Follow your dream について
ジェーン・グドール博士をご存じでしょうか。行動学、人類学、進化学を総合的に研究する霊長類学者であり、１９９０年には霊長類の研究に大きな貢献をしたとして「京都賞」を受賞している方でもあります。しばしば来日され、各地で講演をされていますが、特に未来を担う子どもたちに話したいということで、小学校をよく訪問されています。
先日、たまたまNHK教育テレビをつけたところ、このジェーン・グドール博士が出ていました。番組の最後のところでしたので、もしかすると誤解があるかも知れませんが、ロンドンの子どもたちをアフリカのゴンベの森に連れて来て、数日間そこで実際に野生のチンパンジーを観察させた、そんな内容でした。
観察を終えて、最後に子どもたちに向かって博士が喋っている場面でした。「決して大きなことをしたり考えたりする必要はないんだよ。地球的な視野や考えを持って、そして身近なことから可能な範囲で行動すればいいの。６０億人の人が一つのゴミを出せば６０億のゴミになるけれど、逆に一人の人が一つのゴミを拾えば地球上から６０億のゴミが消えるの」まるで祖母が孫たちに話しかけているようでした。
子どもたちへのそんな語りかけの最後に、表題の「Follow your dream」という言葉が博士の口から出てまいりました。それほどの言葉でもないように思ったのですが、淡々としかし熱く語るその雰囲気から、このフレーズが博士にとって何か大きな意味があるものと感じられました。
翌日、英語科の宮本先生に「Follow your dreamに何か強い特別な意味があるのだろうか」と質問したところ、しばらくして「インターネットで検索した結果、この言葉は博士に対するお母さんのアドバイスです」と、次のような文章を添えて教えていただきました。
Dr. Jane Goodall
(from the foreward of Thane's new book)
I first wanted to go to Africa, live with animals and write books about them when I was about 10 years old. I have read about Doctor Dolittle, the English doctor who was taught to speak the languages of all animals by his parrot, Polynesia. And then I found the books of Edger Rice Burroughs about Tarzan of the Apes. I fell in love with my mental image of the Lord of the Jungle-and was very jealous of his wife, Jane! (And thought I'd have been a much better mate for him myself)
When I first began my chimpanzee study in 1960,it was not considered "scientific" to give names to one's study animals. Numbers were more appropriate. Nor should I have described the chimpanzee's personalities, minds or emotions. Those were qualities that could only be applied to humans. Fortunately, although at that time I had not been to college and had no degree, I had had a truly wonderful teacher, all through my childhood. My dog, Rusty. He taught me so much about animal personality and ability to reason and feel emotions like happiness, sadness, crossness and so on. I was confident that Rusty had taught me well. Now science teaches the same lessons as Rusty!
I got my Ph.D. degree much later - after spending some years in the field. I learned how to write in a way acceptable to scientists, but without compromising my absolute belief in the personality, rationality and feelings of animals - certainly all vertebrate animals. This conviction keeps me focused on working towards a more humane and compassionate way of treating animals-not only wild animals, but also those with whom we share our lives-pets, farm animals and so on.
There are so many ways in which we can help animals. The books I have written for the general public have had far more impact than my scientific papers - but the science was important as it taught me self- discipline and it gave me credibility. Today we need more and more talented young people, educated in a variety of disciplines, in order to conserve the environment and its wild creatures. At Gombe, we constantly need the advice and help of veterinarians. We need ecologists and population biologists and geneticists as ethologists.
People with training in these fields are needed everywhere. And we need those with the ability to bring the problems of conservation to the hearts and minds of the general public- journalists, science writers, artists, singers. Of special importance are teachers. Teachers of all grades - from pre - school to university.
We need people who know about and care about and love animals, people with energy and dedication and wisdom, in zoos, national parks and preserves, in the farming world, in city planning and in the wilderness areas around the world. We need people who understand our relationship with the rest of the animal kingdom in every walk of life.
When first I dreamed of living with animals in Africa, people laughed. It was half a century ago. Africa was known as "The dark Continent." It was far, far a way, wild and primitive and savage. You went there by boat. Moreover, my family didn't have much money - enough for food and some clothes, but not enough for bicycle, let alone a car.
"Dream of something you can actually achieve," people said. Except for my mother. Her message was different. "If you really want something, and work hard, and take advantage of opportunities, and never give up you will find a way." Well - I did! And so can you. If you have a dream of working with, of helping animals and their world, don't let anyone tell you it is impossible. Just remember my mother's advice. It is mine. "Follow your dream"
インターネットの素晴らしさを確認するとともに、提供された文章を読んで私の印象に大きな誤りはなかったと思った次第であります。言葉には背景がある、生きているそう強く感じました。
私は、全校集会などでしばしば生徒たちに「夢、挑戦、感動」を、と訴えています。この「夢」には、公民権運動家として知られるキング牧師が１９６３年８月、「２０万人の大行進」の中で行った有名な演説の中で何度も繰り返した「I have a dream」を聞いたときの強烈な印象が込められています。そして今回、この「夢」にもう一つの背景が付け加えられました。
|
|
