I have been watching this Japanese drama from a decade ago, about the story of a Japanese language teacher who teaches foreigners Japanese. One of her students traveled from the UK just to learn more about the fishermen’s culture in Japan.
At the end of the day, the Chinese concept of “the rice smells better next door” or the Western saying of “the grass is always greener on the other side” remains true – local people just don’t seem to treasure their local culture as much as foreigners do. We also stand guilty of praising Japanese culture over the culture that we have ourselves here in Hong Kong, so this is why I’ve decided to write this article.
‘Makers of Hong Kong: In Conversation’ is a video series by the Centre of Heritage Arts & Textile covering local craftsmanship. Their first episode features the fishermen knotting culture, particularly those who now reside in Cheung Chau. Sarah Yip and Rex Law, representatives at ECO Cheung Chau share their insights on the craft and how, as the younger generation, they are trying to preserve the legacy and heritage by revitalizing the art form through a series of workshops, exhibitions, and merchandises. The most interesting process is to see how the older generation transforms their practices with a modern take while insisting on the techniques of knotting and dyeing but experimenting with forms that can cater to our lifestyle changes, such as chairs and handbags.