Without large and sturdy trees, the canoes that transported people across oceans could never have been made. Such trees were the products of dynamic and healthy forest systems, fed by rainwater that was absorbed in the Earth and flowed back to the sea in rivers. The sea, in turn, served as a bridge to other lands, and the canoes carried their navigators to new forests, from which new vessels were made.

The innumerable islands of the South Pacific were once heavily forested, and there was no shortage of giant trees for sea-fearing canoes. Sadly, reckless and short-sighted logging practices have led to the devastation of woodland areas, and as a result islanders are only making traditional canoes when large pieces of driftwood happen to wash ashore. As is evidenced by the dying art of canoe-making, the loss of the South Pacific’s island forests threatens an exceptional cultural inheritance.

The desire to see with my own eyes what remains of the region’s forests only grew stronger as I continued to research ancient marine navigation. Giant canoes large enough to transport several families were first built in the 10th century in the Polynesia Triangle, an area that includes Hawaii, New Zealand, and Easter Island. Today, however, most of the islands are heavily trafficked by tourists, and in terms of natural resources they have become mere shadows of what they once were.

On my search throughout the islands of the Polynesia Triangle I came at last to the virgin forests of New Zealand’s North Island, located at the region’s southernmost point. In all of Polynesia, it is only within the patchwork of these remaining forests that trees are still found in great enough quantity for islanders to continue building traditional canoes. The forests of North Island are inextricably entwined with the history and culture of the Maori, New Zealand’s indigenous sea-faring people, who consider them sacred places.

When you enter the forests of North Island, you are assaulted by the sense that you have no idea which direction you are facing. The word “void” takes on its true meaning, and one realizes that the spirit of the vast sea, the past and future of the islands, and the canoes that bind one to the other will survive as long as these ageless forests continue to exist.

This article originally appeared in Paper Sky Issue 12 (Texas, Mexico: Diaries of the Tex Mex Borderland. Winter, 2005) and was made possible with New Zealand Tourism and Air New Zealand, located at 16F, The Imperial Hotel Tower
1-1-1 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0011.

About the author:
Naoki Ishikawa was born in Tokyo in 1977. He began his wanderings in India as a high school student. In 2000, he traveled from the North Pole to the South Pole while participating in the Pole to Pole project. In 2001, he climbed the highest mountains on all seven continents. Currently, he is studying traditional navigation techniques of Micronesia. Ishikawa tried to cross the Pacific Ocean in a hot air balloon in 2004, but abandoned the attempt 1,600 kilometers from Japan. His published works included the book, “To Those Who Will Inherit the Earth” and a photography collection, “The Wind that Connects the Polar Regions.” His first book of photography, “The Void” was published by Knee High Media. For Papersky Issue 28 (New Zealand, 2009) Naoki Ishikawa was our guest navigator.

インターラーケンで電車を降り、ドイツ語圏の田舎町を自転車で走り抜け、アルプスの山々を眺める。そしてまた電車に乗り、ヴヴェイ駅で下車すると、そこにはまったく違った言葉があり、文化がある。食べ物、建築、ここではすべてがフレンチスタイルだ。そしてまた電車に乗りこみ、今度はジロ・デ・イタリアを観戦しにポスキアーヴォへ。この町の陽気な雰囲気はまさにイタリア。レースを誘導する警官もイタリア人だ。ロマンシュ語圏の文化にふれようとツオーツの町にやってくると、この地方でしか見られない独特な幾何学模様の建物が立ち並ぶ古い街並が現れた…。

４つの公用語を持つスイスには、多様な文化が存在する。そしてこの国にはそれぞれの文化を尊重し、かつスイス人としての誇りをもつ人々が存在する。どの町を訪れても高く掲げられている国旗を見るたび僕は、人々の愛国心を感じると同時に、この国の人々が自分らしく生きることへの誇りを素直に表現している証のようにも感じられた。スイスが魅力的な場所である理由は、この国の人々が魅力的だからにほかならない。そう、僕は思った。

Swiss an Idyllic Ride.

Switzerland is what all countries should aspire to become. Besides being a bicycle loving and friendly place, the nation is stunningly beautiful, unpretentious and intelligent all while being able to keep a remarkable balance between localism and globalism.
Papersky spent two weeks riding bicycles as well as trains and literally traveled all around the country. In doing so we learned that Switzerland’s ultimate respect for individuality as well as community is the secret behind the good vibrations we felt throughout our journey.

We would get off the train at Interlaken and ride 40 kilometers through the Swiss Alps while passing through German speaking regions. Then we would get back on the train, ride, exit, pick up some rental bikes at Vevey station and “voila!” The area becomes French as does the language, the food, the customs and even the architecture. Once again: on the train, off the train, rent the bikes, this time at Poschiavo and “Mama Mia!” – it’s Italy, even the police leading the pelaton of the Giro de Italia are Italian. For the oldest ethnic group, the Romansh, we visited Zuoz a quintessentially quaint town, with its distinctive half-circle doors.

Although, while each region of Switzerland speaks a different language and carries its own distinct culture, everybody is proud as a button to be first and foremost Swiss. The Swiss flag flies high everywhere, in a manner that in most places would be embarrassing- but here it’s genuine- it’s not about being patriotic, rather it’s about being proud of just being who you are. This is what we found in Switzerland: a land of good people who are genuinely proud to be themselves.

Papersky Zurich Ride

スイス・チューリヒの街を自転車で走るペーパースカイ取材班。自転車メーカーのGorilla Bike、幌を使ったバッグのFreitag、ブックショップのNieves、それぞれのオーナーがガイドする個性的なライドを楽しんだ。

明日7月30日発売となる『ペーパースカイ』 No.33 は、スイスを特集。アルプスの恩恵を受け、さまざまな文化が織りなすスイスをより身近に感じられる自転車の旅を提案します。取材では移動手段を自転車と公共交通機関に限定し、２週間かけてスイスを一周。チューリヒの町をめぐるライドから、エンガディンの山麓を走るマウンテンライド、ヴァレー地方のワイン畑を走るコースまで、列車で移動しながら、スイスの美しい自然と多彩な文化にふれる旅を紹介します。旅のナビゲーターには、2010年世界メッセンジャー大会でチャンピオンとなったメッセンジャーのJURIさんをむかえます。

Papersky No.33 Swiss by Bike “Movement”
メッセンジャーJURIさんと自転車でめぐるスイス
2010年7月30日発売

» 動画: Papersky Zurich Ride

取材協力：スイス政府観光局
スイス インターナショナル エアラインズ
レイル ヨーロッパ ジャパン

ペーパースカイは全国の書店で発売中です。
オンラインで購入: Amazon.co.jp, fujisan.co.jp, 7 net shopping

【目次】
P12 …Switzerland : A Bike Movement　メッセンジャーJURIさんと自転車でめぐるスイス
P18 …Swiss by Bicycle　スイスの多様な文化にふれる自転車の旅
P32 … Swiss Bikes　スイスメイドの自転車
P38 … Green Traveler / Slow Up　スイスの自転車イベント　スローアップ
P42 … Souvenirs　編集長ルーカスが選ぶスイスみやげ１０
P44 … Switzerland in Tokyo　東京で感じるスイス　
P46 … Switzerland Map　スイスマップ
P48 … KEEN Disc Golf　ジャパンオープン　ディスクゴルフ
P53 … Papersky Blogs　WEBから見えるスイス
P54 … Papersky Book Store　スイスを知るために欠かせない本紹介
P55 … Travel To Your Mind　ペーパーバック思考旅行
いとうせいこう　大竹昭子　ローランド・ケルツ　角田光代
P64 … Papersky Interview / Daido Moriyama　写真家・森山大道　インタビュー
P68 … Paper Culture / Mino Washi　美濃和紙
P78 … H PLUS Friends　日本の新自然
P82 … Life Knowledge　石川直樹　エベレスト街道
P86 … Nihon Alps 12 Views　成瀬洋平　穂高山
P90 … From A to B　ハーフムーンベイ　自転車の旅
P96 … Life of Fiction　洞窟
P104 … Tour de Suisse　ツール・ド・スイス
P113 … Papersky Clubs: Mountain, Food, Bicycle, Book, Japan

「雑誌は時代を動かすもの」

物心ついた時から、僕は雑誌というものを愛してきた。文章だけでなく、イラストや写真、デザインなどが自由に表現された雑誌は、そのひとつひとつにコンセプトがあり、企画性があり、そのクリエイティビティが幼い僕の心に多大な影響を与えた。雑誌を読めば読むほど、雑誌への制作意欲がわき、僕はついに雑誌をつくった。小学６年の時だった。思うがままにつくった雑誌は校内だけでなく、地域、州でも話題となり、カリフォルニア州よりベスト・スクール・マガジン賞を受賞した。

それから僕は雑誌をつくり続けている。僕にとって雑誌は、アートであり、文学であり、文化であり、歴史でもある。そのすべてがサンドウィッチのように表紙と裏表紙の間に挟まれた作品だ。画家にキャンバス、ミュージシャンには楽器があるように、僕は雑誌という土台をつかって自分自身を表現しているわけだ。
いつもアンテナをしっかり張って、ワイドスクリーンな視点で物事を観察しながら、世界にひとつでも多くのピースの種が増えるよう、一番フレッシュなアイデアや気持ちを載せている。

つまり、雑誌とはMOVEment（=時代を動かすもの）であり、世界を変えるきかっけを生み出すもの。この展示では、’93年に僕が日本にMOVED（=移住）してから、起こしたMOVEmentを紹介する。TOKION(Japanese youth MOVEment), MAMMOTH (kids culture MOVEment), PAPERSKY (travel MOVEment), METRO MIN. (free magazine MOVEment), PLANTED & PLANTS+ (plant MOVEment)

そしてこの先も僕の起こすMOVEmentが、人々にたくさんのピースをもたらし、より良い世界へとつながるきかっけになればと思っている。

ニーハイメディア代表 ルーカス B.B.
　

[ Magazine = MOVEment ]

I’ve always loved magazines.
I used to not just read magazines, but study the paper they were printed on, the illustrations, designs, photographs, concepts and presentations behind each story.
The more I did, the more I wanted to make and create magazines. I made my first magazine in 6th grade and it went on to win two prizes- Best School magazine in California and Best Designed magazine in the district.

Ever since, I’ve never stopped making magazines. To me magazines are ART, LITERATURE, CULTURE and HISTORY all wrapped and sandwiched between two covers.They are to me what a canvas is to painter, or an instrument to making the world a better place by presenting ideas, emotions, people and places that will hopefully become seeds for a new WIDESCREEN way of thinking.

In short, magazines at their best are MOVEment makers, and at their very best they create change for the better. Since arriving in Japan 1993, I thought about the magazine’s I’ve made and what they MOVED : TOKION(Japanese youth MOVEment), MAMMOTH (kids culture MOVEment), PAPERSKY (travel MOVEment), METRO MIN. (free magazine MOVEment), PLANTED & PLANTS+ (plant MOVEment). Today, I look forward to participating in the next MOVEment that will make our world a better and more peaceful place for everyone.

Lucas Badtke – Barkow Knee High Media, Creative & Editorial Director

http://www.khmj.com

THE TOKYO ART BOOK FAIRは、2009年より始まった日本最大のアートブックフェア。主催する「ZINE’S MATE（ジンズメイト）」は、Utrecht（ユトレヒト：代表 江口宏志）が、イギリス・ロンドンを中心に活動するPAPERBACK（代表 Oliver Watson オリバー・ワトソン）と共に設立したもの。昨年は200以上の出展者によるブースが並び、来場者数は8000人を集めました。今年も世界中から個性的なジンやアートブックが集まり、アートの魅力を多くの人が共有する参加型イベントとなっています。

THE TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR 2010 / ZINE’S MATE PRESENTS
開催日：2010年7月30日(金)〜8月1日(日)
プレビューは2010年7月29日(木)、招待制となります。
会場：3331 Arts Chiyoda
東京都千代田区外神田6-11-14 www.3331.jp
VACANT
東京都渋谷区神宮前3-20-13 www.n0idea.com
入場料：募金性（希望額500円）
www.zinesmate.org / info@zinsmate.org

『PAPER SKY』最新号発売記念
【カレーと一緒　スイスなムービー・ナイト】
日時：7月30日（金）　20時～24時頃まで
場所：中目黒・ギグルカフェ

※この夜だけ！　限定メニューが、現役メッセンジャー男子3人による手づくりカレーです（数に限りがあるのでお早めにっ！）
編集長ルーカスも後半で来場予定！　なんと、最新号をカフェで、スペシャル価格にて限定販売します。お楽しみに～

追記：
同じスイスを楽しんだ一人として、先日のスイスでおきた列車事故で亡くなった方のご冥福を、心からお祈りします。

杉並区の花見の人気スポットの一つ、善福寺川からたった３分歩いたところに、真っ白く塗られた板張りのieie。オーナーのマコさんは富ヶ谷の天然酵母パン屋さん「ルヴァン」の運営にも携わっているそうですが、休日にここの自宅でくつろぎながら丁寧なおもてなしでieieのパンに合った手料理を作り上げている。大正時代の可愛い印判のお皿と使い古された漆の丸盆も、ご自宅の何気ない雰囲気にぴったりに合うのじゃないかと思った。

ルヴァン本店のHP:
http://levain317.jugem.jp/?pid=1

After the Rotterdam residency, how did Montreal fit in as a site-specific territory?

“The project in Montreal was shaped differently because I was offered a huge space to create an installation based on a similar concept. Deciding how to use the given space also gave this project a framework and helped me develop ideas and productions, resulting in a multi-media installation which consisted of photos, videos, sculptures and a workshop area; a bit more than just a record of a personal cross-cultural cooking log. I mean, I like eating and cooking but I don’t consider myself an artist specialized in food art however using food as materials was one convenient choice, especially nowadays, having a studio could cost you a fortune.”

How did you go about getting started?

“To proceed with the project, first I had to define some ideas about Canadian and more specifically, Montreal food. I decided to have a survey in the hope of knowing everybody’s eating habits so that I could incorporate that into my cooking. The whole production is based on the survey results collected from 154 Montrealers, the results of which are attached into the resulting cookbook.

So what about your relationship with Japanese food, did you grow up learning to cook at home or after moving away?

I don’t remember when I cooked for the first time nor a special day when my mother taught me how to cook, I have no eventful memory of it but I helped around the kitchen from a young age. Simple things like serving or peeling apples for example, like everybody did I suppose. I remember having to prepare rice when coming home from school everyday. We didn’t have a rice cooker then so I had to do it with a gas stove; I think I was in the third grade. But I was quite proud of myself for experimenting with rice washing techniques and, to think of it now I don’t understand why I had to do that. She cooks well though. She is from Kyoto and is living in Sapporo since she got married so perhaps I grew up with Kyoto style cooking. My father was a bit lazy and didn’t like eating fish with bones, so my mom says. He’s from Nagano and they eat more meat (and bugs), I think. When I was in the fifth and sixth grade we had home-economics class and I remember making egg omelette, hamburger steak, curry and maybe miso soup. It’s funny that they don’t teach you how to cook traditional Japanese food. When I was a teenager, I baked almost every other day as I drooled looking at cakes and dessert recipe books. 

The first year I moved to Montreal, I went to a Japanese restaurant, a reputable one in downtown. I didn’t order sushi but I saw the plate served to the next table. What caught my eyes was the crab, you know the fake red-painted one made of fish called Kanikama, the whole stick, like 3 inches long, was served as nigiri. The chefs were supposed to be Japanese there but I thought it wasn’t so Japanese. Since then, I hardly went out to eat Japanese as the experiences often ended somewhat disappointing. At home I don’t necessarily cook Japanese food but cooking Japanese cuisine outside of Japan is not very convenient, and I’m a lazy person to begin with so I don’t like going far to get my groceries, and even if I do go it doesn’t mean that I get to find all the ingredients I need. Besides, Japanese cooking tends to require several steps of preparation, uses a lot of water, many pots and serving plates. I cook Japanese rice only occasionally because it requires too much washing and soaking time. The everyday rice for me is Jasmin, and it’s probably very un-Japanese but this “Survival Japanese Cooking” project was sort of an effort for me to force myself to cook “Japanese” more often than usual. 

So what elements of Japanese food, culture, cuisine helped or limited you in this project?

Well, it would be a spirit of eating locally and things that are in season. Another thing would be the preparation of ingredients and even the presentation. For example, cutting vegetables in certain ways to suit different methods of cooking. I think that often in Japanese cooking, the shape of each food is well kept to be distinguished. If you follow any Japanese cook book for example, cutting vegetables is written in precise detail and seems an important element. Maybe this is one of reasons we never invented mashed potatoes? 

Through Survival Cooking, did you find Japanese ingredients to be versatile? The Natto Spaghetti comes to mind…

The Natto Spaghetti is an old recipe, not sure how old but it’s been around for a while, probably from late 80’s or early 90’s. As Pasta became popular there appeared more specialty restaurants with creative menus other than just meat sauce. Prior to that, what I remember of Spaghetti was that it was always served with canned meat sauce for Sunday lunch, or leftover noodles fried with some ketchup, which you probably still see in cheap bento boxes at convenience stores. The rice bun burger from Mos burger for an example is another example of the Japanese being infamous for transforming foreign/imported food to suit to our taste. I guess when we are in Japan, we don’t see the reverse cases that often? When I was still in Sapporo, I was once invited to a home dinner party hosted by a Canadian couple. This was about fifteen years ago. There was a dish, sort of a macaroni and cheese, but the macaroni was replaced with Udon noodles, the ones which are sold pre-cooked. For a noodle nerd like me it was a shock. It seemed disgustingly overcooked and soggy and I couldn’t eat it. I just wonder why she used Udon instead of Macaroni? I doubt that she couldn’t find Macaroni. It could’ve been sort of her way of doing Survival Canadian Cooking?

Interesting, what are some other examples?

I have this vegetarian, vegan cookbook written by an American chef and got it because I just wanted to learn about vegetarian cooking but found out that some Japanese-specific ingredients, like Hijiki and Umeboshi, were used for the more health-conscious recipes. It’s nice to learn how these ingredients are prepared in contrast to Japanese cuisine. At a market here in Montreal, you can find Shiso and Mizuna these days. My friend made me a dinner the other day, a grilled salmon on a bed of rice topped with green vegetable salad including Shiso leaves in large chunks. On the other hand, at most Sushi restaurants here (and they are run by non-Japanese) they have miso soup on their menu, there is even a “spicy” miso soup, and people order them with sushi. (Well, precisely, they have the soup first then sushi) And I have to ask myself, why? For me, I never have miso soup with sushi because that’s how I grew up. Speaking of sushi, they are not bad here in general, except some occasional surprises, like a pineapple maki I got the other day. But because of that, I won’t be shocked if I get a banana maki someday I got used to these creative North American rich maki rolls that when I last went back to Japan in 2004 I was somewhat unsatisfied by the real thing. They seemed too plain!  When I went to Sao Paulo and visited Liberdade, I was excited to see some Dango (sweet rice cake with red bean paste) but the color was far from being subtle, they were bright, pink and green. I couldn’t eat them, but I’m pretty sure I’d be eating them if I stayed there long enough. It’s just a matter of time but overall it’s interesting to see the transformation of a Japanese food when brought into and adapted to another culture.

Thanks Shie.

Shie Kasai is originally from Sapporo, Hokkaido.

キャンプはなかなか本格的なもので、１つのドーム型テントに2～3人が寝泊まりする形になっており、炊事場、テーブル、簡易シャワーが各グループに１つずつ設置されている。決して広くない区画にものすごいぎゅう詰めでテントが配置され、自分たちの会話はいつも周りに筒抜けだった。食事はグループのメンバーが交替で作ることになっており、毎日ほぼ同じ食材が配給される中で工夫して料理を作り、皆で楽しんだ。

会場はとてつもなく広い。キャンプ地のほか、レクチャーや公式プログラムで使用するステージや大テントが設置され、参加者は決められた時間に各場所へ移動して１日4～6コマほどのレクチャーやワークショップを受ける。
私が参加したArt and Designのカテゴリでは、次のようなプログラムが行われた――オペラの一場面をその場にあるもので舞台セットから再現し、英語で演じる。自分の中にある恐怖について知り合ったばかりの人達とディスカッションする、相互理解のワークショップ。コメディの基本トレーニングとして、言葉を使わず、声と体の動きでメッセージを表現する。そしてジェスチャーや発声練習を含めた実践的なプレゼンテーションスキルのレクチャーなど、演劇をはじめとした自己表現に関するプログラムが印象に残った。
機材がまったく動かない、時間を間違える、講師が急遽交代するなど、トラブルも少なくなかったが、キャンプならではのオープンな雰囲気の中、皆のアイディアで自然とプログラムが成立していった。

また、すぐ目の前に広がっているセリゲル湖では、決められた時間に泳ぐことができる。夏でも水は冷たく、深さも相当なものでなかなかスリリング。 この湖では他にウィンドサーフィンやカヤックを体験することもできる。森の中ではクライミングやサイクリングを楽しめ、さらに毎朝のエクササイズとして基本的に男性は5キロのランニング、女性はダンスや体操を行うことになっている。

この巨大な会場をひたすら移動して、一連のプログラムをこなし続けるのは体力的になかなか厳しいものがあった。しかし皆それでも元気で、たき火の近くでギターや民族楽器などを使って即興でライブをしたり、テーブルに集まってキャンドルの灯りを見つめながらお互いの話をしたり、夕暮れどきに皆でカメラを持って湖畔へ撮影会に出かけたり…限られた8日間を存分に楽しんでいた。

※スライドショーについて：写真の右半分をクリックすると次の写真が表示されます。