JCCC ORI GAMI CRANE PROJECT MATERI ALS FOR TEACHERS & STUDENTS

MEANING OF THE ORIGAMI CRANE

1he !apanese word, orlgaml" ls a comblnaLlon of
Lwo words ln !apanese: orl" whlch means Lo fold"
and kaml" whlch means paper". lL ls belleved LhaL
!apanese orlgaml began ln Lhe 6Lh cenLury and
because of Lhe hlgh cosLs of paper, orlgaml was only
used for rellglous ceremonlal purposes.

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ln !apan, Lhe crane ls a mysLlcal creaLure and ls belleved Lo llve for a Lhousand years. As a resulL, ln Lhe
!apanese, Chlnese and korean culLure, Lhe crane represenLs good forLune and longevlLy. 1he !apanese
refer Lo Lhe crane as Lhe blrd of happlness". 1he wlngs of Lhe crane were belleved Lo carry souls up Lo
paradlse. MoLhers who pray for Lhe proLecLlon of Lhe crane's wlngs for Lhelr chlldren wlll reclLe Lhe
prayer:

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1radlLlonally, lL was belleved LhaL lf one folded 1000 orlgaml cranes, one's wlsh would come Lrue.
lL has also become a symbol of hope and heallng durlng challenglng Llmes. As a resulL, lL has become
popular Lo fold 1000 cranes (ln !apanese, called senbazuru"). 1he cranes are sLrung LogeLher on sLrlngs
- usually 23 sLrlngs of 40 cranes each - and glven as glfLs.

A famous sLory abouL senbazuru ls LhaL of Sadako Sasakl (see ":+3+(& +-3 5)* ;)&60+-3 <+=*/ >/+-*09
by Lleanor Coerr [1977]). Sadako was a llLLle glrl who was exposed Lo radlaLlon as an lnfanL when Lhe
aLomlc bomb was dropped on Plroshlma. AlLhough she survlved Lhe bomb, she was dlagnosed wlLh
leukemla by Lhe age of 12. She declded Lo fold 1000 cranes, hoplng LhaL her wlsh Lo llve would come
Lrue. unforLunaLely, she only was able Lo fold 644 cranes before she passed away. Per classmaLes Lhen
conLlnued Lo fold cranes ln her honour and she was burled wlLh a wreaLh of 1000 cranes Lo honour her
dream. 1here ls now a sLaLue of Sadako ln Plroshlma eace ark - a llLLle glrl sLandlng wlLh her hand
ouLsLreLched, holdlng a paper crane. Lvery year, Lhousands of wreaLhs of senbazuru are draped over her
sLaLue.