Tanabata Matsuri

Hiya, folks!

A day later, but still, I'd like to share with you a little bit of Japanese culture: Tabanaba - the Stars Festival!

It happens every year on the 7th night of the 7th month and I had the pleasure to enjoy not only one, but two Tabanaba parties!

Legend tells us that a hard-working beautiful princess, called Orihime (the Looming Star), daughter of Father God, ruler of all Galaxy, worked in her loom day and night, not leaving her any time to think about romance. Their parents, concerned she wouldn't get a husband, decided to throw a big party to find her a suitor.
In the camps, worked a very honest and brave man, Kengyuu, who spent day after day working the lands. The day off the party arrived and some of his friends tried to persuade him to go. Initially, he refused, but then ends up accepting for, do in his heart, he wished no other thing than to be next to Orihime.
The party starts and two princes, one from the north and one from the south drew their swords to fight for Orihime's hand, but Father God decides to marry her to Kengyuu, who showed affection and was a hard-working man.
After the wedding, the couple could only think about romance, forgetting to work. Displeased by their attitude, Father God separated them putting each to the farthest point of the Galaxy. Both cried their eyes out and suffered with the distance, so Father God allowed them to see each other once a year. Such encounter world only take place on the 7th night of the 7th month.

We hang little pieces of paper, known as "tanzaku", with our wishes on bamboo branches so Orihime picks them on her way to meet her loved one. It is said this wishes will be granted in 3 years time.

Other simpler displays of bamboo trees and tanzaku can be made, such as...

At the Brazil-Japan Cultural Center, where I am proud to be a Japanese teacher, we had workshops...

a seminar about Japanese Festivals...

and a play about Tabanaba with our dear students:

And, in the evening, I went to a party at Nikkei Association to see a kimono parade...

And watch an Odori show! I so much love Odori, which is a traditional style of Japanese dance! But, alas, I have no way to put the video here 😔

I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it to you!