Launching WHC worldkigo 2004

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WHC NEWS:
On the Launching of the WHCworldkigo Project by Susumu Takiguchi

QUOTE from WHR Volume 4 - 2004

The WHC’s new large-scale WHCworldkigo Project was launched on 11 July 2004 . It is a world-wide project to compile local kigo words from across the world through a central point: WHCworldkigo.

The project is an on-going effort to collect viable kigo from haiku poets around the world with an account written by them and some sample haiku poems to illustrate how the kigo could be used. Also, useful Internet links with similar projects and sites are being built up, as well as many URLs which tells us interesting background information relating to specific kigo. As the collection gradually builds itself up, it will assume effectively the shape of a world-wide kigo directory or database. Hence, the "world kigo". Once it reaches a certain size and content, it is our intention to present it as "WHC World Kigo Directory", which in turn will be augmented and enriched continuously. In this sense, it is a project without an end.

There are a few things about haiku outside Japan which have long remained not obvious, and are still not fully recognised in some instances. The kigo issue is a case in point. That there is little point in applying outside Japan those season words which are only applicable and meaningful in Japan ought to have been obvious. That, therefore, should not have been the issue. The real issue is whether or not finding local season words pertaining to specific climatic and cultural zones or countries in the rest of the world would be possible, plausible, desirable, useful or necessary in terms of making what is written as haiku more like haiku or better haiku. The fact that many poets have thus discarded or dismissed kigo (some have even condemned it as being no more than a weather forecast and not poetry) as inapplicable or irrelevant has damaged haiku outside Japan and denied it cultural and historical depth. But not irrevocably.

There are some poets who have recognised this point and started to suggest creating non-Japanese kigo which can either be used within a particular climatic and cultural zone or even world-wide in the case of some carefully chosen words which can have universal application. The new WHC project goes along with these poets and is aimed at stimulating and encouraging many other poets into joining forces in order to find a solution to this kigo issue and to do something concrete and useful, rather than repeating what has been obvious all along. Also, it is aimed that participants of this important project will enjoy learning other countries’culture and social practices

The new project is the brainchild of WHC's Director of Japan, Gabi Greve, who has for some time been developing the idea. Gabi has lived in Japan for a long time, studied Japanese culture in situ, learnt haiku from Japanese masters, professionally undertaken research projects including a study of Buddhism and Bodhidharma and has a feel and insight into the essence of things Japanese. The combination of her experience and expertise of Japan and her European (German) background puts her in an ideal position to lead an ambitious but highly worthy project such as this. She will be assisted by regional and linguistic co-ordinators living in different parts of the world.

WHCworldkigo is a "factory" where world kigo words are centrally collected, discussed, edited and compiled to become part of the body of the would-be world kigo directory. Already, many provisional kigo have been chosen and accounts written up. These are stored in the list’s files. It is aimed that members enjoy the exchange of views on kigo and working together, as well as gradually building up the database. It is also aimed at demonstrating the importance of kigo which is not just a season word but something impregnated with deeper cultural dimension.

Susumu Takiguchi

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July 11, 2004

Welcome to the new WHCworldkigo Project!

In a sentence the task of this Project is to collect from all over the world suitable words to be used as "world kigo", which range from place- or culture-specific words to those words of universal application.

In Japan, various kinds of season word directories called saijiki are available. For example, Dai-Saijiki, a large collection of season words, is a rich treasure-trove of Japanese culture, giving information not only about natural phenomena but also about such things as various festivals and human activities which occur during the year. Similarly, The illustrated Furusato Saijiki in eight huge volumes, collecting words pertinent to various provinces of Japan from northern Hokkaido to the subtropical Okinawa in the south, is a great “Tour de Japan” to discover the land and its inhabitants in each locality. Most of the words in these vast collections were derived when computers were not even invented, though new words have been added from time to time.

We will try to apply a concept similar to saijiki for different climatic and cultural zones or countries and collect in a central place those words which are submitted from all corners of the world. In this way, we will be effectively compiling a world saijiki.

It is true that nowadays we can easily google our way around the world but even so to be able to find something, in our case season words, in one place could be a great benefit and an invaluable source of inspiration for all haiku poets wherever they happen to live. It would especially benefit those who are interested in different cultures in a more specific and tangible way. Also, we would be able to study different meanings and connotations of a particular season word according to different cultures, e.g. "butterfly".

In this regard,Haiku World - An International Poetry Almanac by William J. Higginson is a wonderful step forward in this direction. Quote: “Arranging the poems by traditional topics allows each poem to join the global effort to see and appreciate the human and natural world, to become a part of the great chorus rather than remain isolated as a private solo.” WHCworldkigo Project seeks to achieve the same aim and hopes to be a small extension to his splendid work.

The traditional topics of Japanese saijiki are arranged typically in terms of Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and the New Year. Within these four seasons and the New Year there are usually sub-categories such as Seasons, Heaven, Earth, Humanity, Observances, Animals and Plants.

We can use these same classifications in our project, or something similar to them, and start collecting appropriate words from each of our own cultures, thus contributing to an international understanding of local events, climate, animals and plants and other human and natural situations via various kigo and haiku poems using them. Members of the WHC and their friends from all over the world are invited and encouraged to contribute their chosen kigo and some sample haiku poems. As the template I made will show, they should enter a brief explanation of the kigo.

I would like to invite you all cordially to join this new worldwide forum, WHCworldkigo, and relate your very special locality via your chosen kigo to the wider audience across the world.

My warmest thanks go to Susumu Takiguchi for making this project happen!

Gabi Greve
WHCworldkigo Project Director, Japan

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WHC JAPAN: Director Gabi Greve

Introducing the World Kigo Database,
by Gabi Greve

In the introduction to this database project, Susumu Takiguchi described it as “an on-going global project of what we term as 'world kigo', where we discuss and compile local kigo words from different parts of the world to build up a database gradually. Each kigo presented for adoption by haiku poets around the world will be accompanied by detailed explanation of it (including internet LINKS) by these poets themselves as well as some sample haiku poems to illustrate how the kigo could be used.

Since its start in July 2004, this project has been rapidly growing, thanks to the constant efforts of its members. By now we have more than 150 entries in our database. It is a great chance to learn about the different cultures where our members live and write haiku. From Alaska to the tropics, from Japan to Down Under, even haiku in Sanskrit.

jagannaatho
yoga-nidraayaam
jagat trasati trinaagre

Narayanan

There are special entries about the seasons and categories, constantly under discussion as new aspects arise. We established a Kenya Saijiki for the tropics and a collection of German kigo. Other local saijiki are in the making.

Some natural phenomenon are discussed more broadly, for example the use of rain as a kigo in many seasons:



may rain
leaves dancing
in the forest mist

Gabi Greve

The pine is another example of such a nonseasonal topic. Plants and animals are much more than just that. The cherry blossom is almost a symbol of Japan:

How many, many things
They bring to mind --
Cherry blossoms!

Basho

Fireflies (hotaru)

To understand the deep appreciation of the Japanese for fireflies, you need to know a bit about Japanese history and the conflict between the clans of the Heike and the Genji around 1180, which ended in the fall of the Heike clan. For the full entry, click here.

In a project together with WHCmultimedia we also featured many haiga about Valentine’s Day. I hope we can do more such projects in the future. WHChaikuneoclassical is another forum where knowledge of kigo is essential and I hope for future common projects.

I wish to thank all the members of the WHCworldkigo forum for their efforts and contributions to this database project. I also wish to thank Bill Higginson, who is always ready to give his professional advice when we get stuck with a difficult problem. This database of seasonal words gives us an opportunity to deepen the understanding of kigo issues and to appreciate the climate, life and culture of other parts of the world. I have learned so much already about other cultures (not the least the American one, which I am not very familiar with). I hope this project will carry on and keep being a source of enjoyment and knowledge for its members.


Dr. Gabi Greve
Director of WHCworldkigo
July 2004



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The use of kigo in Japanese haiku

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