Old, Original Origami

There are several ways to avoid the gloom of the daily grind most people are regularly exposed to.

Some chill out on the beach and rub away their worries with a couple of hours of traditional massage. Or some meditate at a retreat nearby.

But if you look around and see a pile of documents or old newspapers, then you've found the perfect tools to ease away your stress.

The Japanese art of folding paper is universally known as origami. Oru is translated as folding and the word kami means paper.

Duangchai Meekungwan, a 55-year-old senior programme officer with the Japan Foundation, was so smitten by the art of paper folding that she studied origami and has been teaching it for the past 20 years.

Japan's origami origins supposedly received influence from China and today it is used in a wide variety of ceremonies - folding paper for use in Shinto praying stalls with offerings to the gods, and decorations for Sake bottles.

Origami has become embedded into Japanese life and Ms Duangchai said the reason it has become so popular is because both children and adults can participate, and you can do it anywhere.

"Children or adults are very excited once their first piece of origami turns into the desired shape. Especially if it's something that can move, such as winged storks, it makes you even more happy." said Ms Duangchai.

Many learning institutions have shown a keen interest in incorporating origami into their courses.

It is used in geometry classes and can teach children many important things such as:

1. Build concentration.

2. Trains you to work in a step-by-step process.

3. It forms the basis of certain fields of mathematics.

4. Teaches you to use your imagination and enhances creativity.

5. Increases hand-eye coordination.

Basic how-to

Ms Duangchai said beginners can quickly learn the art of origami in a variety of ways. But if time is a constraint then the five basic shapes can be taught within one hour. The paper crane, a bird with a moving beak (paksa jamnanja), heart, shirt and soldier's helmet.

These basic shapes require important techniques that serve as the foundation of origami - if you are able to master these techniques then you will be able to fold other more intricate shapes.

Most boys prefer to fold shapes mimicking animals, such as dinosaurs and vehicles. Girls like to fold paper flowers and boxes.

A rudimentary basic in origami is the Valley Fold, which refers to folding a V-shaped object with a dotted line. Fold the paper in half and the upside down V-shape is called the Mountain Fold with dots and dashes. A solid line or crease is a result of folding, or simply put, a solid line represents a crease you can see from a fold that has been made.

Meditation through paper folding

Not only can origami help you by becoming a pastime but in Japan the art of paper folding can earn you an income. If you make a living from origami then you are an origamist.

An origamist is in high demand during ceremonies and they hold gallery exhibitions on a frequent basis.

In Thailand, origami enthusiasts come from all walks of life. In the world of academia, origami is being taught to children to teach them to concentrate and stimulate creativity.

Many hospitals use origami with their patients who are recuperating and have a lot of time on their hands. It is also used as physical therapy in patients who have problems with hand dexterity or suffer weakness in their hand muscles.

Then there are meditation retreats that use origami to conduct Vipasana sessions because folding paper requires a high level of concentration, a cool temperament and awareness or concentration.

"Many people who find their minds in a restless state can resort to origami and once they do they find it is relaxing," Ms Duangchai said.

"The concentration enables you to become aware of the various stages which eases your mind. Once you complete folding and the finished work is in front of you, you will feel a sense of pride, regardless if you are a child or adult. You can do it anywhere and anytime. This is the charm of origami."

A naughty child can be enchanted by origami. The child will be excited by the thought of a flat piece of paper being transformed into a paper crane.

"Elderly people in their 70s form groups to practise origami. They can also earn extra income and enjoy relaxation as well," said Ms Duangchai.

Origami applications

Buncha Thanaboonsombut of the National Metal and Materials Technology Centre, who is an ardent fan of origami, said the art is being used in several industries.

One key example is the design of airbags for automobiles. Engineers need a prototype design for airbags which must be folded away into the smallest size possible. Once a collision triggers the sensor to inflate the airbag, gas is channelled into it.

In short, the basic design and geometric knowledge of airbags stems from the art of origami.

In the field of medicine, origami is used as a medical stent which is a wire that spreads out as a support for the blood vessel in balloon operations. The blood vessel does not collapse because the stent, which was inserted into it, spreads out.

Mr Buncha said that these techniques all share a foundation in mathematical algorithms. Children tend to understand it easily because folding paper into various geometric dimensional shapes is something that they can touch and feel - it is real and enables them to grasp the concept much more easily.

He added that these techniques will be very beneficial if origami is brought into the classroom at the elementary school level.

"As a child folds a piece of paper, they will learn from the creases, straight lines, folds which create angles, fractions and mathematical relationship in between. A child will be trained to measure angles, fold cuts and assemble things into geometric shapes. These basic foundations can be used in a variety of careers and the rest of the world has already adapted origami for their own benefits." said Mr Buncha.

THAI ORIGAMI CLUB

Origami has widespread popularity in Thailand and last year the Thai Origami Club was established.

The club's website is http://thaiorigami-club.net46.et/ and the president of the club is none other than Ekkasit Khemnguad (pictured above), aka Pom, the 28 year-old son of Ms Duangchai.

Mr Ekkasit has been infatuated with origami since childhood. And in just one year the club has a membership of more than 2,100 who attend regular workshops.

The objective of these monthly workshops is to teach techniques in paper folding to the general public. Each workshop is limited to about 30 people. The club also trains teachers and students from kindergarten to the university level.

Mr Ekkasit said that even children aged five have shown a keen interest in origami and many have drawn inspiration from Chiang Mai native Mong Tongdee who grabbed frontpage headlines as a young boy who still has no nationality but managed to represent Thailand in a paper airplane throwing competition in Japan.

Mong won third place and inspired many children to try their hand in paper folding. Many parents began to research origami and came to train at the club.

Mr Ekkasit added the major reason for establishing this club is for enthusiasts to learn the art of paper-folding in a relatively short period of time.

Most origami how-to books are printed in Japanese, but the club serves as a meeting point for people to get together and exchange ideas, experiences and techniques.

"Other countries which have the resources and are better prepared, require only a short timeframe to learn origami. However, once we established our Thai Origami Club, members started to interact and exchange ideas with each other. I hope that this initiative will allow new origami enthusiasts to have a community of their own and develop their skills at a much faster rate," he said.

Relate Search: Duangchai Meekungwan, Folding paper