Interviewed by Vosot Ikeida
Edited by Armel Etoundi
Continued from Round 1
How To Get Out Of Hikikomori
Vosot A few minutes ago, you said you "conquered" your hikikomori, but how did you do it?
Etoundi I found the solution of my problem in the meditation. Now I am happy to help them, and they are happy too, sometimes they asking me how to change their attitude.
I tell them “It's not about changing your attitude, but it's just that what blocking you to change your situation do not have any need to be backed up by the society. The most important thing is to build the harmony with what blocking you, by being happy for what you are realizing in dreams”
I feel the need to help people. But not only them, but also anybody in the world. That is my philosophy. So I decided to found my own humanitarian association named “Occido Lumen”.
Vosot Oh, it sounds great. On the other hand, honestly I think it is difficult to "help" other people. Why and how did your hikikomori days start?
Etoundi Sorry I can’t talk about it, bro. It's a long story. But at least I can give you some points.
People are born to be equal and free, no matter what their race, color, culture, religion, gender, etc. People are born to be good, but the society makes them bad. Some people try to use or abuse us, by exploitation of labour or sexually. That is energy vampirism and spiritual slavery.
But we have forgotten that other people were born fortunately with an spiritual immune system which is highly strong and will protect them from all kind of invisibles attack in this world till the death.
Trust me, Vosot. All kinds of fear are evelish!
Vosot What’s "evelish"?
Etoundi It means “linked to bad spirits, darkness”.
Vosot Ah I see. It seems that so many reasons were connected and tangled complicatedly inside you to make you start being a hikikomori. It is quite understandable, because most of the cases of hikikomori are like that. Precisely we can’t talk about the reason of hikikomori so simply. But I am often asked that question, and I needed to state it simply, so my explanation why I became a hikikomori has been polished and brushed up in the long years.
Etoundi It’s true that it is not easy to explain why one becomes a hiki.
That’s also why no one in this world can understand a hiki's life more than an experienced hiki who faced his obstacles n’ did it!
How To Survive as a Hikikomori
Vosot Exactly. That is why I am publishing articles on Hikipos, too.
How are the hikis in Cameroon surviving financially?
Of course, you wouldn’t know all the hikis in your country, but tell me about it within the examples that you know.
Etoundi One of my hiki friends wanna be a music producer, but currently he's a song writer. He told me he's writing songs for other singers and gets paid from it. That’s how he is surviving.
My second hiki friend doesn’t work at all but he is practicing musical instrument. He is living with his family bros n' sis. They are taking care of him. His parents are living far away, in the rural village…
Vosot I see. So they have no financial problems to survive.
Etoundi I am currently recruiting them to work for my humanitarian association.
Vosot I see. I hope your activities go well.
I have another question. You and two friends of yours are so-called "upper class" in your country?
Etoundi No, I think we both are in the middle class.
Vosot Do you think there are many hikikomoris who belong to the "middle class" or "lower class" in your country?
Etoundi I imagine there are a lot of hikis here who belong to the middle and lower class, but we can’t meet them actually so often. Because, you know, most of hikis don't want to come out as a hiki, so the people have no way to get to know they are hikis.
Vosot I understand it quite well. That may be a global truth about hikikomori.
Hikikomoris usually don't want to be known by others. For example, I am a hikikomori in Tokyo, Japan. But none of my neighbourhood knows that I am a hiki. I don't have social intercourses with them. Probably they think that a strange man has been living here for long years. I refuge everybody who tried to get me back to the normal society. I have already been linked with the society through the hikikomori network like GHO, and that is how I am integrated to the society, so I am feeling no need to get associated the "normal society" by their way.
Etoundi I do agree, Vosot. I tell my hiki friends about the fact that even if you are a hikikomori, it doesn’t mean you cannot success in life. And it is not in the society where you find your own solution and success.
It is only just one pattern of solutions and successes to get back to the society. So-called the “normal people” believe, if you get you back to the society, you are free there, you can go anywhere you want, you are surrounded by the people who don't urge you to get back to the society any more.
Vosot Yes, but that’s only just one of the patterns for solution and success.
I am finding this interview with you is so valuable, because many people in the world believe that Africa is such an open-minded society that there is no hikikomori in it. For example, a French-based international TV broadcasted about us some time ago, and we got reactions from all over the world.
One of them was from Africa, saying, “Hey, you guys are living in the sick crowded and closed culture in Japan, that’s why you become a hikikomori. Why don’t you come over to Africa, then you can get out of being hikikomori immediately!”
I thought that guy was dubious.
Etoundi It is often said that our African society is open-minded so there is no hikikomori in Africa and so on, but that is not true. The hikikomoris in Africa are just hiding their real way of living.
Share and Survive : The African Spirit
Vosot That is so informative. I want everybody in the world to listen to your words.
A family in the middle class in Cameroon doesn't have a financial problem to take care of a hikikomori child who doesn't work?
Etoundi You know, bro, Africa is not such a hard society in terms of human relationship and poverty than you think.
In Africa, even if you can’t support yourself financially, our culture doesn't allow you to be hungry. Your family and relatives would always bring you something to survive with sooner or later. We wouldn’t make you starve easily.
This is our culture and tradition not only in cameroon but all the Sub-Saharan countries in Africa. Our ancestors have been teaching us verbally or nonverbally that when your neighbor is hungry and thirsty, give them some food or water. So we give each other naturally. We may not be so rich, but we still have something to share.
Vosot That's wonderful to hear. You haven't become the slaves of capitalism.
Etoundi Not necessarily! We are rapidly developing, so European or North American way of life have been giving a great influence on us, but there are some things that do not change easily, for example, our mind and tradition. That kind of our mind has been deeply and widely rooted in our African land.
Yeah, but it’s true, a hiki is sometimes a burden or obstacle for his family, but we usually accept him naturally after a while. So even if you are a hikikomori making no money, you wouldn’t be hungry to the death in Africa. You will survive.
Vosot I am so much impressed to hear your words. Thanks you very much for telling that. It is precious for us to know, so I may edit our conversation and publish it on Hikipos.
Etoundi It sounds great, bro! It would be a pleasure to read it on Hikipos!!! Hikipos is not so known over here, in Africa, yet, though...
Thank you so much for your understanding, my friend!
Vosot It is my great pleasure. Thank you so much for chatting.
...To the Original French Version of this article
...To the Japanese Version of this article
< Profile of the Interviewee >
Armel Etoundi
Supporter of #Hikikomori
PDG / founder of the humanitarian association #OCCIDO LUMEN
Cameroon (Central Africa)
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