Nationalism and Nostalgia

Not being much of a morning person, I find it interesting I'm up before 7:00am everyday.  I hope this new phase in my life (getting up early) stops the minute I get home.  I've always believed in and enjoyed sleeping in.  That I can't/don't anymore is an enigma.  Back to my point.....

In the City of Ofunato there are two times a day where the PA system plays music.  This music is heard citywide.  The first song plays at 7:00am.  For some reason, I'm always up before 7:00am and I always hear this music.  You could call it a sort of citywide alarm clock, maybe.  It's not long.  It's the first stanza of Edelweiss. 

Which of course takes me straight to the Sound of Music.  I can actually sing it all the way through.  I picture the Von Trapp family on stage while I'm trying to wake up and then the words hit me and I realize if I now add a tsunami to this, this song takes on a whole new meaning.  Flowers blooming strong (have I mentioned the daffodils?) and blessings for "our homeland."  I should point out the irony of this last "bless my homeland forever" line.  (I'll try to keep this short.)  Since the end of World War II there's been a big deal made about nationalism and in particular when to sing the national anthem here in Japan.  I never sang it while attending any of my Japanese schools, and indeed have only heard it sung at Sumo tournaments.  I know there's been more of a push to sing it and I also know this has been met with resistance.

All this to say, playing a song about beautiful flowers that survive and that asks for blessings upon "our homeland" when a good portion of the town was destroyed is oddly ironic and while beautiful also a bit creepy.

BUT, not as creepy as the 5:00pm song that plays everyday.  I was warned about this my first day here but being tired, it didn't sink in I would be hearing this everyday.  The song is Yesterday by The Beatles.  Sing a few lines to yourself:  "now she's gone, " "how I long for yesterday," "I believe in yesterday," "now I need a place to hide away," etc.  I don't think I need to say much more.

The combination of these two songs we all hear everyday and the fact they take on a whole new meaning after a tsunami--I simply can't explain this.  I can only hope everyone here is so used to hearing them that the words don't register anymore.