Bob Shemeligian: Celebrating children not a bad idea

Thursday, Feb. 29, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

For 12 centuries, Girls' Day has been celebrated in Japan on March 3, and Boys' Day -- also known as Children's Day -- has been celebrated on May 5.

The Japanese term for Girls' Day is Hina Matsuri, which means "chick" or "doll" festival. Interestingly, over the years in cynical America, these words have degenerated into slang for a young woman.

But in Japan, where the holiday is celebrated in early spring when peach trees blossom, young birds and dolls are images of the magical beauty and promise in the life of a young girl.

"It's a day of appreciation," said Kana Kawamura, a native of Japan. "The family celebrates the health and happiness of their daughter."

Two months later, the Japanese will celebrate Kodomo-No-Hi (Children's Day) by launching colorful kites shaped like carp.

"The carp is considered a strong and happy fish and symbolizes long life," said Tomoko Tashiro, a Las Vegas writer who grew up in Tokyo.

Kawamura and Tashiro, who are in their 30s, remember Girls' Day celebrations in Japan.

"It's a joyous occasion," Kawamura said. "The family gets together with relatives and friends and they decorate dolls, and there is joy and laughter."

Tashiro said such celebrations are her first memories as a young girl. And today, her mother in Japan still keeps the dolls that were dressed and displayed more than 30 years ago.

On Saturday, she and her husband, Steve, will have a Girls' Day celebration for their 2-year-old daughter, Nicco.

"This holiday is something that Japanese parents share with their children," she said. "It can be difficult (for Americans) to understand the relationship."

Perhaps this is true in the United States, where there are adages about children "being seen and not heard."

"I believe that children learn from their parents, not only in Japan, but in America, too," Tashiro said.

As an example of the differences between the two cultures, Tashiro explained that in Japan it's not uncommon to see unsupervised children playing together in urban environments.

Tashiro recounted a recent conversation with a 10-year-old Japanese boy who wanted to go back to his native country. She asked him why.

"Because there I can go wherever I want to go and feel safe," the boy replied.

We can laugh about quaint Japanese traditions celebrating something that occurs all too frequently throughout the world -- the birth of a child.

But perhaps we can learn something from the Japanese.

By celebrating the birth and development of a child, a positive image is promoted.

Obviously the Japanese, who boast extremely low rates of juvenile crime and crime against children, are doing something right.

If you don't believe there is negativity associated with children in America, look up the word "tyke."

Besides meaning "small child," a tyke is also a "clumsy, churlish or eccentric person."

BOB SHEMELIGIAN is a SUN writer. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.