When I hear the name, Claire Youmans, a smile stretches across my face. Pro-nounced “you-mans” as in you man, the species of man, womankind and all kind. Through “Toki-Girl and The Sparrow Boy,” Youmans has managed to do just that: speak to humanity. There we sat on the side of a cliff overlooking Century City to have our 15-minutes plus conversation. Youmans, a native of Seattle, comfortably approved and made herself right at home.
After a long history as an attorney for American and international clients, Youmans naturally began to explore social customs and their applications outside of the U.S. A mother and lover of culture, she published several adult books, engaged in sports like skiing and sailing eventually adapting to a California-like lifestyle. The Joshua Tree area offered a private sanctuary for Youmans’ creative energies to flow and would soon fuel her desire to delve further into art and culture.
As a long time practitioner of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, Youmans began to develop a deeper understanding of Japan when a chance encounter with famed play-write, writer-director Yukita Kusunoki gave her the opportunity to test her talent. Kusunoki, who garnered acclaim for the play, “The Great” and the award-winning “Journey to Mt. Fuji,” Toki-Girl and The Sparrow Boy characters gave Youmans the idea to extend their personalities into her series of children’s book.
Kusunoki tapped into a multi-dimensional aspect of the Meiji Era a part of vital Japanese history and brought its folklore forward in time. The Toki-Girl and her brother the Sparrow Boy are a legacy to this colorful and socio-political time of the Meiji Era, beginning from Sept. 8, 1868-July 30, 1912.
During the mid-1850’s Commodore Perry sailed into Edo Bay, now known as Tokyo.
“Commodore Perry insisted that Japan open its doors to free trade. At that time during civil and cultural unrest in the area, the Emperor of Japan took over the government again and kicked out the shogunate,” Youmans explained. “With open ports and an influx of foreign trade, the Meiji Era, became one of the major highlights of Japanese history. In fifty years Japan went from a decaying society to a twentieth century powerhouse to be reckoned with. Most American folklore based on the traditions of Western Europe gives credence to a monotheist world-view. This view has some very strict rules, which have evolved into some cultural stereotypes that are reflected in our fairy tales.”
A perfect example of this Youmans says is the soon to be released movie, “Into the Woods,” which is an updated version of “Little Red Riding Hood.”
There is not a lot of that in Japanese folklore, which has its roots in Shinto and Bud-dhist culture.
Shinto is an indigenous religion considered by some as a negative animism and the argument stems about whether to call it a religion at all, Youmans stated. Shinto and Buddhism together form a type of folklore that presents itself as a plethora of native elements like demons, trolls and animals that can turn into humans.
Our question and answer session led us into the why the fascination of Asian culture and specifically American men’s love of Asian women.
Youmans extensive background in publishing gave her just the right amount of know-how to put the “Toki-Girl and The Sparrow-Boy” series into motion. With an ever-increas-ing interest in developing projects that are fun, inspirational and with Japanese tradition in mind, Youmans’ “Toki-Girl and The Sparrow-Boy” series are congruent with the story tell-ing of the Meiji Era folklore and history of the Japanese. Yet, Western civilization has brought many changes to the face of Japan.
“The Japanese don’t walk around in kimonos anymore; those are only worn for special ceremonies now,” Youmans said.
Traditionally women are left to lead from behind. Women’s rights were curtailed during the Edo period, and they were not allowed to own property and much of their power was taken away more than during any other time in their history. Both women and men are expected to function within a certain sphere, Youmans said and within that sphere, one was God-like. Women want to serve you and wait on you. On the other hand the men put women in a place of not having to deal with worldly issues, such as politics and war.
In general, Asian culture references a viewing of one-self from a point of continuum, wherein the individual is a part of a continual stream of life. Included in that stream are ones ancestors and descen-dants. This is very different from Western concept. Thus, Buddhism offers the concept of reincarnation. However, in Western culture we view a life stream as a single lifetime that offers the reward of an after-life. The similarities of the cultures are on the surface as the Japanese even now hold to tra-ditional values, which include Confucianism, brought over from China and filial piety, both mainstays in Japanese culture.
A Toki, as Youmans explained, “is not pretty. It has a long bird like hooked beak for a nose. They are an endangered species and still have a big nesting ground on Sado Island. From the 1880s- 1910, if you remember history women wore these hats made from beautiful feathers. Toki, were hunted for their feathers so that the feathers could be used in production for services and goods. The notion of the extended family is a part of the ability of children in such case as the Toki Girl and Sparrow Boy having lost their parents are able to survive because of this connection to an extended family.” Youmans is in talks to write and publish a second volume of the “Toki-Bird and The Sparrow-Boy” series.
For more information on Youmans and “Toki-Girl and The Sparrow-Boy” visit www.tokigirlandthesparrowboy.com.
