The 25th anniversary of a sister city relationship between Bihoro in Japan and Cambridge was celebrated with colour, excitement and a lot of noise on Saturday.
The noise came from the Wai Taiko drummers while the colour came from the costumes and cherry blossoms in the Japanese Garden alongside the Waipā District Council’s Service Centre.
Children learned how to make Japanese themed crafts including their own mini Koinobori (carp streamer).
Throw in a demonstration of Sensei – Go-Kan-Ryu karate and it was a quarter century celebrated in style.
The relationship was mooted as far back as 1993 when Professor Masahau Yamaki addressed the Cambridge Community Board with a sister city proposal.
He donated $1million Japanese yen – NZ$13,500 – to help develop and foster the relationship, and on October 12, 1997 a Sister Cities agreement was signed to formalise the connection.
The relationship was marked last week at a reunion dinner where a cake was cut by former councillor Grahame Webber, a strong supporter of the sister city relationship for all those 25 years.
Bihoro is on Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido and in the middle of Akan National Park. The town is rural with main industries of dairy farming and rice growing, and is home to the aboriginal Ainu people who have been noted to have similarities with Māori in their strong oral traditions and distinctive art.
Community Board member Alana MacKay said many school exchanges have taken place between the two communities with hopes these can start again soon.
Mike Vallabh, left, and Flavio Moghini of the Wai Taiko drummers entertain part of the crowd at the celebrations.
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- The Cambridge Community Board is responsible for the relationship between Bihoro and the town. Four members of the previous board were on hand to celebrate l-r Jo Davies-Colley, Sue Milner, Alana Mackay and Mike Montgomerie.
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- 25th anniversary celebration: l-r Alana MacKay, Lauree Fuller, Diana Ransley, Mark Ransley, Alisha Robinson, Robyn Maxwell, Mike Montgomerie, Craig Fuller, Sue Milner, Grahame Webber, Alan Livingston, Elwyn Andre-Wiltens, Janet Livingston, Taylor Marston, Ayako Imahashi, Toos Grootscholten, John Grootscholten, Julie Epps while Dean Epps is partly obscured behind Webber.
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- Bihoro Sister City Celebrations: Wai Taiko drummers Sarah Whittaker, left and Raewyn Wooderson
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- Youngsters enjoyed the chance to complete some craft work during the celebrations. L-r Caitlyn Davies, 7, Lucy Carmichael, 6, Sophie Davies, 11, Izzy Yerkovich, 7, Evelyn Johnson, 6 and Lily Davies, 4.
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- Sensei – Go-Kan-Ryu Karate members demonstrated the traditional Japanese style of karate. Pictured were, Back row, from left, Cassius Brown, Ryan Khiev, Gavin Moore, Shivneel Rajan and Daniel Patching, front, Emma Barrett-Garnier, Macarena Reidel Olivia Brotherston and Kyle Patching.
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- That’s Entertainment: Wai Taiko drummers l-r Arnav Ram, Raewyn Wooderson, Matthew Bryson (leader of the Kagutai Edgecume Taiko group), Flavio Moghini, Sarah Whittaker and Mike Vallabh.
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- Grahame Webber and Robyn Maxwell cut the Bihoro-Cambridge celebration cake.
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- Ken McNeil and Flavio Moghini (right) take centre stage during the Wai Taiko drummers’ performance.
