A sushi loving, flower flaunting fiftieth
By Jamie Melbourne-Hayward
Embodying ?with the spirit? an Ikebana flower arrangement and listening to a Koto string performance fit for an imperial princess are all part of the Wellington Japan Foundation?s 50-year celebrations. Hutt Minoh House spokesperson Brigitte Takenaka is delighted to be participating in the festival and displaying her Ikebana (flowers kept alive) techniques. ?This is the 50 Anniversary of the Japan and New Zealand relationship, and we have existed beside each other for this long. ?I began doing flower arrangements for the [Hutt City] Council, and they asked me to become involved in Minoh house,? she says. Hutt City has a sister-city relationship with Minoh City in Japan, which involves many cultural exchanges. ?I?m all for promoting our cultures and sharing them; understanding each other, and friendship are most important. ?I will be involved with sushi making and the flower arrangements, you do it with the spirit, and I have been doing it since I was a teenager,? says Mrs Takenaka. Most flower arrangement in the West involves symmetrically arranging plants in a vase, while Japanese Ikebana comes from a more complex school of thought. Ikebana was founded by Buddhist priest Ikenobo Senkei in the 15th century, and he is thought to have created the rikka (standing flowers) style. This style was developed as a Buddhist expression of the beauty of nature, with seven branches representing hills, waterfalls, valleys and other elements. Mrs Takenaka says she is especially looking forward to hearing the Koto being played by a top Japanese musician. ?Koto is like the harp, but not upright and near the floor. ?This is my most popular instrument, and the sound is very good,? she says. She encourages everyone to attend the festival, to sample her best sushi and see the Ikebana in action. ?I?ll use the flowers available, and because this is for a week I want longer lasting ones,? she says. Japan Festival Wellington runs from the 6-11 of July, with events being held at the Michael Fowler Centre and the Wellington Town Hall.
