もうすぐ七夕ですね
スクールでは今週から笹を飾り、生徒様に短冊に英語で願い事を書いていただいています。
私が子どもの頃は、
I wish for world peace.
I wish for my family’s health.
I wish that July 7th is sunny so that Hikoboshi and Orihime can meet up.(世界平和/家族の健康/彦星と織姫が会えますように)の３つが定番でしたが、最近の小さなお子様はクリスマスのように、
”I wish for a Nintendo Switch./I wish for money!” (任天堂スイッチがほしい/お金がほしい)といった願い事から、
”I wish for no homework.”（宿題がなくなるように！）とただの願望だったり
私の願いは、
”I wish for someone to cook for me.” （誰か料理してくれる人がほしい！）
”I wish my daughter will break her thumb-sucking habit.” （娘が指しゃぶりをやめますように！）
"I wish everyone at TPA can enjoy English."（スクールにいらっしゃる生徒さん皆さんが英語を楽しめますように！）です。
このように、七夕には願い事を書いて飾りますが、外国人から「どうして願い事を書くの？」と質問されると戸惑いませんか。私たちの文化や習慣に「なぜ？」と質問されると、改めて考えさせられたり、学ぶことがたくさんありますよね。
1．Why do Japanese write their wishes for Star Festival?
どうして七夕に願い事を書くの？
In the past, people wished to improve their weaving skill.In the Edo period, the children at
Terako-ya (“temple school”: privateelementary school) started writing their wishes to get better at
the skills they were learning such as calligraphy, and it became an event.
2. What is Star Festival?
七夕って何？
It’s a romantic love story from China. Once upon a time,there lived a beautiful girl named Orihime (Vega ベガ、織女星) and a conscientious boy named Hikoboshi (Altair わし座のアルタイル、日本でひこ星). Orihime was a weaver,and Hikoboshi was a cattle herder.
One day, Orihime and Hikoboshi met each other and fell in love. They loved each other greatly and they got married. After they were married, they became very lazy and stopped working. Orihime’s
father, the King of the sky, got mad at them and separated them to the east and west side of the
Milky Way( 天の川）.
Orihime and Hikoboshi were sad that they could not see each other anymore. So, the King allowed them to meet only once a year on July 7th.If it rains on this day, the river floods and the two can’t meet until next year. That’s why people wish that July 7th will be sunny.
皆様の願い事は何ですか？
Let’s make a wish☆彡 I hope your wishes come true!