First Emirati certified Ikebana instructor hailed

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Within the past are those which help man find reasons to prize even the simplest and see the bright side of life even more.

“The first concept you learn is minimalism which distinguishes it from common flower arrangements. It teaches you to appreciate the beauty of each stem used in the arrangement whether it was a flower, leaf or branch. Every stem has an aesthetical role. By applying this concept, you can have a beautiful flower arrangement by using stems as little as four! Slowly, the concept of ‘less is more’ starts to be (a big part of) your own life,” said Amani Alshehhi.

On her learnings from an ancient art, dating back six centuries ago – at the time when only the royalty get to study and indulge in – Alshehhi, the First Emirati Certified Ikebana Instructor, continued: “(It) also has taught me the importance of having a hobby that connects a person with nature and appreciating the beauty of flowers. Especially (at) this time (when) many things are turning into virtual.”

Alshehhi’s certification as Ikebana instructor came from no less than the Ohara School of Ikebana (Japan), whose history of encouraging and developing individuals to love nature much deeper, through the minimalist flower arrangement, dates back to 1895.

On Sunday, Ohara School of Ikebana (Japan) Official Second Master/Ohara School of Ikebana Dubai Abu Dhabi Official Study Group president Harue Oki explained: “In traditional Japanese culture such as Ikebana (“the way of the flower”), calligraphy, tea ceremony, or judo, there is a long-standing practice that students receive a certificate from their teacher. This certificate acknowledges that the student has acquired appropriate skills through the lessons.”

Alshehhi completed all the required five levels of the Ohara School of Ikebana (Japan) curriculum, composed of 120 lessons, she had enrolled in, since 2015. Her Ikebana arrangements were prominently displayed at the national receptions hosted by the Embassy of Japan-Abu Dhabi, in celebration of the birthday of the Emperor of Japan Akihito in 2018 and the birthday of the Emperor of Japan Naruhito in 2020.

“Anyone who obtains the Certificate of Instructor’s Degree means the person will be registered as an official instructor of the Ohara School of Ikebana (Japan) and will be eligible to teach students. The certification is the first step on a path that can eventually lead to the highest recognition possible, which is the First Master of Ikebana. As a life-long learning, which is synonymous to the Japanese concept of ‘Ikigai,’ a combination of ‘Iki’ (life) and ‘Gai’ (benefit/worth) means giving your life worth, meaning or purpose,” Oki said.

Alshehhi, given the name Misaki (“Beautiful Bloom”), having become a certified Ikebana instructor, is looking forward to organising workshops and demonstrations in order that the multi-ethnic UAE also benefits from this ancient art rooted in Buddhist rituals and developed with the natural-ness of the Winter-Spring-Summer-Autumn, the Japanese aesthetics of asymmetry and empty spaces. She however is not into pioneering a special Ikebana flower shop.

“In theory, opening a flower shop is very challenging. Ikebana flower arrangements could be considered as living sculptures. The flowers must be arranged on the same location where they will be displayed because moving the arrangement will definitely move the flowers from their precise positions and ultimately the arrangement could be ruined.”

Last July 29, Japanese Ambassador to the UAE Akihiko Nakajima personally congratulated Alshehhi for her achievement and for being a “cultural bridge” between the UAE and Japan.

Nakajima also encouraged her to continue studying Ikebana which, alongside the other deeply-ingrained Japanese traditional art forms, involves life-long learning.

Alshehhi grew up with a father bringing home “beautiful pictures depicting geishas” and kimonos of “rich colours and prints” from business trips in Japan.

Building on these exposures led to years of cultural immersion about this far-off East Asian nation, northeast of the Pacific Ocean.

She forged friendships with Japanese students visiting the UAE. She may now teach and pass on her new knowledge and acquired skills to Ikebana aficionados.