トーマス・C・カンサ

トーマス・C・カンサ（Thomas C Kantha、1948年4月2日 - ）は、南アフリカ共和国クワズール・ナタール州トンガート出身の詩人、英会話講師。

来歴・人物

ロンドンで日本人女性と結婚し1984年に来日。

偶然粗大ゴミの中から壊れた車椅子を見つけ、それを修理して母国の障害児たちに車椅子を贈る活動を続けている。 アパルトヘイト下で育った体験談を詩集として発表し、その売り上げが車椅子を送る輸送費として充てられている。 その功績が認められ、1999年にシチズン・オブ・ザ・イヤーを受賞。

全国の小中学校などで、アパルトヘイトの現状やボランティアについての講演活動を行っている。

NGO団体、ヒランガニ・ンゴタンド主宰。大阪市平野区在住。

なお、来日した頃より合気道の修行を重ね黒帯を取得。同門には俳優であるスティーヴン・セガールがいる。

著書

• 「抑圧下の子よ、話してごらん」　
• 「ドリーム・メイカー」　
• 「友よ、君には何が見える?」
• 「マイハンサムアフリカ」

ボランティア

South African volunteer recalls relief experience by Thomas Kantha

I could not believe what was unfolding before my eyes! The utter destruction caused by the tsunami after the Great East Japan Earthquake was unbelievable. Seventeen years ago, I was caught up in of the ‘action’ when the Hanshin earthquake hit the Kobe area, and, due to my proximity I was able to respond almost immediately.

However, this time I wanted to reach the area as soon as possible and provide whatever assistance I could offer. I gathered my tent, sleeping bags and warm clothes and called nearly every transport department, however, there were no flights, rail or bus service available. I then called the city volunteer department and was surprised to hear that they had no idea what was happening!

A few days later, I was lucky to get a on a night bus to Sendai via Yamagata. In Sendai, I was directed to the volunteer center of the City Officer where I had to register and waited around for three hours for some direction. Later, another volunteeer recognized me from the Kobe disaster and advised me to head to Ishinomaki where I would be better used. I then headed to the Ishinomaki bus terminal. By now, the bus trip from my home to Ishinomaki took over twenty hours.

I was lucky to get on the bus and head to Ishinomaki, which is a two hour bus ride but under the circumstance now took over fours hours. The aftermath of the tsunami and earthquake was unfolding minute by minute. When I reached Ishinomaki I was greeted with scenes of utter devastation that was worse than what was depicted on TV. Reality had struck home! I had to walk nearly four kilometers with my luggage to the volunteer center, which was based at Senshu Varsity. However, on the way, a group of volunteers from a different part of the country gave me a lift to the volunteers center at Senshu University.

By now, it was quite late, and the staff at the Centre told me to come back in the morning. There were hundreds of young volunteers camping outside in the bone-bitting cold at it was the middle of winter. Luckily, four volunteers invited me into their team. They had only been there for a day, but had already planned and mapped out a course of action better than the volunteer center – these were true professionals.

They introduced me to a therapist who was attending to those who were traumatized. After my first evening of travelling for nearly twenty hours, for the first time I felt at home. The therapist spoke to me and asked me to join his team. He gave me a crash course on how to speak and handle myself. He told me that we would only work for about five hours, from seven in the morning to about noon, and after that we must leave the refugee camps as it can be very stressful. After lunch, we headed to the center of the disaster area and with every step I felt a change in me.

We went into homes that were flooded to the ceiling and in some cases to the second floor. Our work was to get into the muck and shovel it out. The smell was nothing that I had ever experienced before. It even oozes out of you when you are sleeping. We were warmly received by the people as we were the first volunteers to start mopping up house by house. We retrieved corpses from nearly every home I visited. We usually held a minute of silent prayer before we cleaned a house or shop. More than 6 000 people lost their lives in this area!

My appreciation goes out to the self-defense force, the fire fighters and policemen. It was good to see all the rescue teams from around the world, some of whom I later came to know personally. The volunteers came from far and wide. They were young, very young, old and very old but they all gathered to share their time and energy and experience.

I was a cook, a builder, a therapist and many more things. The most moving compliment was when a man from South America asked me if I was a Shaman. I asked him why thought that and he responded that he noticed how the old people and children welcomed me when I visit them with the therapist. The children climb all over me as if I was Santa and using my shaving kit, I gave the men a shave. I also found gas burners and made sure that they had some warm food or hot water.

At night, our tent became a counseling center for the young volunteers with whom we shared our food and drinks. I was fortunate to have a free pass to the warehouse so I was able to take the tools and other things that were necessary when we went to clean the city and other devastated area. My first seven days were so rewarding mentally and psychologically that I made four trips to the disaster areas. Each trip brought me closer to the people and I became part of the city and surrounding areas.

I was able to coordinate programs through the business union. I just called them and told them how long I would be there and they made sure that all their members were notified. When I was there, the union leader would bring me a map and the names of people that needed assistance. I went from door-to-door and evaluated what was to be done and coordinated which volunteers would come and work with me.

Each home was used as a learning place. I made it my obligation to sit and have coffee with the volunteers and homeowners and get them to tell us about their personal experience during and after the tsunami. These coffee sessions brought the volunteers and families closer together. Their stories are not written anywhere, which is why it was important that we have an oral history lesson. It marked the first time that volunteers and experienced volunteers were exposed to a personal relationship. I encouraged the volunteers to write a thank you card to the people that were kind enough to let us into their homes and to share their experiences.

I feel that I have changed and this experience has helped me revalue my own life. The people were magical. There was no grabbing of things nor any looting. It was always, “You first, please!” Even when food was distributed, it was organised in a disciplined manner. I was highly impressed by the way people were able to team up and keep their spirits up. There was no running water, no gas and no electricity, but the human spirit was there in abundance.

I was prepared for a chaotic situation but, to my surprise, no shops were looted and people shared what little they had. There was no fussing and waiting for handouts. People of all ages were engaged in helping each other. Everyone helped those that were weaker. I witnessed this without fail everyday. When I first came in by bus, the roads were severely damaged however, seven days later these roads were as good as new - kilometer after kilometer. This is a lesson other countries should learn. The local government, the private sector and the unions worked hand-in-hand to get things done. Please do not get the impression that all was 100% and in some instances some thing were too slow for my liking. But I have to give them the benefit of the doubt under the circumstanes. The strong work ethic of all the people may be one of the reasons why so much progress was made in such a short time.

Being a foreigner and being from South Africa was not a barrier. Ishinomaki was a home away from home. People took care of me and I was warmly welcomed into their homes. They shared what little they had with me and I felt my presence was appreciated. I went there with a positive attitude. Getting up in that freezing cold each morning, from your sleeping bag took some getting used to. There was no hot water nor showers. After five to six hours a day deep in the muck and with a rancid smell, a warm shower would have been most welcomed but under the circumstances, a luxury. But for me just being there assisting and experiencing history in the making was food for my soul. The letters and cards that I received and continue to receive, are the invaluable treasures from my new friends and family.

外部リンク

• [1] 南アフリカの子どもたちへ
• [2] シチズン・オブ・ザ・イヤー