Ballad of Chong Gyan-Yong

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Ballad of Chong Gyan-Yong

In the mid 80s young Japan-born Korean who refuses to be fingerprinted is told to leave Japan. A French priest active in many social causes for over 30 years refuses to be fingerprinted. He gives up returning to France for his mother's funeral since the Japanese authorities will not let him back in. At first I used the word KUNI (country) to refer to the land Chong was told to leave, only to be told TSUJI (land) is more appropriate. Even I had not fully realized that in a nation like Japan, where life-time residence does not entitle one to enjoy full human rights, "country" and "place of birth" are not synonymous.

Umareta tsuji kara
Dete ike to iu no ka
Sore wa tottemo
Fushigi na koto da

        Where will you go Chong Gyan-yong?
        This land's the only one you've known
        Doko ni ike yoo?
        It's your home, your only one

And Constant Louis, when his mother died
He couldn't leave to say good-bye
Moshi ittara, kaerenai
Hazubeki kotoba

Bokura ni oshiete
Naze kyouhi wa hanzai?
Jinshu sabetsu wa seifu no tsumi da
Dochi no hou ga okii no ka?

Umareta tsuchi kara
Dete ike to iu no ka
Sore wa tottemo
Hazubeki koto da

Posted by paularenson to Mp3
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