[grant-juni] Mark your calendars! MOCHITSUKI 2009

[Kim Tanada]

Mark your calendars!

13th Annual Japanese American New  Year Celebration
MOCHITSUKI 2009
"Mochitsuki Memories"
Saturday, January 17 2009

The Japanese American community begins observing Oregon’s 150th  
birthday with Mochitsuki 2009, a celebration of Japanese New Year  
traditions. “Mochitsuki,” or the making of mochi, a sticky rice cake,  
has taken place in Oregon since the first immigrants arrived in the  
late 19th century. Coming together to pound steamed rice into hearty  
cakes gathered people from far-flung railroad and lumber camps, farms  
and towns. Beginning the year with mochi symbolized both the strength  
of community and starting the year with a full belly.

The Portland area Japanese Americans invite the public to join in its  
lively annual celebration at Portland Community College Sylvania  
campus. In the Performing Arts Center, Mochitsuki Memories is a  
program of dynamic taiko drumming, Japanese folk dance, and  
storytelling that brings Oregon’s Japanese history to life. The  
concurrent Cultural Fair features a community stage, displays and  
hands-on activities for all ages. The exuberant Asian American drum  
performance group, Portland Taiko and their youth group, Tanuki  
Taiko, will deliver heart-pounding rhythms in the Mochitsuki Memories  
shows at 1pm and 3:15pm.

Storyteller Alton Chung has immersed himself in letters and journals  
of earlier generations of Japanese Americans to develop insightful  
tales that will delight all. Japanese folk dance by Sahomi  
Tachibana's dance troupe and Fujinami-Kai will fill the stage with  
the flowing color of kimonos in motion.

Tickets to Mochitsuki Memories are $12 for adults, $9 for students  
and seniors (62 years and older), and $5 for children (12 and under).  
There is no charge for children under 2. Advance tickets are  
available through the PDX Ticket Network at the Hollywood Theatre Box  
Office (4122 NE Sandy Blvd.; 1pm-9pm daily), by phone (503) 205-0715  
(Mon-Fri 7am-3pm, Sat-Sun 8am-1pm), and online at www.mochitsuki.org.  
Admission includes access to the Cultural Fair.

At the Cultural Fair in the nearby College Center, Japanese American  
community groups will come together to showcase their culture and  
traditions from 11am to 3pm. Food and entertainment always go hand-in- 
hand at these festivals. An array of Japanese food specialties will  
be available for purchase and the Community Stage will feature local  
performers, clubs and school groups. In Japan, the New Year begins  
with putting brush to ink to practice calligraphy. Visitors will have  
a chance to try this ancient art form to write an auspicious  
character for the New Year, or to write their name. Hands-on  
opportunities compliment community organizations' informational  
booths. There is a suggested donation of $4 for adults, $1 for  
children or $10 for a family for entrance into the Cultural Fair.

At the center of the Japanese New Year celebration is mochi, a sticky  
rice cake. Traditionally, the rice is pounded into soft dough in a  
mortar, the usu, with a large wooden mallet called a kine. Pounding  
mochi requires a team effort and timing, with one person wielding the  
kine and another brave person flipping over the mound of hot,  
steaming rice between the impacts of the mallet. Once the rice has  
reached a smooth, consistent texture, the dough is pinched off into  
individual servings and shaped into a smooth mound. Traditional mochi  
pounding demonstrations, accompanied with the rhythms of taiko drums,  
will take place at the Cultural Fair starting at 11am. Children and  
adults alike will have the opportunity to heft the mallet and try  
their hand at pounding mochi.

Now in its 13th year, Mochitsuki draws a crowd of more than 2,500 and  
is sponsored and supported by the Portland Chapter of the Japanese  
American Citizens League, Oregon Nikkei Endowment, Portland Taiko,  
Portland Community College Multicultural Center, the Japan-America  
Society of Oregon, Japanese Ancestral Society, The Consulate General  
of Japan and Konko Church of Portland.

For information about Mochitsuki, contact Kim Tanada via phone:  
503.804.9991 or email: ktanada at verizon.net

________________________________________

OYA NO KAI at Mochitsuki!

Oya No Kai has been a wonderful partner with Mochitsuki for many years.

Stop by Oya No Kai's booth where you will see our interns and  
volunteers spread the joy.

Also, the Community Stage will have performances by many of our JMP  
students so stay tuned for the line up!

________________________________________

CALLING ALL COMMUNITY STAGE PERFORMERS!

Talented Community Groups and Individuals are welcome to perform on  
our Community Stage.  Bands, Martial Arts, School Groups & Dance  
Troupes are some of the talents that line our stage.  If you or an  
organization you know is interested in performing contact Kazuyo Ito  
via phone: 503.367.3597 or email: ran at entaiko.com.


VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME TO HELP MAKE MOCHITSUKI 2009 SUCCESSFUL

To follow are just some of the areas that we could use your help with:
Initial Set up on the evening of Friday, January 16, Set up the  
morning of event, General Information Booth, Greeters, Community  
Partner Assistance, Community Stage and Break down/ Clean up.  To  
volunteer your time contact Take Momiyama via phone: 503-260-8569 or  
email: tmomiyam at hotmail.com.








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