a Comment