Stashing flowers in a vase. That's all there seems to be to ikebana; in fact, Wikipedia defines it as 'the Japanese art of flower arrangement.' But a recent demonstration of ikebana at the U.S. Consulate disproved this definition, making the activity take on a new meaning altogether for participants.
As part of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, the U.S. Consulate in Chennai organised several events to celebrate Asian-American culture; its newly renovated public-access library providing the space for these. The ikebana demonstration was part of the celebration — three scholars from the prestigious Ikenobo School in Kyoto, Japan, were invited to showcase their skills and, at the same time, tell the audience a little bit about the history of this traditional Japanese pastime. Professors Mieko Tokiwa, Tae Sakakibara and Yukari Mire displayed singular grace while arranging a bunch of chrysanthemums. Ms. Tokiwa laid the finishing touches to the chrysanthemums, positioned in the traditional rikka style, before elucidating the history of ikebana, translated by Ms. Mire's husband, Lawrence Mire. According to legend, the Ikenobo School was started in a 1500-year-old Buddhist stone temple, by Prince Shotoku in the 6th Century. Various styles were developed here, from then on, including the freer shoka and jiyuka styles to as recent as the late 90s. Her nimble hands set to work on an example of the shoka style — a long fringe of thin green leaves that dwarfed a rich red hibiscus stalk and a single leaf, the smallest component. These represented the elements ten, jin and chi — the heavens, humans and plants, respectively. Watching her prune and measure the stalks, those present realised that ikebana isn't done on a trial-and-error basis — a great deal of thought goes into harmonising each element with the other.
Volunteers then lined up eagerly to craft their own displays, assisted by Ms. Sakakibara. An enthusiastic Ms. Tokiwa went from one hesitant participant to another, reassuring them and helping them fine-tune their arrangements.
“Flowers are healing,” smiled Ms. Yukari Mire, when asked whether ikebana was really a viable hobby ? “You can present them to the parents of a newborn, or to someone mourning the loss of a loved one. It is a way of giving them a worthy keepsake.”
What if natural flowers are not available? Can artificial flowers be used? Answering these queries with a laugh Ms. Mire said, “You can do ikebana with anything. It all depends on your creativity and the principles you follow.”
DIY lovers should, however, note that Ms. Mire's belief is that ikebana is a bit like yoga. While it is possible to do it independently, the basic principles have got to be mastered. And that is why schools such as Ikenobo continue to flourish, just like this ancient tradition of seeking complex answers from simple, minimalistic arrangements. Rather like Nature itself.
