30 November 2009

Crafty Creatures to Decorate IPC Library

By Tracey Armstrong with foreword translated by Shirley Ghozalli. Edited by Moira Blake.

The Japanese Seven Gods of Fortune or Seven Lucky Gods in the Library’s display cabinet	Carp streamer (koi nobori) with the legendary boy, Kintaro riding on its back, completed with a folding screen miniature at the back
Japanese hand-made hanging decorations	Bright and playful Japanese hanging decorations outside the Library Resource Room

Recently, the Library at IPC has acquired a set of decorations hand-made in Japan from fabric from old kimonos. Originally they were intended by the mother of Nanami Watanabe, a first year student from Japan, as a gift for the Parents' Cancer Society Charity Bazaar at IPC Sakura Festival in September. However, many IPC staff members thought that these decorations would be an invaluable addition to the IPC collection. So IPC made a donation to the Cancer Society Manawatu Centre for the purchase of the set.

The decorations are in the form of the Seven Gods of Fortune or the Seven Lucky Gods, a folding screen miniature, a small white mouse, rabbits and miniature children's toys assembled as hanging decorations.

As IPC Librarian Tracey Armstrong reports:

We've had some colourful little creatures move into the library and make themselves comfortable. Now, before you start to imagine creatures scuttling and creepy-crawling about (eek), I can assure you that our visitors are of a very “kawaii" (that's Japanese for “cute") variety. You may have noticed the mobiles hanging outside the Library Resource Room, but did you also see the venerable guests residing in the display cabinet? Here you will meet the seven gods of good luck:

1. Hotei, the god of happiness
2. Ebisu, the patron of seafarers and a symbol of prosperity
3. Benzaiten, the goddess of art
4. Bishamonten, the god of war and the protector of Buddhism, sacred mountains, temples and cities
5. Daikokuten, the god of wealth
6. Fokurokuju, associated with wealth and longevity
7. Jurojin, the god of longevity.

The boy riding the carp alongside them is a Kintaro doll. Kintaro translates as "golden boy", and in Japanese myth this child is a superhuman who symbolises bravery and strength - a role model for all Japanese boys to aspire to.

Meanwhile, I am happy to be sharing my office with a little white mouse. Emu (IPC staff member, Emu Izaki) tells me that the mouse is a symbol of prosperity and growth because they breed and breed! The white mouse is extra special because it serves Daikokuten (the god of wealth) and brings luck to families.

<Back  |  ^Top