Tako-Tako-Agare ”Let’s Go Fly a kite”, a non-profit organization, is found to promote international cultural exchange between Bali, Indonesia and Isehara, Japan. Our activities contribute social benefits of Indonesia and Japan by uniting children of both countries, and nurture them with a sense of globalization.
Our activities of cultural exchange started when Ms. Toyomi Manda visited Isehara in 2005. She is wife of Mr. Made Kasim living in Bali, the Republic of Indonesia, and a friend of Ms. Kawakami the head of our organization. When the Bali terrorist bombing happened, she and some supporters sent Senbazuru, thousand pape-craft-cranes, to Bali as hope of the peace in Bali. The Senbazuru is still beautifully exhibited in the Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali, in as a proof of goodwill from Isehara.
In 2006, when Ms. Manda revisited Isehara, Ms. Kawakami told her about "Abu kite," a folk craft of Isehara, in which there is no creator left in Isehara-city any more, when Ms. Manda revisited Isehara in 2006. Knowing the story, Ms. Manda told the representative that it might be possible to reproduce the kite in Bali because Balinese children are very good at kite making. Ms. Manda brought back the “Abu kite” to Indonesia, and delivered it to the sixth Busaki elementary school.
In the sixth Busaki elementary school, the children reproduced the “Abu kite” as a classroom project to know Japanese culture, and they kindly wished to present the kites they made to the Japanese children. To support the children’s ambition of the cultural exchange, our nonprofit organization Tako-Tako-Agare ”Let’s Go Fly a kite” was established.
Ms. Toyomi Manda visited Isehara-shi, and had interview with Ms. Nagatsuka, the Mayor of Isehara city.
Senbazuru, thousand pape-craft-cranes, is sent to Bali as hope of the peace in Bali. The Senbazuru is still beautifully exhibited in the Ngurah Rai Airport in as a proof of goodwill from Isehara.
With the guidance by the board of education in Isehara, we started our activities by introducing Balinese culture to elementary school children in Isehara. We also introduce Balinese culture and our activities of cultural exchange in Dokan festival, the biggest city festival of Isehara. The children in both countries to exchange post cards, and for many of them, this was the first direct communication with people outside their own countries.
The children of the Ohyama elementary school held a kite-flying contest using the “Abu kite” made by the Balinese children.
In June, Ms. Kawakami and two other members visited the sixth Busaki elementary school, Bali
With the cooperation from Indonesian Embassy, we invited ten children and two teachers of the sixth Busaki elementary school. They offered Balinese traditional dance performance at the Ohyama Afuri shrine in Isehara, and had cultural exchange events with Japanese elementary school children. Mr. Dwatmaji Hanomanresi, Mr. Yudhono Irawan, and Ms. Hiromi Hara from the Indonesian Embassy kindly joined our welcome party of Balinese children.
A new project began, it is to present persimmon trees as memorial of our cultural exchange. (Persimmon tree---The Balinese children who’d visited Isehara in 2009 loved persimmon fruit in Isehara. That’s why we decided to present the tree to Busaki Village, Bali.)
Non-smoking beach project also started. Kanagawa prefecture is now promoting campaign to make beach in Kanagawa non-smoking. We’re planning to bring this campaign to Bali, too.
The tree-planting ceremony will be held on 8th March.
A new project to support preserving sacred and beautiful scenery of Bali will start in Bali including non-smoking beach, and we will have a meeting with the governor and mayor of Bali on 8th March in Bali, Indonesia.
Our activities are supported only by the donation from citizens.