Miniature Origami Cranes by Stacie Tamaki

Tiny Cranes
Creating world peace, one tiny crane at a time.

Why I fold origami cranes . . .

The graceful beauty of the origami crane has made it one of the most beloved of the origami paper folds. Japanese folklore says that the crane lives for 1000 years. This is why the Japanese believe that folding 1000 cranes will bring good health and a long life, not only to the folder but to the recipient as well.

My inspiration, however, comes from another symbolic aspect, peace, and the story of Sadako Sasaki. Following the conclusion of the second World War, a 12-year-old girl named Sadako contracted leukemia as a result of the radiation poisoning she suffered when the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

A friend and classmate of hers recalled the ancient legend that if a person folded 1000 origami cranes, the Gods would grant that person a single wish.

She taught Sadako how to make a crane and inspired her to fold 1000 so she could wish for her health back. Sadako's brother hung the cranes, some strands with many cranes and larger cranes by themselves, from the ceiling of her hospital room. Sadly, Sadako died before completing her thousand cranes. At the time she died, she had folded more then 500 cranes. Her classmates finished folding the rest, and the cranes were buried with her in 1955.

School children everywhere in Japan were so moved by her story that they created a memorial to her. Today in Hiroshima's Peace Park, there is a statue of Sadako. Standing atop a granite mountain of paradise, she holds in her outstretched hands a single golden origami crane, a symbol of peace. An inscription added by the children of Japan reads:

This is our cry,
this is our prayer;
peace in the world.

Today thousands of cranes are laid beneath the dome of the statue. They are sent and brought by people from all around the world, touched by the story of Sadako. Each August 6th, thousands of cranes are placed at the base of the statue by the school children and people of Japan to commemorate Peace Day, during the annual Peace Festival in Japan.

I think the wish for peace encompasses all of the other things people wish for, peace for our bodies, minds and souls. As is so often the case in times of war, it is the story of a single child that crosses national boundaries and touches the world. My inspiration comes from the hope that someday we will all find peace within ourselves, and by doing so, will create peace in the world.

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Why do I fold such tiny cranes?

The reason is that to me, their small size represents the belief that any gesture of kindness, no matter how small, is not without worth. I hope my art will inspire viewers to stop and see the delicate beauty of the world that surrounds them, to recognize the tiny gestures of kindness that others extend to them, and to realize that they can return the same small gestures of kindness to others.

We live in a world full of grand schemes and people seeking fortune and fame which makes it easy to overlook thoughtful gestures of kindness. Some are so small they may seem insignificant, but they all add up to create something wonderful. My goal: That folding my cranes will help people to practice gestures of kindness which in turn will help to create peace in the world, one tiny crane at a time.

I want people to understand that we are all artists. We are all creators. Even if you never pick up a paint brush, we all create on the canvas of life. Each day we possess the ability to create good will or resentment, beauty or ugliness, peace or discord, and happiness or despair for ourselves and the world around us.

There is no secret formula or complicated technique to folding an origami crane. When viewing my work if I hear people say "I could never do that." I take a piece of paper and show them they are capable of more then they realize. The expression of astonishment on their face minutes later when they look down in awe at the crane they just made with their own two hands is priceless. And what I believe to be the most crucial element of the human psyche is reborn...

Imagination.

For with imagination, all things are possible.

Stacie Tamaki, 1997

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