Filipino children from across the country learned the Japanese art of the koinobori, a carp-shaped windsock, in a free hybrid workshop headlined by Dr. Nakamura Tetsu, President of the Association for the Wa Culture Education.

Koinobori was initially flown in Japan to celebrate the national holiday Tango no Sekku (Day of the Children). The traditional event was later developed into a global cultural symbol and a means of international exchange.

To introduce the rich heritage of the streamer to Filipinos aged 7 to 12, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), in collaboration with the Japan Foundation Manila Office, hosted a Zoom webinar that allowed the participants to virtually meet the koinobori master Dr. Nakamura.

The interactive activity allowed the children to design their own banners with kits provided by the expert. By inviting them to step outside and hang their creations, the session helped the students grasped that the decorative piece likewise served as an informative device on wind speed and direction.

The experience guided the students into understanding wind as a component of weather and aided as a point of entry to discuss climate change.

The workshop was conducted simultaneously with partner institutions – Alitaptap Artists Community, Museo De La Salle Bacolod, University of St. La Salle Bacolod and La Salle University Ozamiz.

It was held in line with the Tropical Climate Forensics, an ongoing online exhibition that provides an in-depth look at the anchors of the climate crisis. The digital showcase, which features a series of biomes created by Filipino trans-disciplinary artist Derek Tumala, was supported by British Council’s Creative Commissions for Climate Action, a global program exploring climate change through art, science and digital technology.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/MCADManila.