~ From JETAA Wellington ~
Following the success of the 2012 JETAA Wellington 60m sushi roll which represented the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Japan at the Wellington City Council Kia Kaha Japanese festival, JETAA Wellington have once again been asked to participate and produce an iconic feature for the 2014 festival in recognition of the 20th anniversary of sister city relations between Sakai and Wellington city. So what have we decided to do this time?
Friendship Kimono
JETAA Wellington presents the friendship kimono – a collaborative piece of hanging art produced by students from both Sakai and Wellington Cities. This kimono will be the first of its kind in New Zealand and will feature art inspired by the cities and the two cultures of New Zealand and Japan. At 11m x 9m and comprised of 22 segments, this will be the largest kimono known to be made in New Zealand.
The proposed plan is to involve participation from a total of 20 schools from both the Wellington and Sakai areas. At the end of the festival the kimono will be disassembled and the participating schools will have an exchange of decorated segments; this is in the hope of developing a new connection and sharing something about themselves.
Why a kimono?
The kimono is often worn for special occasions and festivals; it is a fitting symbol for the Wellington-Japan festival. It also provides the perfect medium to showcase the designs and images that school children hold of their own city environment and cultures.
The JET Programme sends thousands of participants each year to Japan to gain a unique experience while employed as Assistant Language Teachers (ALT) or Coordinators of International Relations (CIR). ALTs are the interactive face with Japanese students in all years of primary and secondary schooling.
The kimono will be made of individual panels held together by threaded rope. These joins represent the tied bonds between the two cities, with the separations of the panels representing the individual characteristics of the cultures and the students who prepared each one.
The Event and Support
The event is to take place in late August 2014 at the TSB arena in Wellington; the 2012 festival attracted over 30,000 people. JETAA Wellington has received great support from the Wellington Sakai Association, Japanese stationery giant Pentel and the Wellington City Council.
It is expected that our kimono will gain media exposure and a lot of public interest which will provide a great opportunity to promote the JET Programme.
Festival Participation
In addition to the kimono project, JETAA Wellington will have a fundraising stall selling taiyaki and one of our executive will have the pleasure of being co-MC at the festival.
We are hopeful for a successful outcome and look forward to providing an update later in the year.
Ganbarimasu!
