“I am a passive onlooker
I let bygones be bygones
Goodness brings me fortune
I believe in the human race
I understand the meaning of giving
My cup is never empty
I am loyal and just and in others I trust
I AM THE SHEEP ”
The Sheep (Goat or Ram) is a Yin energy, a symbol of peace, harmonious co-existence and tranquility. That is the primary and fundamental mood for this year. Though there are cries for war and a countdown is soon to begin, war will be averted and a period of mending and compromise will be undertaken to ensure peace is maintained.
The Sheep is the symbol of the arts. It relates to passive and nurturing times. It will help the healing process with regard to past events caused by individuals who have little respect for the human race or life itself. It will be a year of banding together in faith and in belief that good will prevail and win out over the forces that refuse to comply to a peaceful way of life. For those who trust in goodness, happiness and success will follow.
On the family front, it will be a time to unite and instil loyalty and discipline. Angers will cool and decisions that will disrupt family harmony will be laid aside to give it time to heal. So capture the moment to mend fences and broken promises.
The aura of the 2015 Sheep year will gradually radiate its way to all. The most turbulent times will be during the period of the Dragon (March 20-April 20), and especially the period of the Ox (Dec. 22-Jan. 20, 2016) where a grave threat will again raise its ugly head. But for the moment, allow the calming balms of the Sheep’s vibrations to flow through you, and through you, to touch every heart you meet.
2015 is a year to use mental abilities over brute force. For those who wish to be aggressive, expect to be out-maneuvered by strategy and common sense. (From astrologyclub.org)
The artwork on the following pages are the winning entries of the annual nengajö, or New Year’s card, design contest for students taking Japanese language. The statewide contest is sponsored by the Hawaii Association of Teachers of Japanese and is open to the elementary, middle and high school students of teachers who are members of HATJ.
Awards are presented in the categories of most artistic, most original, most comical and “New Year’s in Hawai‘i” for each school level. The entries are judged on its artistic value, as well as on the correct “spelling” of the Japanese words that appear on the card and the form of the Japanese characters.
Over 1,300 students participated in this year’s contest. Schools included Hawaii Baptist Academy, Kamehameha Schools, King Kekaulike High School, Mililani ‘Ike Elementary School, Mililani High School, Niu Valley Middle School, Roosevelt High School, Sacred Hearts Academy, Saint Francis School, Trinity Christian School and Washington Middle School.
The winning cards are featured on our cover and on the following pages.
