The Hawaii Bonsai Association (HBA) is a member of the Bonsai Clubs International. HBA, founded in 1972, celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2002. It has an interesting and unique history, as does bonsai itself in Hawaii.
MISSION STATEMENT : The mission of the Hawaii Bonsai Association is to promote the art and culture of bonsai to Hawaii 's communities. This endeavor will be achieved by providing bonsai knowledge, exhibits, demonstrations, and educational programs, among other means. The Hawaii Bonsai Association will strive to serve as a resource to bonsai organizations throughout the State of Hawaii . Bonsai in Hawaii most likely had its beginning with the first Japanese immigrants who arrived as early as 1868. Soon to follow were Japanese contract laborers imported to work in Hawaii's sugar plantations. They began growing dwarfed trees and plants in pots using materials found in Hawaii. Later, Japanese merchant and naval training ships brought Japanese bonsai, primarily Japanese black pine, to Hawaii. One such plant, estimated to be over 125 years old, is now in the Hawaii State Bonsai Repository.
Tragically, almost all of the old, well-trained bonsai developed and maintained in Hawaii prior to 1941 were abandoned or destroyed following the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Their owners were fearful of being apprehended as pro-Japan sympathizers. A few bonsai were saved by being planted in the ground as landscape trees. One brave exception was Soboku Nishihira who defied the threat of FBI arrest and incarceration by gathering up abandoned bonsai from their fear-stricken owners. A friend and former dormitory mate from the plantations days, Haruo Kaneshiro, became fascinated by the beautiful bonsai collected by Nishihira and acquired many of them to begin what would become the finest post-war bonsai collection in Hawaii. Thus commenced "Papa" Kaneshiro's 50 year career as a bonsai hobbyist, artist and teacher, inspiring and developing most of Hawaii's present bonsai leaders and thereby earning the sobriquet "the father of bonsai in Hawaii."
After World War II, other bonsai pioneers began to import shinpaku, satsuki, keyaki, and other bonsai trees from Japan. In the late 1950's, elder Japanese bonsai hobbyists organized the Honolulu Bonsai Kenkyu Club to hold bonsai exhibits, plant sales and field trips to promote their mutual bonsai interests. However, the Kenkyu Club conducted their activities and proceedings in Japanese. This left the younger, non-Japanese speaking members feeling isolated and excluded. They also felt that an English-speaking group of cosmopolitan members would be more in keeping with "Hawaiian style" and American ideals. This group petitioned for a Charter of Incorporation and thus, in 1972, the Hawaii Bonsai Association was formed.
It is said that there are more bonsai hobbyists per capita today in Hawaii than in any other state. It is no longer a hobby of those only of Japanese ancestry. It now also includes those with Hawaiian, Chinese, Caucasian, Korean, Filipino, Portuguese, Vietnamese, German, Italian, Thai, and many other backgrounds as well. This mix is not to be found anywhere else in the world in such a small area. Bonsai in Hawaii reflects many facets of these diverse cultures, which adds greatly to its uniqueness.
Hawaii Bonsai Association was the host for Bonsai Clubs International conventions in Hawaii in 1980, 1990 and 2000.
Source:http://www.hawaiibonsaiassoc.org/files/History.html
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Bonsai Of North America
History of NABF
NABF was formed as a minimal organization to represent the North America region in the World Bonsai Friendship Federation that was officially formed in 1989, but as an international organization that traces its roots to 1970.
World Bonsai Friendship Federation has twice published BONSAI OF THE WORLD in 1993 and in 2001. Ted Tsukiyama of Hawaii has served as the WBFF legal counsel and also as the Editor of Bonsai of the World I & II. In each of these publication, there was a summary article from each international WBFF region. The articles "Bonsai in North America" from the two issues are reproduced below to acquaint all NABF supporters via "snapshots from our past." Both articles are compiled reports from throughout the regions by David Fukumoto, who was the Assistant Editor of Bonsai of the World II, and is the current NABF editor.
An introduction to Bonsai in North America (1997)
Information for this article was requested from various members of the WBFF North American region and the information received was compiled into an article that was submitted in 1997. However, due to difficulties, BOTW II was not published to the summer of 2001 and some of the information is, therefore, outdated. The article is reproduced as submitted.
WBFF plans to publish BONSAI OF THE WORLD III in 2005 for sale at the start of the World Bonsai Convention in Washington DC in 2005. For that issue, the NABF Editorial Team will submit an article presenting an overview of our region's activities and highlights from a 2005 perspective.
The NABF Editorial Team is now being organized and a current 2002 NABF status report will be compiled from short blurbs submitted by the NABF Regional Editorial Teams and this will be posted in the coming months.
Additionally, the NABF Editorial Team will compile, edit, and produce a BONSAI IN NORTH AMERICA booklet of about 100 pages to be published prior to World Bonsai Convention in Washington DC in 2005 to serve as a kind of NABF "year-book" to be published every four years. ~~~David W. Fukumoto, NABF Editor, August 11, 2002
BONSAI IN NORTH AMERICA (1997)
The North America Bonsai Federation (NABF) includes Bonsai Clubs International, which is active internationally; the American Bonsai Society, which has members mainly throughout the United States; regional organizations that coordinate the activities of local clubs; non-profit organizations affiliated with public bonsai collections; and the larger clubs in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
With such a diversity of existing bonsai organizations, there was agreement that it was desirable to form the North American Bonsai Federation, a limited purpose organization to primarily serve as a liaison between the World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) and the member organizations. We all also agreed that bonsai master John Naka of California should be the president and representative delegate to the WBFF.
Our region includes the tropics of Hawaii, Florida and Mexico; colder Alaska and Canada; and all climatic zones between. A huge number of plant varieties are grown with varying care to suit each locale. Because they require less care, tropical indoor bonsai are becoming increasingly popular. Led by many pioneers like Dr. Bertram Breunner of Washington State, Ernesta Ballard of Pennsylvania, the late Haruo "Papa" Kaneshiro of Hawaii, John Naka of California, and many others, an American form of bonsai is emerging that includes all forms of artistic pot plants.
Americans tend to be creative individuals and most bonsai hobbyists do not join clubs. They may have just one or two bonsai that they treat very casually or large collections of very creative artistic pot plants that are trained using various combinations of Japanese, Chinese, tropical, and international concepts.
THE GROWING NUMBER OF PUBLIC BONSAI COLLECTIONS
America has a very transient society in which children rarely follow in the footsteps of their parents. As American lifestyle changes, children are not willing or able to take over family bonsai collections. Bonsai need consistent skilled care and a public repository is often the best solution when there is no one to carry on. The early public bonsai collections on the East Coast at Arnold Arboretum and Brooklyn Botanic Garden have been joined by collections at Longwood Garden, and others.
Each new public bonsai collection is created for different reasons, in different support groups, and funded in different ways. The Pacific Rim Collection in Federal Way, Washington, was funded by a single major patron with specimens purchased from throughout the country. The collection is maintained by a private foundation and there is no admission fee. Nearby, Elandan, featuring the Dan Robinson collection, is supported by an admission fee and income from its gift shop. In Vancouver, B.C., the Sun Yat Classical Chinese Garden features "penjing" from the Wu Eye-Sun Collection on display from June through October. Admission is free.
Source:http://www.bonsai-wbff.org/nabf/history.htm
NABF was formed as a minimal organization to represent the North America region in the World Bonsai Friendship Federation that was officially formed in 1989, but as an international organization that traces its roots to 1970.
World Bonsai Friendship Federation has twice published BONSAI OF THE WORLD in 1993 and in 2001. Ted Tsukiyama of Hawaii has served as the WBFF legal counsel and also as the Editor of Bonsai of the World I & II. In each of these publication, there was a summary article from each international WBFF region. The articles "Bonsai in North America" from the two issues are reproduced below to acquaint all NABF supporters via "snapshots from our past." Both articles are compiled reports from throughout the regions by David Fukumoto, who was the Assistant Editor of Bonsai of the World II, and is the current NABF editor.
An introduction to Bonsai in North America (1997)
Information for this article was requested from various members of the WBFF North American region and the information received was compiled into an article that was submitted in 1997. However, due to difficulties, BOTW II was not published to the summer of 2001 and some of the information is, therefore, outdated. The article is reproduced as submitted.
WBFF plans to publish BONSAI OF THE WORLD III in 2005 for sale at the start of the World Bonsai Convention in Washington DC in 2005. For that issue, the NABF Editorial Team will submit an article presenting an overview of our region's activities and highlights from a 2005 perspective.
The NABF Editorial Team is now being organized and a current 2002 NABF status report will be compiled from short blurbs submitted by the NABF Regional Editorial Teams and this will be posted in the coming months.
Additionally, the NABF Editorial Team will compile, edit, and produce a BONSAI IN NORTH AMERICA booklet of about 100 pages to be published prior to World Bonsai Convention in Washington DC in 2005 to serve as a kind of NABF "year-book" to be published every four years. ~~~David W. Fukumoto, NABF Editor, August 11, 2002
BONSAI IN NORTH AMERICA (1997)
The North America Bonsai Federation (NABF) includes Bonsai Clubs International, which is active internationally; the American Bonsai Society, which has members mainly throughout the United States; regional organizations that coordinate the activities of local clubs; non-profit organizations affiliated with public bonsai collections; and the larger clubs in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
With such a diversity of existing bonsai organizations, there was agreement that it was desirable to form the North American Bonsai Federation, a limited purpose organization to primarily serve as a liaison between the World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) and the member organizations. We all also agreed that bonsai master John Naka of California should be the president and representative delegate to the WBFF.
Our region includes the tropics of Hawaii, Florida and Mexico; colder Alaska and Canada; and all climatic zones between. A huge number of plant varieties are grown with varying care to suit each locale. Because they require less care, tropical indoor bonsai are becoming increasingly popular. Led by many pioneers like Dr. Bertram Breunner of Washington State, Ernesta Ballard of Pennsylvania, the late Haruo "Papa" Kaneshiro of Hawaii, John Naka of California, and many others, an American form of bonsai is emerging that includes all forms of artistic pot plants.
Americans tend to be creative individuals and most bonsai hobbyists do not join clubs. They may have just one or two bonsai that they treat very casually or large collections of very creative artistic pot plants that are trained using various combinations of Japanese, Chinese, tropical, and international concepts.
THE GROWING NUMBER OF PUBLIC BONSAI COLLECTIONS
America has a very transient society in which children rarely follow in the footsteps of their parents. As American lifestyle changes, children are not willing or able to take over family bonsai collections. Bonsai need consistent skilled care and a public repository is often the best solution when there is no one to carry on. The early public bonsai collections on the East Coast at Arnold Arboretum and Brooklyn Botanic Garden have been joined by collections at Longwood Garden, and others.
Each new public bonsai collection is created for different reasons, in different support groups, and funded in different ways. The Pacific Rim Collection in Federal Way, Washington, was funded by a single major patron with specimens purchased from throughout the country. The collection is maintained by a private foundation and there is no admission fee. Nearby, Elandan, featuring the Dan Robinson collection, is supported by an admission fee and income from its gift shop. In Vancouver, B.C., the Sun Yat Classical Chinese Garden features "penjing" from the Wu Eye-Sun Collection on display from June through October. Admission is free.
Source:http://www.bonsai-wbff.org/nabf/history.htm
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