Arco (TN)

Arco (TN)

Thursday, January 29, 2015

First Soup - haiku and tanka - January 29, 2015


Zooni (picture taken from a Carpe Diem Haiku Kai)



waga io ya ganjitsu mo kuru zooni uri

to my hut too
New Year's arrives...
the zooni vendor

© Issa (1817)

Another interesting custom from Japan for the fifth season ... zooni or a soup made from specially drawn water from a particular well on the first day of the year. Seems that the water for this soup is drawn usually my the so called "zooni man" or a man chosen to draw the water either because he was born in the same animal symbol of the upcoming year or lacking that the "man of the house" fetches the water (which is called wakamizu - first water or "young water" and of course is reputed to bring youth to the old and good fortune) ... women were encouraged to stay away from the well, except in certain areas of the Island of Shikoku where "the woman of the house" draws the water.  This is the last hot food eaten before the fourth of January so that the women of the house and the hearth deities a little holiday to rest up for the coming year.

I can't think of any sort of Italian custom that quite coincides with this interesting custom nor American custom either, so I'll just play it by ear!

Christmas Day feast
the table groans with food
St. Stephen's feast
eating cold roast and pies
Mom rests on boxing day

New Year's Day
eating lentil soup for wealth
before midnight

first cup of coffee
made by the man of the house
New Year's morning

© G.s.k. ‘15



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Labels: Poetry, Flash Fiction, Photograpy , , , ,

13 comments:

  1. Blog It Or Lose ItJanuary 29, 2015 at 7:29 AM

    Yay! Let the man o' the house make the coffee for once! ;)
    Evidently that first water was really important -- I read that it was also used in the ink in the first calligraphy.

    Nicely done --- !

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    1. Bastet's Waka LibraryJanuary 30, 2015 at 7:32 AM

      A fascinating tradition in that very male oriented society ... when I read about those poor ladies on the Island of Shikoku I couldn't stop myself from thinking that once again they got out of their traditional duty to bring in at least the first water! Interesting about the ink in the first calligraphy! Thanks for the interesting info!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 29, 2015 at 3:55 PM

    Nice! I've heard of eating lentil soup because they resemble (tiny) coins. We eat blackeyed peas and greens here in the south.

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  3. lynn__January 29, 2015 at 4:29 PM

    It's always interesting to compare traditions...I like the simple pleasure of your final haiku verse :)

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    1. Bastet's Waka LibraryJanuary 30, 2015 at 8:37 AM

      Thanks you Lynndiane .. I love traditions and travelling the world I've had the opportunity to have encountered many... thanks for your lovely comment and appreciation expressed for the final haiku!

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  4. JazzbumpaJanuary 29, 2015 at 7:17 PM

    These are nice.

    I'm a big fan of lentil soup.

    Cheers!
    JzB

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  5. brudbergJanuary 29, 2015 at 8:41 PM

    I love eating cold food and leftovers for a good cause.

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  6. kaykualaJanuary 30, 2015 at 4:57 AM

    A lot of happenings on New Year's day.The man of the house is so caring. That's great Georgia!

    Hank

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    Replies
    1. Bastet's Waka LibraryJanuary 30, 2015 at 8:39 AM

      Thanks Hank ... in Italy we say that the first day of the year characterizes the year ... other's say that what you do the first day of the year is the exception to reality ... whichever, it's a great day. Georgia

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  7. MarkJanuary 30, 2015 at 2:45 PM

    All these marvelous food customs!

    Sweet Potato Soup

    ReplyDelete

harmonious words ... like crystal clear water ... pure ectasy

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