Japanese cherry blossoms symbolize life. They bloom around the end of March and the beginning of April, depending on the weather. As the season changes from winter to spring, they bring the promise of new life. They have a short lifespan but bring bright and vibrant colors.
Fun fact: in 1912 Japan gifted three thousand Yoshino cherry blossom trees to Washington D.C as a symbol of friendship and respect.
Just recently All Nippon Airways (ANA) and National Cherry Blossom Festival (NCBF) gifted South Lakes High School six Yoshino cherry blossom trees between the student parking lot and the stadium. During the ceremony members from ANA and NCBF shared some words about the friendship between Japan and the U.S in regards to the cherry blossom trees. Mr. Seward, the principal, and Dr. Rodriguez, one of the assistant principals, shared some remarks at the ceremony as well.
Students Sena Elston, Mia Buntin, Aya Ryan, and Liam Birch who are in the Japanese IB (International Baccalaureate) program, sang a song titled Sakura to the cherry blossoms, and student Victor Winsterstein played the violin. Sakura Song is a traditional Japanese folk song representing spring and the cherry blossoms. It’s sung in an international setting representing Japan.
Two other students, Hayato Tano and Eric Loizeaux, who are also in the Japanese program, read poems dedicated to the cherry blossom trees. The first poem is by Yosa Buson. This poem is haiku. Haiku poems are a Japanese poem of seventeen syllables in three lines of five, seven, and five traditionally representing ideas and views of the natural world. Cherry Blossom is a poem that shows the cherry blossom trees as clouds or as a sea of blooms flooding everything, even reality itself. It has a dreamlike quality and describes the moment of peak bloom. The second poem is by Saigyo Hoshi. This poem isn’t technically a Haiku, but it has a similar style. His poem explains how he felt about the heartache and loneliness of the cherry blossom trees.
South Lakes also received some gifts and a plaque during the ceremony. The cherry blossom trees are bare as of now but come spring they will bloom, filling the student parking lot with beautiful white and pink flowers for all to enjoy.
