Guest Post from Scharine Kirchoff:
Bingata Surface Design Class
This summer I was invited to teach Ryukyu weaving and dyeing techniques to a group of young Okinawans (ages 18-35) from South America, Asia and the U.S. during a cultural identity and preservation conference in Los Angeles, CA. I spent a month preparing to teach 7 day intensive courses in bashofu and Ryukyu kasuri ikat weaving and bingata surface design. The students were enthusiastic, dedicated and talented. The experience was memorable, and as we say in the native Okinawan language, it was Chimugukuru (a celebration of our heart, soul and spirit).