1000 Cranes for Truth and Reconciliation
The Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba and the Manitoba Buddhist Temple presented a Senbazuru to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in support of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and the “Every Child Matters” movement.
See the CMHR link HERE.
The five colours, Gogyo, 五行:
In Japanese traditional culture, the five colours (either combination of green, red, orange/yellow, white, purple, or blue, red, orange/yellow, white, and black) represent the harmony of nature. Green is the tree, red is fire, orange/yellow is earth, white is metal, and purple is water. Therefore it is called 木火土金水, “moku ka do kin sui” (each of these characters represents an element). This principle is also observed in ancient Chinese Taoism, and it is assumed that this belief is the origin.
There are 215 unique cranes colours which represent the first 215 children discovered in Kamloops BC.
The Gogyo principle can be found in several traditional Japanese occasions such as the tea ceremony, children’s festival, various imperial family ceremonies, samurai family festivals and Shintoism and Japanese Buddhism festivals.
Why are these colours important for children?
In Samurai culture, children’s wellness and success were crucial to wishing their family to be long-lasting. Samurais started flying their family clan flags during the children festival time, and the five colours streamer was also flown for wishing nature to protect those children.
Cranes’ colours are coordinated according to this Gogyo principle to represent the Japanese way of wishing the children’s wellness, in this case, for the repose of the victims’ souls through harmony.
The arrow shape.
The arrow shape was also derived from the children’s festival decoration “Yaguruma,” an arrow circle
An arrow is a symbolic tool for samurais, and it is also a symbol of protection from evil spirits. In this context, evil spirits are sickness and bad luck.
The cranes make the shape of an arrow so the children’s souls will be protected.
Left to Right: Yuhito Adachi (secretary JCAM), Kelly Kaita (President, JCAM) and Elder Robert Greene
All photos are courtesy of CMHR, Jamie Morneau