Yukon is the name of the westernmost of Canada's three federal northern territories, and also the name of the 5th biggest river in North America which runs from northern British Columbia, Canada through Yukon Territory to the west, then through the U.S. state of Alaska and empties into the Bering Sea at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in First Nations language.

     The reasons why I have borrowed this word in the title of my web site are:

  • It is the name of the far north land where I have been working in the field as a photographer, and is also where I make my home.

  • It is the name of a great river crossing a border that human beings established.

  • The origin of the name is the word of the First Nations who felt awe and respect for the nature they lived with.

     The character 【熊】 means “bear” which is normally read as [kuma] but also read as [yū] (pronounced like “you”), and the other character 【魂】 indicates “spirit” which is normally read as [tamashii] but is also read as [kon]. Therefore I put these two characters together 【熊魂】 to be read as [Yukon]

     Although 【熊魂】 doesn't exist as a word, “Yukon” implies a bigger meaning now because two meaningful kanji (Chinese characters) are combined: 【熊】 “bear” that is symbolic of a wild animal and 【魂】 “spirit” that expresses spirituality.

     I hope for everyone viewing my site to feel a sense of vastness, everlasting time and the meaning of life without the concept of humankind.

 

 

   そもそもYukon(ユーコン)とは北米に存在する地域及び河川名です。カナダ北西部の準州をユーコン準州と呼び、この地から西へアラスカを横断して ベーリング海へ達する北米第5位の大河をユーコン川と呼びます。Yukon(ユーコン)とは先住民グウィッチン族の言葉で「偉大なる川」を意味します。

     私が当サイトのタイトルにこの言葉を拝借したのは

  • 「私が撮影フィールドとし移住した極北の地名である」

  • 「人間が定めた国境を跨ぐ大河の名称である」

  • 「その由来が自然に対し畏敬や畏怖の念を抱きながら共生してきた先住民の言葉である」

     という理由からです。

     もちろん【熊魂】(ゆうこん)という漢字は私の勝手な当て字ですが、野生の象徴的な生きものである【クマ】と、その尊厳を示しスピリチュアルな感覚を表す漢字をその音に重ね、更に大きな意味合いを含ませました。

     当サイトをご覧頂く皆さまにも《人間社会の概念》に囚われることなくその広大さや悠久の時の流れ、生きるということなど《物事の本質》を感じ取って頂ければ幸いです。