子育てにはピグミー族みたいな村がほしい

30人くらいいただろうか?子どもたちは大きなスクリーンの前に、小さな木の椅子を持っていき、好きな人と好きなように集まって映画「リメンバーミー」を観ている。

隣では、体育コーナーに作れた即席コートで、大人たちによる本気のバレーボールが繰り広げられられていた。

お酒も手伝ってか大盛り上がりする父や母と、真剣にスクリーンに食い入る子どもたち。私はその両方の空間の真ん中で、寝落ちした息子を抱えてこの場の空気を感じていた。

カオス感が心地よかった。

 

3泊4日。毎年夏に行われるトモエ幼稚園一大イベント「トモエ家族キャンプ」。

敷地内に家族それぞれテントを張り泊まり込み、子どもたちは文字通り朝から晩まで遊び倒す。園舎のまわりがグルッとテント村になり、昼まで寝ている人もそこから出勤して行く人もいた。

朝、5時半ぐらいから外でサッカーしてる声が聞こえてたけど、遅くまで起きてた孝介は夜中3時に園舎でカードゲームした小学生に会ったって言ってたっけ。あの小学生たちはきっと徹夜してたに違いない。

そこにいる人たちみんなが、大概寝不足で言葉にならない高揚感があるトモエキャンプ。

初日から、打ち上げ花火が上がり、小学生たちはこの日のために花火を手作りする。キャンプファイヤーのまわりをぐるりと囲んだ手作り花火の輪がなんとも幻想的だった。

翌日は、スタッフによる縁日。お手製の射的にくじ引き、スタッフ?と思ったら卒園した中高生が戻ってきて手伝ってたりして。彼らが「やべー。何年ぶり?なつかしくね?」なんて気さくに立ち話してるのがいい感じだった。

夜は、有志のお母さんがケニアとセネガル人のジャンベ奏者を呼んで、アフリカンダンス。大人も子どもも太鼓に合わせてぐるぐる回りながら、汗だくで、叩いて、踊って、唄った。

全部で18個のスイカを割り、汗はプールで流し、ご飯は気の合う仲間とそれぞれBBQ。

かき氷屋、薪ピザ屋、手作りソーセージ&ビール、スナックみどり…父や母たちが子どもたちが楽しいよう、自分たちが楽しいよう、様々なお店を出していて。買う人と作る人が、ハッピーハッピーで回る。

初参加だった私たちも、携帯を開く暇すら全然なくて。その瞬間瞬間を生きるのにせいいっぱいだった。


娘は頭の上であがる打ち上げ花火に、ギャン泣きしていたし

孝介は体中、虫に刺されて大変そうだったし

私と息子は、30度超える炎天下の中で、胸の谷間に汗をだくだくかきながらの授乳は地獄だったけど

言葉にならない「生きてる!」がそこにはあった。シャッターチャンスはいくらでもあったはずなのに、写真や動画がほとんどないってのが、今を生きてた何よりの証拠だ。

娘は、今まで一度も遊んだことにない友だちに突然「大好きだよー!」と告白され急激に距離を縮め、大好きな友だちがまた一人できた。

そうやって、どんどん彼女の世界が広がっていった。いや、あたしたち、大人も。

時にはバレーボールのチームになり、一緒に火を起こし、テントを張り、共同作業をすることで、距離感を知り、関係性が深まる。一緒にいるのが心地よくなる。自分たちの役割も見えてくる。

みんながなんとなく暮らしていて

それぞれなんとなく補間し合っていて

自分の好きを見つけて

その瞬間瞬間を楽しんでいる。

赤ちゃんから、大人まで

どんどん刺激し合って成長していく。

昨年、つがいの家に泊まりにきたミュージシャンの「あふりらんぽ」のPIKAから聞いたアフリカのピグミー族の話がふと頭をよぎった。彼女は現地ガイドですら訪れない、奥地のピグミー族の村で1ヶ月も寝食を共にした経験を話してくれたっけ。川でウォータードラムをして遊ぶ子どもたちや、みんなで狩りをし食事を作り、毎晩月明かりの中で歌い踊るピグミーたちの話。

「ああ、ピグミーの村って、きっとこういう感じなんだろうなぁ」

子育てには、こんな村がみんなにあったらいいんだね。

shishidochika

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