Hapa Power at the Torino Games Bulletin Readers’ Haiku Unfolding cherry blossoms t 5’7 and 170lbs, Scarborough’s Vicki Sunohara exuding a sweet scent would be dwarfed by the smallest player on Spring has sprung Canada’s men’s hockey team at the 2006 Patsi Naomi Yodogawa, Vancouver Torino Olympics. Yet she flies home tomorrow Aafter the closing ceremonies with a gold medal hanging I made a student cry around here neck—a prize that eluded the men this by giving so much homework year in a much-publicized and -lamented collapse. At I cried too 35, she is a veteran on Team Canada—the only current member of the National Women’s Team to have played James Edel, Richmond thethe longlong roadroad at the inaugural World Women’s Championship in boughsboughs ofof whitewhite blossomsblossoms 1990. She was two months shy of her 20th birthday at lightlight thethe wayway pink petal shower: the time. Having played in ten World Championships luscious blossom kisses on and two Olympic Winter Games prior to the Torino Helen Baker this windy spring day Games, Sunohara has plenty of experience to share North Vancouver, British Columbia Lorene Oikawa, Surrey with her younger teammates, a fact that is reflected BestBest CanadianCanadian PoemPoem in the “A” she proudly wears on her jersey. While not A majestic tree as high profile as some of her team mates, she brings are so many great players. To be able to make the team and be a part of standing alone in the wood experience and a steadying influence to this remark- all this . . . I can’t imagine anything better. The friends that I’ve made and silently in thought able team, which outscored its opponents 46 to two on how much I love the competition. Trying to get better every day. I can’t Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival its way to a gold medal win over Team Sweden. imagine trading that for anything.” inda Poole spent most of her life in Vancouver, Both Japanese and West Coast Style The eagle sours high Sunohara’s father David, who once played hockey for Still, when the day does come that she hangs up her skates, coaching is and always remembered spring as a special bentos will be available for purchase. above the cares of the world the Ryerson Rams, died of a heart attack when Vicky was very real possibility. She has had some experience coaching at the University time, with the thousands of blooming cherry The bentos will be available from with wings of justice only seven. Her mother Cathy is of Ukrainian descent but of Toronto, and experience she says was positive. For now, she continues to trees adding a special magic as winter melted March 13 onwards and order forms Laway. When her husband, who is in the Canadian for- are available on the festival website. made sure her three kids grew up proud of their Japanese play with the Brampton Thunder in the NWHL, where she continues to work A cookie pony heritage. While she wanted to enroll Vicky in Japanese on becoming a complete player in the mold of Detroit’s Steve Yzerman, eign surface, was posted overseas in hot climates, they Poole points out that all aspects of the both beautiful and tasty lessons, though, they took a back seat to hockey, floor one of her role models. Still, despite her recent attention to the defensive only came home to Vancouver in the summers and she festival are free, except the bentos, there are none left now hockey and bowling. Years later all that practice paid side of her game, she remains the team’s all-time leading scorer. found herself missing the blossoms. and through purchasing the Official off when Sunohara made her first trip to Japan as a When not leading her team on the ice, Sunohara owns and operates When they returned home two years ago, Poole Cherry Blossom Viewing Picnic you Michael Bennett (14) member of Team Canada, winning a silver medal at the the Vicky Sunohara Female Hockey School. She also has an award, named came up with the idea of a city-wide celebration that can support the festival. As an added 1998 Nagano Games. There, Sunohara became a minor after her, with the Whitby Girls Hockey Association and is a spokesperson would encompass many different events and bring incentive, orders of 15 or more will celebrity, receiving more than 100 interview requests for the Youth Assisting Youth Program, helping to provided youth with together people of all ages and cultures to celebrate be delivered free to the cherry tree Top Haiku from from Japanese media outlets on her arrival in Japan. the same opportunities she had growing up. the arrival of the blossoms and their special contribu- of your choice. Festival Entries While in Japan, she made a pilgrimage to Ueda-shi, the tion to Vancouver’s natural beauty. Poole has been overwhelmed small village where her father’s ancestors hailed from, and Another hapa, United States short track speed skat- With a very small budget, she embarked on a two- by the response to the festival. cherry blossoms had an emotional reunion with relatives there, where she ing star Apolo Anton Ohno, skated away with a gold year mission to make her dream a reality. This month, The haiku contest alone attracted I fold my résumé was feted as a hometown hero. and two bronzes at the Torino Olympics. In the 1000 Vancouver City Council will proclaim March Vancouver almost 1,000 entries from around into a crane Over the past 16 years, Sunohara has seen the wom- Cherry Blossom Month at the opening ceremonies, the world. Four local poets volun- metre he finished third behind two Korean skat- Barry Goodmann en’s hockey scene change dramatically, with many more which are, at this point, TBA in early March. On the teered to go through the entries ers; in the 5000 metre relay his team finished third Hackensack, New Jersey girls taking up the sport as opportunities open up for phone this morning, Poole pointed out that weather and select the top 30 haiku, which behind the koreans, who overtook the Canadians Best U.S. Poem female players. This is attributable in large part to the in the final few metres to take the gold. The Ca- forecasting is an inexact process at best, making it dif- will be printed on ribbons and hung success of the National Team program including its ficult to predict with certainty when the cherry blossoms in a cherry blossom tree at Burrard nadians—Eric Bedard, Jonathan Guilmette, Charles cherry tree hard-won Gold Medal at the Salt Lake City Olympics. will make their appearance. Her Sakura Team – botanists SkyTrain Station in downtown Hamelin, Francois-Louis Tremblay and Mathieu even the blind woman While Team USA remains their only real competition, and arborists from The Vancouver Board of Parks and Vancouver. Four of these haiku will Turcotte—ended up with the silver medal despite picks blossoms that team’s surprise upset by Sweden at the Torino a well fought race. Recreation and UBC Botanical Garden – are monitoring also appear on a poster in 400 city Olympics points the way to increased competition in Ohno finished up these games with a gold the west side of Vancouver, looking for signs of impend- buses. is amazed at the dedication Rosa Clement the future. This can only be good for the game, which medal finish in the 500 metre, relegating Canada’s Francois-Louis Tremblay ing blooms. Poole herself has been driving down to of volunteers such as the Pacifi-kana Manaus, Brazil continues to be played in the shadow of the faster, to the silver medal. the Burrard Skytrain Station, the site of the launch, on Haiku Selection Committee who Best International Poem more physically punishing men’s game. Raised by his father Yuki, Ohno (who combined the Greek words “Apo,” a daily basis, looking for confirmation that the launch were up until 5:30am completing (outside North America) With a bushel of medals and awards, including two meaning “away,” and “lo,” meaning “look out” to create his unique first date—hopefully March 7 or 8—can be announced. the selection process. “I wouldn’t Olympic gold medals, to her name, Sunohara is uncer- name), Ohno is a star in the US short Track speed skating world. He began Whatever its eventual date, the inaugural opening ask a paid staff member to do stopped in traffic— tain how long she will continue playing on a competi- his training at age 13 and at 16 became the youngest skater in history event will get off to a rousing start with a performance by that,” she says, “and these were on my window tive level. Prior to the Torino Olympics, Sunohara told to win the World Cup. At the Salt Lake City games, Ohno won a gold at two taiko drummers from Vancouver’s Chibi Taiko. There volunteers!” Many of the haiku cherry blossom will also be a performance of Orff music by 30 grade five are posted on the festival website: hockeycanada.ca, “You never know when it’s going to 1,500 metres and a silver in the 1,000. His gold was received after placing Sophia Frentz (age 13) students from Vancouver’s Renfrew Elementary School, an www.vcbf.ca, where you can find be your last time. It’s just so much fun. Time goes by second in the 1,500, then moving up to first after Kim Dong-sung was Tauranga, New Zealand Uransenke tea ceremony demonstration, and free food up-to-date information on the vari- so fast . . . that’s what keeps me going. People ask me: disqualified for cross-tracking. Ohno’s win outraged South Korea fans so Best Youth Poem samples from Hi-To Food/Fisheries and Savory Coast, both ous activities, as well as the launch ‘You have an Olympic gold medal, what do you need much that they bombarded him with hate mail and called for a boycott (age 18 and under) of whom will be supplying special bentos for the cherry date, once it is set. now?’ But to be able to make this team is huge. The on U.S. imports while the team threatened to pull out of the closing competition to make this team is unbelievable. There ceremony at Salt Lake. blossom picnics that provide the edible part of the festival. for events listing see page 15

10 I The Bulletin FEBRUARY 2006 I 11 from real life. If you need a break from your little tamagotchi, you don’t need to find day care, you just from put it on pause. And if your little pet does shuffle off Wikipedia Pixel Perfect its mortal coil, a press of a button will get you a new The Tamagotchi (たまごっち Tamagotchi) is a handheld virtual pet egg and you can start all over again. After all, when created by Aki Maita and sold by Bandai. The name combines the rub it on yourself (images of Jerry quantities of honey, and no luck. all’s said and done – it’s still a kid’s game. JEG Japanese word for egg (“tamago”) and the syllable “chi” which Springer immediately sprang to That’s OK, I commiserated—it hap- denotes affection, and is also a pun on both “wotchi” (ウォッチ; bor- Pets mind, which I quickly suppressed) pens all the time in real life. rowed from English “watch”, as in the time piece) and “tomodachi” The whole thing seemed harmless enough; my then you connect with another By now I felt like I had a vested (Japanese for friend.) Also, because “tamago” is Japanese for egg, daughter was happily occupied and it didn’t seem tamagotchi, they kiss, a heart ap- interest in this little pixel-generated Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Events and “tomodachi” is Japanese for friend, Tamagotchi could be taken pears, the screen goes black, creature and my daughter was to mean egg-friend. to be affecting her grades at school. It also satis- Community/Media Kick-Off Event then fireworks light up more than happy In Japanese and most other languages it is pronounced with a Forecasted for March 7th or 8th at Burrard Station. fied her deeply rooted nurturing tendencies. the screen. When the to explain the in- long “o” sound — ta-ma-goh-chee — although in the United States Date to be confirmed. Then last week my daughter announced that screen comes back, tricacies of tama- it is typically pronounced “ta-ma-GAH-chee”. In Japan, the final her tamagotchi and Hannah’s tamagotchi were there are two gotchi ownership. Cherry Blossom Viewing Picnic “i” is usually elided, thus becoming Tamagotch. This is a common b a b i e s . O n e A Spirit of Vancouver initiative, the Vancouver Board of getting married and having a baby. It turns out taking occurence in the Japanese language. baby jumps care of a tama- Trade introduces Vancouver to the Japanese tradition he other day my daughter showed up after into the other gotchi is much of Hanami (blossom viewing with picnic celebration). school with a new treasure clasped in her little tamagotchi’s like taking care The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Map (March 2nd palm. This isn’t unusual; my daughter is the screen . . . of a real baby, edition of Vancouver Sun West Coast Life) identifying queen of miniature. For her, the ultimate pleas- by this point but the time some of Vancouver’s spectacular displays of cherry Ture is finding little objects that she can collect, name I needed to span is more trees. Check our forecast for weekly updates with re- and cherish. Sometimes they’re actual toys—she’s got c o n s u l t a c o n d e n s e d . gards to peak bloom locations. Following our launch a collection of Hamtaros, Littlest Pet Shops and Beanie higher power. They need to for the month of March you will be able to order a Babies—and sometimes they’re more commonplace: I headed on- be fed, played specially created picnic online: a Japanese Bento Box the plastic tabs that hold milk bottle lids in place for line to explore with, given medi- lunch by Hi-To Food/Fisheries or a West-Coast Picnic by instance. They invariably get names like Fluffy, Fuzzy, this further. cine when sick, and Savory Coast. For details go here. Lily or Olive. Her Beanie Babies, for some as-yet-un- I quickly found a otherwise nurtured. Vancouver in Bloom explained reason, are mostly named after food items: website that contained eve- If you ignore them, they Artists paint the blossoms in March and Vancouver Burrito, Avocado, Quesadilla, Banana, etc. rything you always wanted to know complain. If you play with them and enjoys the results during the exhibition, April 15th and This time it was different; when she opened her hand, about virtual pets but were afraid to buy them things they’re happy. 16th at VanDusen Botanical Garden. she was holding a small object shaped like a slightly ask: “The egg-shaped toy simulates You also need to clean up after Blossom Watch flattened egg with a miniature screen and several tiny the life cycle of a pet, letting kids they poop until they get potty- Share your favorite cherry tree by entering a photo to buttons. It looked vaguely familiar. Maybe it was some experience the fun and responsibil- trained (my daughter pointed out win in the media’s Blossom Watch Web Site Contest. kind of kiddie Blackberry. What is it? I asked. It’s a ity of feeding, tending to and caring the other day that while they do Prize: Tickets for two to Japan on Japan Airlines. Con- tamagotchi, she said, Emma gave it to me. Tamagotchi? for their virtual pet. The advanced number 2, they don’t do number test is open to amateur photographers. Full contest I said—I thought they were extinct. What’s ‘extinct’? she Tamagotchi Connection features new 1). They go through adolescence, details March 2nd only in The Vancouver Sun. wanted to know. Like the dinosaurs, I said. infrared communication functions complete with surly behaviour.

You remember tamagotchis don’t you? They’re allowing the virtual pet to become Once they’re old enough, they’re Story Time and Origami Workshop those little virtual pets that were de rigueur among friends with other Tamagotchi, visit its ready for marriage and a baby. Vancouver Public Library presents a workshop on the pre-teen set in the mid-nineties. Like most fads, friends to give gifts or play games to- Now here’s the thing about folding origami cherry blossoms while sharing cherry they came and went, another salvo in the Japanese gether, and eventually have a possible tamagotchi parenthood, it turns out KEIKO NORISUE blossom stories. New Century Real Estate quest for world domination. second, third and fourth generation that once a baby is a few days old, I asked around the schoolyard, and sure enough, virtual pet.” the mother dies. When I expressed Self-Guided Blossom Walks tamogotchis had made a comeback, sort of like bellbot- The website didn’t cover every- horror at this seemingly cruel and houses • condominiums • commercial properties Haiku toms and ABBA. Well, I told my daughter, that’s fine, thing, however. What about same- heartless quirk in the tamogotchi The Vancouver Public Library hosts a haiku presentation businesses • lands • property management but if you forget it at home one day I’m not feeding it, sex marriage, I wanted to know. evolutionary process, she explained, by Haiku Society of America vice-president Michael remembering the tears when my niece—who is older Do the tamagotchis have to be of perfectly logically, that she couldn’t Dylan Welch, and the Pacifi-kana haiku group will host n16 years of experience n bilingual in English and Japanese and had one of the first generation tamagotchis—let the opposite sex in order to marry take of two pets, so of course the a ginkō in Queen Elizabeth Park. We invite one and n anywhere in lower mainland n my cell number: her pet die from neglect. The whole thing seemed harm- and have babies? This stumped my mother has to die. Of course, I re- 604-250-4935 all—but particularly, aspiring haijin (haiku poets)—to less enough; my daughter was happily occupied and it daughter. A couple of days later she plied, rather queasily, wondering if come out to these events. didn’t seem to be affecting her grades at school. It also solemnly reported that two female National Geographic had heard of satisfied her deeply rooted nurturing tendencies. tamagotchis has successfully mated. this phenomenon. Premiere Screenings of the NHK Japan Prize What about boy tamagotchis? No, Then last week my daughter announced that her As for the responsibility that Cherry Blossom Zen Reach 15,000 readers! she said, they’d tried and it didn’t tamagotchi and Hannah’s tamagotchi were getting comes with ownership, if you don’t Including Cherry Blossom Origami, Ikebana and Way work. I changed the subject. So married and having a baby. It turns out that not only care from them properly or pay of Tea at Queen Elizabeth Park. can this new breed of tamagotchi exchange gifts and what about you and Hannah? I them enough attention they get asked, have the nuptials had taken visit each other, they can procreate. By now, my mind mad and misbehave. Eventually, if Program subject to change Western Canada’s only bilingual place yet? No, she explained, no was starting to boggle. And how does the marriage neglected long enough, they grow For a complete listing of events please refer to the English/Japanese community Paper since 1958 process work? I asked. Well, she explained, you save fireworks. They’d tried for days, little angel wings and die. And Vancouver Sun March 2nd, the Festival Pull Out Guide Call Anne at 604.609.0657 [email protected] dousing themselves in copious up points by winning games, then you buy honey and here’s where virtual pets differ in WestCoast Life, or check www.vcbf.ca.

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