Women at Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days #12 (Mother and Children Entering the Pit with Lamps in Hands)
1958 - 1963

Mukashi Yama no Onna #12 (Kantera o Sagete Nyuko Suru Boshi)
[Women at Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days #12 (Mother and Children Entering the Pit with Lamps in Hands)]
20.5 x 29.1 cm Ink Painting

Her husband is already cutting his coalface (coal mining work), entering the pit earlier than she. The wife is entering the pit, having her small son shoulder her younger child after finishing her household chores. She is going down with lunch boxes for three people, a canteen for tea, and other tools apportioned between her front and back, taking care that not only she but also the son following her do not slip. In this case, the woman could carry the infant on her shoulder more safely than her son can. However, the infant could hit his/her head against the low roof of the slope. Therefore, the son had to help his mother and eventually had to be absent from school for a long time. At that time when there was no day nursery, hiring a babysitter cost about 10 sen a day with additional 5 sen as a tip. I heard it was difficult for miners to hire them.

Lyrics of "Gotton Bushi" Song at the Top Left
Nanatsu yatsu kara kantera sagete konai sagaru mo oya no bachi. Gotton!

It's because of my parents' fault that I had to work underground with a lamp in hand when I was seven or eight. Gotton (Clang)! (Interjected chant)


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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