Kakizome 2024

Melissa Dvozenja-Thomas, Executive Director, Arts Mid-Hudson

I blinked and 2024 is just around the corner. It’s this time of year when we look back on all we have accomplished, the places we’ve traveled, and the people we have spent time with. The new year is when we list our aspirations for the future in the form of resolutions, wishes, and intentions. A few years ago, I changed the way I look at the new year. Instead of making specific tasks or resolutions for the upcoming year, I find a word that embodies my goals for the year ahead. This word guides me throughout the year as I make decisions. I was introduced to this practice by attending Kakizome at Arts Mid-Hudson.

The Japanese express their hopes for the new year with kakizome, the ritualized first calligraphy writing of the year. Kakizome or “first writing” takes place within the first few days of the year. Traditionally this was written in a poetic calligraphic form expressing hopes and aspirations for the coming year, which were later burned to seal the fate of the hope.

Nowadays, practitioners write auspicious kanji (Chinese characters) rather than poems. This custom consists of putting your chosen wishes and hopes onto paper as a means of realizing them. For example, if you hope for good health in the new year, you would write a kanji for positive health; if you desire more patience, you would practice the kanji for tolerance or acceptance. Kakizome is about positive wishes for the new year. It is a reflective practice based on the belief that practicing one kanji over and over helps the writer focus on their wish.

Arts Mid-Hudson’s Folk Arts Program has collaborated with The Mid-Hudson Japanese Community Association for over a decade to bring this tradition to the Hudson Valley. The Mid-Hudson Japanese Community Association (MHJCA) is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to introduce Japanese culture to the local community, foster a sense of community among Japanese residents, and be a bridge for cultural exchanges between Japanese and non-Japanese residents of the Hudson Valley. MHJCA educational presentations and language classes are designed for children and adults in the Hudson Valley area.

All are welcome to join Kakizome 2024 on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at Arts Mid-Hudson in Poughkeepsie to guide us into the new year. Volunteers from the local Japanese community will be on hand, offering guidance in choosing and writing your chosen kanji. Brushes, paper, and ink will be provided. This free event is from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. You can register to reserve your spot but walk-ins are also welcome.

Invite friends and family to join you in this tradition. I will be bringing my family to kick off the year together. As we bring 2023 to a close, what are your wishes for 2024?

If you go:
Kakizome 2024
Saturday, January 6, 2024
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Arts Mid-Hudson, 696 Dutchess Turnpike, Suite F, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
To Register: www.artsmidhudson.org/kakizome
Contact: info@artsmidhudson.org
845-454-3222