Japanese cultural arts celebration includes taiko drumming, tea ceremony, landscape architecture, flower arranging and a tea ceremony
Ashland.news staff report
A Hiroshima Peace Camellia planted in March near the entrance to the new Japanese Garden in Lithia Park will be dedicated Saturday, May 13, as part of a program of Japanese cultural arts from taiko drumming to a tea ceremony.
The program begins at 10:50 a.m. with Elbow Room Taiko drumming, led by Suzee Grilley, calling the community to Butler Bandshell where, at 11 a.m. Estelle Voeller of One Sunny Day Initiatives (OSDI) and Miwa Russell, president of the Southern Oregon Japanese Association (SOJA), will give a welcome, followed by more taiko drumming.
The story of the Peace Camellia’s journey will be told by Voeller and Michael Oxendine, president of Oregon Community Trees and the one who germinated the seeds. Oxendine also helped OSDI partner with Oregon Community Trees and Oregon Department of Forestry to distribute 53 of the peace trees — all offspring of trees and plants that survived the Hiroshima blast — throughout Oregon. The seeds, with the help of Green Legacy Hiroshima, are being sent around the world as symbols of the resilience of life, hope and peace.
Among those is a Gingko biloba planted last August near the Thalden Pavilion on The Farm at Southern Oregon University (SOU) on Walker Street.
Elizabeth Hallett, director of Peace House, will lead the dedication of the Hiroshima Peace Camellia. The Rogue Valley Peace Choir, directed by Jerry Campbell and accompanied by Mikiko Petrocelli, will offer songs of peace.
The program moves to the Japanese Garden at noon where, in March, a camellia grown from seeds garnered from a plant that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945, was planted.
At 12:30 p.m. on the wooden deck inside the garden, Miwa Russell will introduce elements of a formal Japanese tea ceremony, which will be demonstrated by local tea master Jim Koike, assisted by Hatsuko Koike. Other SOJA members in formal kimono dress will be served, while Victor Novick plays the shakuhachi bamboo flute. Several SOJA members have trained as tea masters.
This Saturday’s program is expected to conclude at 1 p.m.
Email Ashland.news Executive Editor Bert Etling at betling@ashland.news or call or text him at 541-631-1313.
