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demonbelthazorWhen Allie's and Bel's turn came, the danger room darkened, and an overly dramagic voice said "In ancient Japanese myth, all things were created by the marriage of the male and female gods, Izanagi and Izanami--Japan's Adam and Eve. According to legend, these two gods came down to primeval earth from the heavens on a rainbow bridge. Out of their union came the islands of Japan, the sun, the moon, the mountains, the trees and the wind."
Allie and Bel proceeded up to the front of the class as the danger room brightened and changed to look like a Japanese garden. Allie wore a white kimono, while Bel had on black kimono and hakama pants. Allie's hair was up and fastened with tortoise shell combs, and a white veil covered her face. Standing with them were Cally and Anders as Allie's parents, and Alanna (looking quite cranky and a bit green) and Grissom as Bel's parents.
There was a table of items (including flowers, origami cranes, and a sake set) prepared in advance of the class, from which Bel picked up a folded fan and an envelope (filled with Monopoly money), from which dangled gold and silver strings. "The Japanese betrothal ceremony," Bel said, "called the 'yuino,' is an exchange of symbolic gifts between the groom's and bride's families. Some popular gifts: dried cuttlefish for its phallic shape; 'konbu,' a seaweed whose name can be written to mean 'child-bearing woman'; a long white piece of hemp, representing a wish that the couple will grow old and gray together; and a folding fan, which spreads to show future wealth and growth." He opened the fan. "The main gift is money" -- he held up the envelope -- "tucked in a special envelope called a "shugi-bukuro," which has gold and silver strings that are impossible to unknot. The other gifts are given in ornate rice-paper envelopes."
He looked to Allie to begin talking about the marriage ceremony.
Allie and Bel proceeded up to the front of the class as the danger room brightened and changed to look like a Japanese garden. Allie wore a white kimono, while Bel had on black kimono and hakama pants. Allie's hair was up and fastened with tortoise shell combs, and a white veil covered her face. Standing with them were Cally and Anders as Allie's parents, and Alanna (looking quite cranky and a bit green) and Grissom as Bel's parents.
There was a table of items (including flowers, origami cranes, and a sake set) prepared in advance of the class, from which Bel picked up a folded fan and an envelope (filled with Monopoly money), from which dangled gold and silver strings. "The Japanese betrothal ceremony," Bel said, "called the 'yuino,' is an exchange of symbolic gifts between the groom's and bride's families. Some popular gifts: dried cuttlefish for its phallic shape; 'konbu,' a seaweed whose name can be written to mean 'child-bearing woman'; a long white piece of hemp, representing a wish that the couple will grow old and gray together; and a folding fan, which spreads to show future wealth and growth." He opened the fan. "The main gift is money" -- he held up the envelope -- "tucked in a special envelope called a "shugi-bukuro," which has gold and silver strings that are impossible to unknot. The other gifts are given in ornate rice-paper envelopes."
He looked to Allie to begin talking about the marriage ceremony.
