Origami Page:
Traditional Crane

Mary Ellen Palmeri

Welcome to our monthly "Origami Page". Origami is folding paper and ending up with delightful figures and models, such as flowers, boxes and animals. This feature will showcase a different origami model in each monthly issue, with diagrams and photos to help readers learn how to fold them. Most models use one square of paper, some use a rectangle, and others use more than one piece of paper.

Click for printable file.

This August submission is perhaps the best known origami model. It is the Traditional Crane. There are several variations on this standard model, such as a "nesting crane", a "flapping crane", a "celebration crane", or a "card-holder crane".

In Japan, the crane is a mystical creature and is believed to live for a thousand years. As a result, in Asian cultures, the crane represents good fortune and longevity. The Japanese refer to the crane as the “bird of happiness”. Written instructions for paper crane folding first appeared in 1797, with Akisato Rito’s Sembazuru Orikata, or “thousand crane folding.” It has shown up in multitudes of publications since, and now we can add Tucson Happenings to the list!

Traditionally, it was believed that if one folded 1000 origami cranes, one’s wish would come true.
World wide it became a symbol of hope and healing during challenging times. Therefore it has become
popular to fold 1000 cranes with a wish or prayer for someone to recover from an illness or injury. The cranes are then hung on strings and sent to the recipient or to hospitals.

It has also become a popular symbol for joy and celebration among Japanese Americans. It is customary to display 1001 cranes, the extra one for good luck. Families often fold 1001 cranes for weddings and retirement parties.

Enjoy folding this meaningful origami!

Origami originated in ancient Asian cultures and has been adapted by contemporary artists worldwide to reflect their own cultures. Local artist Mary Ellen Palmeri has incorporated paper folding into many of her mixed media art paintings, and teaches origami classes locally and nationally. Some of her work can be seen in a Tucson Happenings feature here: Artist_Profile

All of her Paper Dream Paintings can be seen in her Etsy shop where custom matted art prints of her original work can be purchased. Go to: www.etsy.com/shop/LyricFineArts

Ms. Palmeri's original origami models have been published in books and magazines, she has been featured on broadcast media, and her mixed-media fine art works often include various original origami models. Origami LAFF (Lyric Arts Folding Fest) is a Tucson based club founded by Ms. Palmeri to provide a venue for sharing this art. The group meets monthly at a local library; for more details please contact the artist at info@lyric-arts.com