From: hills@rpi.edu (Stephen C Hill) Subject: Kites and Weddings Message-ID: <269z_7f@rpi.edu> Date: 22 Oct 92 13:44:08 GMT Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. I have some friends who are getting married next month and I figured I'd give them a kite (or kites) as a wedding gift. I'm curious if there are any customs/traditions regarding kites and weddings. My particular interest in this case is in Japanese customs as the groom's mother is Japanese. The kite will probably be a rokkaku. To some extent, I want to make sure I don't step on any toes or do anything inappropriate. Thanks, Steve (hills@rpi.edu) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Subject: Re: Kites and Weddings Message-ID: From: hills@rpi.edu (Stephen C Hill) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1992 19:07:00 GMT Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. Is the rokkaku, a fighting kite, an appropriate wedding gift? OK, maybe it isn't. So, I'll call it a Baden-Powell Levitor. I think it was Baden-Powell. Anyway, the Levitor looks like a rokkaku but was designed for manlifting rather than fighting. Anyway, one of the reasons for using a rokkaku...OOPS, Levitor... is that it provides a lot of uninterrupted surface area. My intention is to construct the kite out of Tyvek (I can't sew but I can glue) and present it undecorated with a box of magic markers. The idea is to then allow the guests at the reception to sign or otherwise decorate it. To complement this, I will probably give them a second kite, decorated by me (haven't decided what to do yet). Steve (hills@rpi.edu) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Subject: Re: Kites and Weddings Message-ID: From: gaffer@ibmpcug.co.uk (Andrew Beattie) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1992 19:40:23 GMT Organization: The IBM PC User Group, UK. In article <269z_7f@rpi.edu> hills@rpi.edu writes: >I have some friends who are getting married next month and I figured >I'd give them a kite (or kites) as a wedding gift. I'm curious if >there are any customs/traditions regarding kites and weddings. My >particular interest in this case is in Japanese customs as the >groom's mother is Japanese. The kite will probably be a rokkaku. >To some extent, I want to make sure I don't step on any toes or do >anything inappropriate. Hmm... I think that that's a *nice* idea. I assume that you will be making the kite yourself. I don't know about the Japanese angle, but here are my thoughts anyway: Fly it at the wedding. Don't just give it wrapped up in paper. Choose something that will fly in a wide range of winds with minimum of attention. (you don't know what it will be like on the day and you want to be able to leave it alone to join the festivities) Think about the colour - should it be white? whould it match the bridesmaids dresses? How about something towing a big banner? -or- I think that a train of white/pink/light blue eddy kites (or similar simple design with lots of ribbons would be appropriate. -or- How about using a large delta or parafoil as a sky hook, giving each guest a simple white banner or sock, inviting them to add their signature and greeting with a marker pen, before adding it to the line as you let the line out. Andrew = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: david@infopro.com (Dragon [David Fiedler]) Subject: Re: Kites and Weddings Message-ID: <1992Oct23.055537.4803@infopro.com> Date: 23 Oct 92 05:55:37 GMT Organization: InfoPro Systems: Writers, Consultants, and Dragons hills@rpi.edu (Stephen C Hill) writes: >I have some friends who are getting married next month and I figured >I'd give them a kite (or kites) as a wedding gift. I'm curious if >there are any customs/traditions regarding kites and weddings. My >particular interest in this case is in Japanese customs as the >groom's mother is Japanese. The kite will probably be a rokkaku. >To some extent, I want to make sure I don't step on any toes or do >anything inappropriate. Whatever you do, don't give a white kite. White is the color of mourning in Japan. -- David Fiedler UUCP:{netcomsv,utoday}!infopro!david AIR: N3717R "The future is tekon." Internet: david@infopro.com or david@utoday.com USMail:InfoPro Systems, PO Box 220 Rescue CA 95672 Phone:916/677-5870 FAX:-5873 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: dave@pipi.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp (David Wuertele) Subject: Re: Kites and Weddings Message-ID: Organization: Institute of Industrial Science, University of tokyo. Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1992 05:37:55 GMT In article <1992Oct23.055537.4803@infopro.com> david@infopro.com (Dragon [David Fiedler]) writes: > hills@rpi.edu (Stephen C Hill) writes: >> I have some friends who are getting married next month and I figured >> I'd give them a kite (or kites) as a wedding gift. > > Whatever you do, don't give a white kite. White is the color of mourning > in Japan. It also happens to be the color that the bride wears during the wedding ceremony, and in most instances, during the reception as well. There is more than one interpretation of almost any color. Red, for example, is a general "congratulations" color, but it also happens to be the traditional color of ink used when writing a Dear John letter (or Sayonara Sachiko). I don't think you can go wrong by using one of those famous Kabuki prints. I'm sure you can find one in a kite book. Depending on the groom's mom's age, you may want to make it Hello Kitty, Ultra Man, Speed Racer, or some other bit of Japaneseosity that we're so grateful for. The best bet would be to ask soc.culture.japan. Dave ps. If the groom's mom has been living in the States (or Tokyo for that matter), there may be no more cultural toes left to step on. ----- David Wuertele, Yasuda Lab, Electronic Engineering, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo. dave@windsor.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Subject: Re: Kites and Weddings Message-ID: From: foster@nzkites.UUCP (Foster Schucker) Date: 24 Oct 92 16:27:20 GMT Organization: Kiteflyers Roost hills@rpi.edu (Stephen C Hill) writes: > The idea is to then allow the guests at the reception to sign or > otherwise decorate it. To complement this, I will probably give > them a second kite, decorated by me (haven't decided what to do > yet). It works great. When I left New Zealand, I did the same thing. When you are close to it you can make out the names. When it's up in the sky it has a real neat pattern to it. I recommend getting waterproof markers, you don't want to ruin it on damp grass. Foster Schucker (foster@nzkites.uucp) (1-215-458-8354 (voice)) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: mss@endor.uucp (Marty Sasaki) Subject: Re: Kites and Weddings Message-ID: <1992Oct27.165920.9472@das.harvard.edu> Organization: Sasaki Kite Fabrications Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1992 16:59:20 GMT One thing to keep in mind is that white is traditionally the color of mourning in many Asian countries, this is certainly true in Japan. So, I would avoid an all white kite. Red is the color of celebration and often thought of as a color for good luck in Japan. Possibly one could find someone to make you an all red rokkaku. You could have it signed using silver and gold paint markers. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Marty Sasaki Sasaki Kite Fabrications mss@das.harvard.edu 26 Green Street phone: 617-522-8546 Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =