The Story of "Share the Wa"


        After a number of years of pondering, an ideal slogan to describe the mission of TemariKai.com and TalkTemari came through a message from Ozaki Sensei II,  in an issue of the Japan Temari Association's newsletter. Sensei always writes a “President’s Message” in each JTA News issue. The words of this message in 2007 were particularly meaningful and I knew that within them we'd found the long-searched for motto for TemariKai.com and Talk Temari Yahoo Groups:

Deep feeling for Wa (Circle of Peace) (by Japan Temari Assoc. President, Ozaki Keiko).

         "I recently found some literature that my mother, the last (previous) president of Temari Association, had written. In it, I felt her love for Temari in each word and each Japanese character her writing. From her one seed of Japanese traditional Temari making, Temari making has spread to all over Japan as well as to all over the world. My mother's wish to scatter (spread) the seeds of Temari making to the entire world, is now being materialized. I feel, stemming from the year's foreign country Temari teacher's certifications, that our Temari culture will spread even more than ever, and even into unreachable places in the world. It is hoped that Temari crafts, that were woven with warm feeling of love, stitch by each stitch, will bring that love and peace to the people who would receive them into their hands. It is my humble wish to continue to spread the “Wa” (circle of peace) of traditional Temari, even more than ever before."


        "Stitch Temari, Share the Wa" was first introduced at the 2008 NY StitchIn, and heartily received. It continues to work its way into Temarikai and Talk Temari presentation. Many folks have and continue to pick up  the message and spread it to others, literally and figuratively.