Women at Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days #3: Coal Sled (Towed by a Woman Helper)
1958 - 1963

Mukashi Yama no Onna #3: Sura (o Hiku Onna no Atoyama)
[Women at Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days #3: Coal Sled (Towed by a Woman Helper)]
20.6 x 29.0 cm Ink Painting

Coal was pulled up with a bara sura (sled with a bamboo basket on it) through gentle slopes (kairo: normally kaido; haulage way) which had an inclination of 10 degrees. Coal was once temporarily dumped and stored at some places (kabudashi ryutan) both underground and on the surface before it was loaded into bamboo baskets (bara) or mine cars (hako).
Haulage ways with hard bottoms needed no wooden ladders and small hollows used as footholds were dug into them. Every descending coalface had a lot of water and the coal mined there was very heavy. It was reasonable for a helper to pull coal as heavy as 100 kg odd or near 200 kin (120 kg) up the slopes. The towing rope on the carrier's shoulders was made of hemp and called a "karui."

Lyrics of "Gotton Bushi" Song at the Top Left
Oroshizoko kara fuitekuru kaze wa
sama-chan koishi to fuitekuru.
Gotton!"

The wind from the pit bottom is stirring
as if it misses my sweetheart.
Gotton (Clang)! (Interjected chant)


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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