CLOTH

Description: MULTI-COLORED CLOTH THAT IS PREDOMINANTLY RED AND GREEN. THERE ARE MULTIPLE REPEATING PATTERNS OF LIONS AND BIRDS, BOTH DRAWN IN A STYLIZED FASHION INSIDE CIRCLES THAT HAVE AN ELABORATE PATTERN AROUND THEM AS WELL. THE TWO ENDS ARE FRAYED THAT ARE A MIXTURE OF GREEN, RED, BLUE, YELLOW, AND WHITE THREADS. THERE ARE NO MARKINGS OF ANY SORT THAT WOULD INDICATE WRITING. THE CLOTH IS CONTAINED INSIDE A GOLD AND SILVER BOX. GOLD BEING THE COVER WITH THE SILVER PART ACTUALLY CONTAINING THE CLOTH. THE COVER HAS A BRIGHT GOLD DESIGN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER WITH THE WORD "TATSUMURA" IMPRINTED UNDERNEATH IT. THERE IS A BUSINESS CARD ATTACHED TO THE COVER WITH AN ADHESIVE TAPE. IT STATES "SHIGERU ISE CONSUL GENERAL OF JAPAN". THE BOTTOM IS PLAIN SILVER WITH NO MARKINGS OR ATTACHMENTS. INSIDE THE BOX THERE IS ALSO TWO CARDS, ONE WITH WRITING IN ENGLISH IDENTIFIES THE CLOTH AS "TIGER AND BIRD BROCADE" AND GOES ON TO DESCRIBE THE ARTIFACT IN DETAIL. THE SECOND CARD IS PURPLE AND HAS JAPANESE WRITING ON IT. THERE IS FINALLY A WHITE PIECE OF THIN PAPER WHICH IS USED TO PROTECT AND CUSHION THE CLOTH.

History: A GIFT FROM JAPAN DURING THE 1996 STUDENT EXCHANGE. IT IS A POLITICAL CUSTOM IN S.E. ASIA TO GIVE A GIFT WHENEVER VISITING A FOREIGN REGION ON A POLITICAL MISSION. THIS IS SUCH A GIFT FORM THE JAPANESE CONSUL GENERAL IN CANADA. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING THOSE INITIALLY GIVEN TO THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE THROUGH VARIOUS EXCHANGES WITH CITIES IN JAPAN. LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES FROM 1992, 1997, AND 1998 DETAIL THREE SEPERATE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS WITH HIKARI, SEKI CITY, AND KUROHONE-MURA, JAPAN. LETHBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL DECLINED HIKARI'S OFFER OF AN OFFICIAL TWINNING ARRANGMENT IN 1992 DUE TO BUDGET LIMITATIONS AND BECAUSE OF PRIOR TWINNING WITH OTHER CITIES INCLUDING SAINT-LAURENT, QUEBEC, CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA, AND HENGSHUI CITY, CHINA. ST. FRANCIS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL RAN A STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM WITH SEKI CITY FROM 1993 TO 2003 AND LETHBRIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE HOSTED STUDENTS FROM THE VILLAGE OF KURHONE ANNUALLY FROM 1994 TO 2006. DURING THESE EXCHANGES, DELEGATES FROM THE JAPANESE CITIES REGULARLY MET WITH LETHBRIDGE MAYOR DAVID CARPENTER AND GAVE CEREMONIAL GIFTS, AS IS CUSTOM IN JAPAN. SEE PERMANENT FILE P19980048017 FOR HARDCOPIES OF SOURCE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.