Revolt

"I have often spoken about how an older sister of mine lives in my body. When I try to stand up, she squats. When I squat, she stands. When I engage in my dance, she consumes the darkness in my body. When she falls, it means much more than me simply standing. She has become my teacher. Yes, the dead are my teachers. One must respect and cherish the dead. Sooner or later, we too will be called. We must bring the dead close to us and live with them. Nowadays, only the light is valued. But to whom does the light owe its existence? To the back of the darkness, for it carries the light." These words were spoken during a lecture by Tatsumi Hijikata on 9 February 1985, just a few months before his death. The original Japanese title, translated into English, is The Collecting of Weakened Bodies, ...