Students Experience a New Culture

On Tuesday September 13th many Fair Grove students, 1-12the grade attended an assembly in the high school gym put on by the Sister Cities Organization. The assembly honored calligrapher Seiran Chiba. Chiba is from Fukushima, Japan. She has been teaching calligraphy to both adults and children, starting at those who are in the third grade in Japan who are in temporary housing due to the tsunami five years ago. She is a professional calligrapher, and her work is even sometimes used for logos in Japan. Along with being a professional calligrapher, Chiba travels around the world, teaching people the art of calligraphy.

Throughout the day of September 13 she spoke at three separate assemblies at Fair Grove for the high school, middle and elementary schools. Except for kindergarten, all elementary and middle school students attended the assembly, and students from Mrs. Brown’s art classes who wished to attend also went, “It was cool to see how different countries convey their art in their culture,” stated Parker Van Nostrand (12). It was the first time Fair Grove Students were able to see an assembly like this one.

In her presentation Chiba taught the students the importance of calligraphy to Japan’s culture. She gave a brief history and gave a presentation of her art on a small piece of paper and with a large paper on the floor of the gymnasium. Chiba stated, “Not many people in America know about calligraphy, so I enjoy showing my art around the world, showing other cultures something that is so important to Japan.”