History of NABF

NABF was formed as a minimal organization to represent the North America region in the World Bonsai Friendship Federation that was officially formed in 1989, but as an international organization that traces its roots to 1970.

World Bonsai Friendship Federation has twice published BONSAI OF THE WORLD in 1993 and in 2001. Ted Tsukiyama of Hawaii has served as the WBFF legal counsel and also as the Editor of Bonsai of the World I & II. In each of these publication, there was a summary article from each international WBFF region. The articles "Bonsai in North America" from the two issues are reproduced below to acquaint all NABF supporters via "snapshots from our past." Both articles are compiled reports from throughout the regions by David Fukumoto, who was the Assistant Editor of Bonsai of the World II, and is the current NABF editor.

An introduction to Bonsai in North America (1997)

Information for this article was requested from various members of the WBFF North American region and the information received was compiled into an article that was submitted in 1997. However, due to difficulties, BOTW II was not published to the summer of 2001 and some of the information is, therefore, outdated. The article is reproduced as submitted.

WBFF plans to publish BONSAI OF THE WORLD III in 2005 for sale at the start of the World Bonsai Convention in Washington DC in 2005. For that issue, the NABF Editorial Team will submit an article presenting an overview of our region's activities and highlights from a 2005 perspective.

The NABF Editorial Team is now being organized and a current 2002 NABF status report will be compiled from short blurbs submitted by the NABF Regional Editorial Teams and this will be posted in the coming months.

Additionally, the NABF Editorial Team will compile, edit, and produce a BONSAI IN NORTH AMERICA booklet of about 100 pages to be published prior to World Bonsai Convention in Washington DC in 2005 to serve as a kind of NABF "year-book" to be published every four years.
~~~David W. Fukumoto, NABF Editor, August 11, 2002

BONSAI IN NORTH AMERICA (1997)

The North America Bonsai Federation (NABF) includes Bonsai Clubs International, which is active internationally; the American Bonsai Society, which has members mainly throughout the United States; regional organizations that coordinate the activities of local clubs; non-profit organizations affiliated with public bonsai collections; and the larger clubs in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

With such a diversity of existing bonsai organizations, there was agreement that it was desirable to form the North American Bonsai Federation, a limited purpose organization to primarily serve as a liaison between the World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) and the member organizations. We all also agreed that bonsai master John Naka of California should be the president and representative delegate to the WBFF.

Our region includes the tropics of Hawaii, Florida and Mexico; colder Alaska and Canada; and all climatic zones between. A huge number of plant varieties are grown with varying care to suit each locale. Because they require less care, tropical indoor bonsai are becoming increasingly popular. Led by many pioneers like Dr. Bertram Breunner of Washington State, Ernesta Ballard of Pennsylvania, the late Haruo "Papa" Kaneshiro of Hawaii, John Naka of California, and many others, an American form of bonsai is emerging that includes all forms of artistic pot plants.

Americans tend to be creative individuals and most bonsai hobbyists do not join clubs. They may have just one or two bonsai that they treat very casually or large collections of very creative artistic pot plants that are trained using various combinations of Japanese, Chinese, tropical, and international concepts.

THE GROWING NUMBER OF PUBLIC BONSAI COLLECTIONS

America has a very transient society in which children rarely follow in the footsteps of their parents. As American lifestyle changes, children are not willing or able to take over family bonsai collections. Bonsai need consistent skilled care and a public repository is often the best solution when there is no one to carry on. The early public bonsai collections on the East Coast at Arnold Arboretum and Brooklyn Botanic Garden have been joined by collections at Longwood Garden, and others.

Each new public bonsai collection is created for different reasons, in different support groups, and funded in different ways. The Pacific Rim Collection in Federal Way, Washington, was funded by a single major patron with specimens purchased from throughout the country. The collection is maintained by a private foundation and there is no admission fee. Nearby, Elandan, featuring the Dan Robinson collection, is supported by an admission fee and income from its gift shop. In Vancouver, B.C., the Sun Yat Classical Chinese Garden features "penjing" from the Wu Eye-Sun Collection on display from June through October. Admission is free.

The new Fuku-Bonsai Cultural Center in Kurtistown on the Big Island of Hawaii is run by a Hawaiian corporation and the non-profit Mid-Pacific Bonsai Foundation. Fuku-Bonsai Inc. provides the facilities, security, manpower, operating expenses, and leadership. Mid-Pacific Bonsai Foundation is the public guardian of donated bonsai artifacts and memorial bonsai in the Hawaii State Bonsai Repository and participates in educational exhibits and activities. There is no admission fee.

The Golden States Bonsai Federation (GSBF) reports through its publication Golden Statements, edited by May NcNey, that GSBF, through the dedication and energy of Hideko Metaxas and in tribute to the late Gloria Clementson who conceived the idea, has established the Golden State Bonsai Collections to house bonsai masterpieces left behind by bonsai masters. These are to be located in north and south California -- one at the Huntington Library Galleries and Botanic Gardens in San Marino, and the other at the newly created Northern California Bonsai and Suiseki Garden in Lakeside Park, Oakland. Construction and endowment fund drives by GSBF are in progress.

THE NATIONAL BONSAI FOUNDATION AND THE NATIONAL AND PENJING MUSEUM

On May 2, 1996, the National Bonsai Foundation completed a 20-year master plan and dedicated the Yee-Sun Wu Chinese Garden Pavilion and the Mary Morse International Pavilion. Also dedicated was the museum's collection of North American viewing stones. With completion of the 1996 additions to the museum, the foundation will have spent almost $5 million on planning and funding the Museum facilities and assisting related activities.

In a monograph dated September, 1995, and printed in the commemorative album presented to the guests at the May 2, 1996, dedication, foundation President Mr. Frederic L. Ballard concluded: "To sum up, the understanding and appreciation of artistic pot plants will benefit with the development of an art world similar to the art world of painting, sculpture and other fine arts. The programs presented at the International Pavilion, together with video cassettes, newsletters, catalogues, monographs and other forms of communication from the museum staff and guest artists, speakers and writers, will be a catalyst for that development."

The start of the collection at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C. began with a bicentennial gift of 53 bonsai and viewing stones to the people of the United States from the people of Japan. Arboretum director Dr. John Creech is credited with attracting the gift and coordinating with donors a year-long quarantine as required by law. The Department of Agriculture provided the funding- for the Japanese Bonsai Pavilion. The Japanese approach and the dedication ceremony was held on July 9, 1976.

In 1982, the National Bonsai Foundation was incorporated with directors from all sections of the 33.country with its first project to celebrate the 10th American Bonsai Pavilion. In 1983, Dr. Yee-sun Wu of Hong Kong pledged a donation of Chinese penjing and after extensive study and approvals, 24 penjing from Dr. Wu and seven from his colleague, Mr. Shu-ying Lui, were imported and immediately placed into a two-year long quarantine. On September 30, 1988, the arboretum for the first time referred to the bonsai complex as the "National Bonsai and Penjing Museum."

On October 1, 1990, the foundation dedicated the John Naka, American Pavilion, the Yuji Yoshimura Lecture and Demonstration Center, the Harry Hirao Educational Fund, and the National Collection of North American bonsai, initially consisting of 56 trees representing 38 species from 50 donors and 15 states. \ This was followed by the Haruo "Papa" Kaneshiro Tropical Conservatory and Temperate Glasshouse to provide winter protection for the non-hardy trees from China and warmer parts of the United States. Also dedicated was the George Yamaguchi Garden between the Japanese and American pavilions.

Payment for the Naka Pavilion, Kaneshiro Conservatory and other designated areas virtually exhausted the Foundation funds. In April 1993, Dr. Wu's foundation made a substantial gift to the International Pavilion. The gift was about half of estimated running costs and was matched by contributions from others.

Commemorative funds were established to create the Fredric Ballard Special Exhibits Wing; the Vaughn Banting Atrium; the Melba Tucker Viewing Stone Exhibits; the Jean Smith Chinese Scholar's Studio; the Janet Lanman North American Display; the H. William Merrit Tokonoma; the Marybel Balendonck Library and Research Center; and the Bonsai Clubs International Information Gallery.

The National Bonsai Foundation is beginning a new era under the leadership of president Felix Laughlin with a new curator and editor, and new committee heads to maintain and raise its high standards and world-class status. It recently accepted its first Canadian bonsai and is in the process of obtaining additional gift bonsai from Japan.

AMERICAN BONSAI SOCIEIY & BONSAI
CLUBS INTERNATIONAL NEWS

The American Bonsai Society (ABS), under the leadership of current president Martin Klein, has individual members throughout the United States who are often leaders of local clubs or regional groups. ABS continues to hold symposia in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Dallas, Texas. In 1997 an ABS event was held in Colorado. Bonsai: Journal of the American Bonsai Society is now in its 30th year of publication. Its editor is Jill Hurd. ABS has published the book Basic Bonsai Design by David DeGroot as a textbook emphasizing styles. It has a book service offering discounts for members and has established a homepage on the Internet at www.absbonsai.org (Note: Current URL). The Web site has a listing of North American Bonsai organizations, and a schedule of bonsai-related Web sites including societies, vendors, and educational materials.

Bonsai Clubs International (BCI), founded in 1962, is now under the leadership of President Mary Bloomer of Texas. It has increasingly become more active internationally with Solita D. Tafur Rosade of Colombia as first vice-president and Mr. Pius Notter as second vice-president with other officers and directors from all over the world. In 1989 BCI was appointed as international consultant to the World Bonsai Friendship Federation, and, along with Bonsai Societies of Florida and the WBFF, co-hosted the World Bonsai Convention /International Bonsai Congress (IBC) in 1993 in Orlando, Florida.

BONSAI MAGAZINE: The Official Publication of Bonsai Clubs International is now in its 35th year of publication under editor Randy Clark. BCI recently had a very successful IBC convention in 1996 in Washington D.C., and in 1997 in Toronto, Canada. The convention in 1998 was held on August 12-17 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was in Portland, Oregon in 1999, and in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2000.

Besides the annual conventions, there are educational programs, an audio/visual lending library, and a book service offering member discounts. BCI is also now on the Internet at www.bonsai-bci.com

BONSAI NEWS FROM THE REGIONS

The exciting bonsai news from California is that the California Bonsai Society (CBS), the oldest bonsai club in America, celebrated its 40th Anniversary Convention and Exhibit on March 19-23, 1997 in Pasadena, California. CBS was founded in November 1957 by John Naka and other issei bonsai pioneers and has rendered significant influence and service to American bonsai these past 40 years. Bonsai activities in California have been coordinated by GSBF, which serves as the umbrella organization for over 70 California clubs, having 3,000 individual members enrolled.

The Pacific Northwest region covers Oregon, Washington, and British Colombia, Canada, with bonsai activity generated by six clubs in Oregon, eight clubs in British Columbia, and Puget Sound Bonsai Society, an association with 400 individual members. The Pacific Northwest Bonsai Convention is an organization of members clubs, which sponsored an annual three-day convention. The eighth annual convention held in Seattle in September 1996 featured bonsai artists Pat Brodie, Ernie Kuo, and Peter Adams.

On the East Coast, the Bonsai Society of Greater New York is one of the oldest bonsai organizations in the United States. The Brooklyn chapter was renamed to honor the late bonsai master Yuji Yoshimura and the Queens chapter was renamed to honor Frank Okamura, who retired as curator of bonsai at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. A number of clubs that grew out of the original organization have joined together as the Mid Atlantic Bonsai Societies. They invite guest lecturers and demonstrators and hold a major annual convention that rotates through different parts of the region. This attracts more vendors and allows local community participation.

In 1993, Bonsai Societies of Florida (BSF) was the co-host, with Bonsai Clubs International and the World Bonsai Federation, of the joint activities of 25 Florida clubs with over 850 members throughout the states. Besides annual regional conventions, it participates in the annual Southern Living Flower and Garden Show at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center in Orlando where several specially chosen large bonsai are displayed for 34.two months each spring. BSF continues to expand its efforts to introduce bonsai. Some clubs are actively demonstrating and teaching bonsai to children and young adults through local school systems, scouting groups, youth clubs and other young people's organizations. An annual visit by a bonsai teacher is sponsored by BSF to the state prison at Raiford where inmates create and work on bonsai. This program has reduced recidivism among participating inmates to near zero.

The Hawaii Bonsai Association (HBA) produces an annual show followed by a 10-session course called "The ABC's of Bonsai" that it has undertaken each year since 1972. A recent addition to its schedule is participation in Japan Day sponsored by the Japan-America Society of Hawaii. About 100 Japanese language high school students are invited to Tokai University to learn various aspects of Japanese culture including calligraphy, ikebana (flower arranging), origami (paper folding), sumo (wrestling), cha-no-yu (tea ceremony), and bonsai. The HBA celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1997 and hosted the International Bonsai Congress in 2000.
In 1994, besides its annual show and usual activity schedule, the other Hawaiian umbrella organization, Big Island Bonsai Association, in cooperation with the University of Hawaii at Hilo, produced a 15-week, one credit course via stateside television accompanied by a beginner's text.

As the above examples show, the creation of regional bonsai organizations to pool resources and coordinate the activities of several clubs has been very successful.

Often there is only a single club within a region, but there almost always is at least one enthusiast who takes responsibility to provide needed support. An example is William Clark of the Nashville Bonsai Society. The society meets monthly except for August and December at Cheekwood Botanic Garden. The August meeting is a potluck supper at Bill's house preceded by an auction of donated items to benefit the society. Besides the more experienced local members, members of society are assisted by visiting bonsai masters, especially Ben Oki of California, who comes to their area yearly. As another form of support, Bill publishes a monthly newsletter to provide meeting information and an article or two of general interest.

Throughout the entire North American region, many enthusiasts were once formerly isolated individuals who over time helped to form and support local clubs. Clubs banded together into regional organizations or became affiliated with Bonsai Clubs International or the American Bonsai Society. By participating in conventions or visiting each other, overlapping networks of bonsai leaders developed. In this manner, bonsai has spread throughout North America. A new generation of bonsai leaders are now emerging and will change.

A challenging perspective of "the state of bonsai in the U.S." is offered by John Palmer, editor of Bonsai Today, one of the most popular bonsai magazines. Palmer, while seeking more quality than in years past and acknowledging significant growth in the appreciation of the subtleties of bonsai art, observes:

Although serious bonsai enthusiasts seem to be creating better trees, the art form does not seem to be attracting as many new enthusiasts as one would expect. It is very hard for those of us who are serious about bonsai to understand why anyone with any sense of beauty at all is not absolutely captivated by the elegance and mystery of a fine bonsai. Perhaps this lack of growth is because there are lot of ersatz bonsai out there, marketed at low prices by the large discount chains. Not only are these imitations artistically deficient, but also the likelihood that they will survive even given the best of care is often low. A soon-dead tree is not conducive to stimulating a bonsai newcomer to further accomplishment. So, it is important for all of us to make people more aware of what "real" bonsai is all about and the great personal satisfaction that can be gained from caring for a little tree and bringing out its best.

A VISION OF AN INTERNATIONAL BONSAI FUTURE

The catalyst that created the international bonsai movement was Expo '70 held in Osaka, Japan, which ended a little over 30 years ago. Then, the efforts and unity of the Japanese bonsai community impressed the world and created a huge surge of interest. It energized the isolated individuals and scattered small pockets of bonsai groups. Saburo Kato's motto, "World Peace Through Bonsai," moved a giant step forward with the gift of bonsai that 20 years later became the completed National Bonsai and Penjing Museum.

Since then, there have been explosive advances made possible by an idealistic unselfish generation of national and international bonsai leaders. Bonsai business emerged to support the growing interest with professional publications, specialty bonsai nurseries, and importers and manufacturers of tools, pots, and supplies. Bonsai throughout America is developing rapidly and if the western world can make such remarkable advances in such a relatively short time, then we can look forward to greater popularity, more innovations, and an exciting future. Our current challenge is to develop international interest in the emerging generation of bonsai leaders to expand internationally the extraordinary progress that has been made in the regions.

In the midst of all of this activity, we must remember that although bonsai can be a challenging creative art, for most people, it's a hobby. The basic bonsai commitment is to nurture and to treat your bonsai as you would your children. In doing so, we become better people and can work toward bonsai becoming a bridge to international friendship and peace!

By David Fukumoto, WBFF Assistant Editor (1997)