DOLL

Description: THE DOLL IS DRESSED IN A COLORFUL ARRAY OF FLORAL DESIGN PIECES OF CLOTH. THE PRIMARY COLOR SEEN WOULD BE AN ORANGE CLOTH WHICH WRAPS AROUND THE DOLL AND FALLS TO THE STAND. THE DOLLS 'SKIN' IS WHITE, WITH BLACK HAIR (LIKE A TRADITIONAL JAPANESE DOLL), IN HER HAIR, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DECORATIVE OBJECTS INCLUDING METAL PIECES, AND HAIR ORNAMENTS. IN THE DOLLS RIGHT HAND IS A GOLDEN PAPER FAN. THE BASE OF THE DOLL IS COLORED TO LOOK LIKE WOOD WITH A BLACK BORDER.

History: THIS DOLL WAS AN OFFICIAL GIFT TO CITY HALL THROUGH ALDERMAN WEADICK ON BEHALF OF SEKI CITY JAPAN. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE TRADITION IN S.E. ASIA WHERE DURING OFFICIAL VISITS IT IS REQUIRED THAT A GIFT IS PRESENTED. SEKI CITY WAS INTERESTED IN PURSUING A SISTER - CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH LETHBRIDGE. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE COSTS THIS WOULD HAVE INVOLVED, CITY HALL DECIDED AGAINST THIS. *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.