| NABF
Newsletter #1
November 2002
A TRIBUTE TO JOHN NAKA
"There are no borders in bonsai. The dove of peace
flies to palace as to humble house, to young as to old,
to rich and poor. So does the spirit of bonsai."
John Yoshio Naka
We are truly blessed that we are able to enjoy the art of
bonsai to the fullest here in North America. The bonsai world
that we inhabit today is far richer than it was 30 years ago.
Those whose memory takes them back to the 1960s and 70s will
recall how few books on bonsai were then available in English,
and how difficult it was to learn about the art and horticulture
of bonsai at that time.
The bonsai clubs and associations of North America have played
a critical role in realizing this transformation. From Bonsai
Clubs International and the American Bonsai Society to the
smallest club, these groups of dedicated individuals brought
bonsai enthusiasts together--at national, regional and local
symposia and meetings--to be inspired by the early teachers
and each other. And it worked. Eastern grand masters like
Saburo Kato and Yee-sun Wu have been predicting that North
America will be where the action is relating to bonsai/penjing
in the Twenty-First Century.
In celebrating our good fortune, the NABF Editorial Team
brings you this premier issue of its on-line Newsletter. We
wish to pay tribute to the bonsai teachers who laid the foundation
for our bonsai world in North America, as well as keep you
informed of the activities of NABF's members--the bonsai clubs
and organizations of North America. We will also provide the
latest developments in our preparation for the 5th World Bonsai
Convention in 2005 in Washington, D.C., to be hosted by NABF
as the North American representative of the World Bonsai Friendship
Federation.
This premier issue is devoted to John Yoshio Naka. NABF has
received tributes and photographs from bonsai lovers across
North America and around the world attesting to the towering
influence John has had not only on the art of bonsai but on
us as human beings. We welcome
your comments on this first issue of the NABF Newsletter
and on other issues which will be published in the future.
The NABF Editorial Team
November 1, 2002
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