Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2015)
A.C.E. / SPORTS December 21, 2015 THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 13 Former women’s FIFA player of the year Homare Sawa retires SWORD OF DESTINY. Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, left, poses with a sword with Hong Kong action director Yuen Wo-ping, center, and Australian actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo during a press conference for the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny in Beijing. The film will be released February 8 in theaters in China and February 26 in the U.S. on Netflix and in selected theaters. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Michelle Yeoh reprises her role in Crouching Tiger sequel BEIJING (AP) — Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh recently said she has been waiting many years to reprise her role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in an upcoming sequel to the supernatural martial-arts movie. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, centers around the protection of a legendary sword. It also stars Donnie Yen of the Ip Man martial-arts films and The Monkey King playing the part of Silent Wolf; Harry Shum Jr., who played Mike Chang in the TV series “Glee”; and Jason Scott Lee. “We’ve been waiting for this film for many, many years,” Yeoh said at an event in Beijing marking the new movie, which will be released February 8 in theaters in China and February 26 in the U.S. on Netflix and in selected theaters. In her first movie appearance, Austra- lian actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo plays Yeoh’s apprentice. Liu Bordizzo, also at the event in Beijing, said she thought the sequel had the potential to replicate the 2000 movie’s success. “I think the first story is known so much for a beautiful story and not just the mar- tial arts and I think our film definitely also has that element — we have a beautiful story as well as so many layers,” she said. The original was filmed in Mandarin. The sequel is in English and will be dubbed into Mandarin for its release in China. TOKYO (AP) — Former women’s world player of the year Homare Sawa has announced her retirement from soccer. The 37-year-old Sawa is the former captain of Japan, and the 2011 Women’s World Cup top scorer and Most Valuable Player. She scored an extra-time equalizer when Japan beat the United States on penalties to win that Women’s World Cup final. For Japan, she has a record 205 caps and 83 goals. Sawa played in the U.S. Women’s Premier Soccer League from 1999 to 2010, and returned to Japan’s domestic league in 2011. She played in her sixth Women’s World Cup this year in Canada, and helped Japan win a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. A love of hula: Kumu overcomes aneurysm to continue teaching Continued from page 11 Kahiwaaialii Johnson, “was known for her enter- taining — her poi lunch- Eileen Tokita collects, elaborately decorates eggs By Nina Wu Honolulu Star-Advertiser ONOLULU (AP) — Eileen Tokita is crazy about eggs — duck, ostrich, emu, rhea, goose, and even the tiniest finch eggs. To her they are works of art waiting to be hatched. She carves and decorates them to add to her own collection, to give as gifts, and, on occasion, to sell. Some of her pieces were inspired by Faberge’s jewelled eggs, and others are holiday-themed or designed to tell a story. Inside one of her creations is a carousel that turns, complete with painted horses. Santa’s toy workshop is visible in another, while Tokita cut pearl-lined arcs around another through which to view a detailed nativity scene. Some are fun, like the one with mouse ears and Mickey and Minnie inside. Others are elegant, intricately carved creations, like the swan that opens up to reveal a piece of jewelry inside. All are keepsakes that can last for generations. Tokita said she has decorated more than 1,500 eggs, each one unique, over the span of 40 years. She is a member of the International Egg Art Guild, a nonprofit association of artists, artisans, and craftspeople who work with natural eggs. She orders the various eggshells, cleaned and ready to go, from The Golden Egg of Idaho. “I work from the moment I wake up till the moment I go to sleep,” she said. “Probably I work 10 to 12 hours a day.” Tokita has travelled the world teaching egg art on cruise ships since 1988. She’s been to Alaska, the Caribbean, South America, the Seychelles, India, China, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. As she travels, she collects egg art for inspiration. She also collects little figurines and other accoutrements to incorporate SAYONARA, SAWA. Former women’s world player of the year Homare Sawa (#10) of Japan plays in a 2015 Women’s World Cup match at BC Place stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Sawa, who has a record 205 caps and 83 goals playing for her country, has announced her retirement from soccer. (AR Photo/Jan Landis) H COLORFUL KEEPSAKES. Eileen Tokita poses with Faberge-style eggs she creates and collects at her home studio in Honolulu, Hawai’i. She started more than 40 years ago creating her Faberge-style eggs and has more than 100 creations. She also has many holiday-themed eggs and a collection for Christmas that is displayed in her kitchen. (Dennis Oda/Honolulu Star-Advertiser via AP) “Well, I choose the egg as my medium. into her egg creations at home. Artist-jeweller Peter Carl Faberge There are so many other art forms created his lavish eggs for the and disciplines you can apply to egg Russian imperial family during the making. I think that’s why you don’t 19th century as Easter objects. get bored.” Also, she said, no two eggs are Tokita works on her pieces year-round, and during the holidays, shaped exactly alike. Her home workshop consists of a she enjoys giving them away as gifts. One creation she calls “Presents” well-lit table and shelves of shoe comprises a trio of peewee-size boxes that line the walls, each chicken eggs encrusted in green, red, labelled with what’s inside: gold leaf, and silver Swarovski crystals, com- pearls, hinges, and so on. In her plete with jewelled bows and nestled garage she has a special apparatus that vacuums up dust as she uses a inside a bowl cut from an ostrich egg. She teaches egg art Sundays at dental tool to cut designs or patterns Learning Unlimited in Kaimuki and into the eggs. An egg piece can take anywhere about once a month at Ben Franklin in Mapunapuna. Some of her eggs are from two hours for the simplest available at the Halekulani Boutique design to 70 hours or more for in the Halekulani hotel in Waikiki. complex creations. It requires Her prices range from as little as $25 meticulous finger work and a laser-like focus. to $1,000. “I have to almost meditate,” said Born in a World War II Japanese internment camp near Nampa, Tokita. “You’ve got to be so centered Idaho, Tokita attended the Univer- and very calm. If you let your mind sity of Washington in Seattle and wander a moment, the eggshell’s used to be a jazz singer in nightclubs. gone.” Her masterpieces include the She got into eggery as a newlywed, when her husband suggested she stay “Ostrich Egg Cabinet,” with a double- home and find a hobby. The moment door, gold-filigree cabinet that opens she discovered the art, she fell in love. up to two pink-lined shelves outfitted “It’s like an artist chooses the with miniature egg creations. canvas for her medium,” she said. Continued on page 16 eons and (hosting) hula and choral groups,” Anderson said. “So when we reopened (in 1997), people said, ‘You q The power of tea Continued from page 11 Onomea Tea Company tours conclude with the Chinese gong fu cha style of serving tea, with its aroma cups and tasting cups. In the grand scheme of tea’s millennia-long history, the service is fairly new, dating to the 1800s. Longo and Nunally use it to evaluate the quality of their teas. There are other ways of evaluation, and still more methods of comparing teas across the board. But gong fu cha is more conducive to “presenting your tea depending on how you like it,” Nunally said. “I enjoy this method,” Longo said. “It’s more of an art.” need to have a halau here to carry on the tradition,”‘ she said. The first kumu was Aulii Mitchell. Yama- naka fell into the role. She’d come to ask about hosting an acupuncture retreat, not teaching hula. But life is full of curves and twists. On the Shipman House porch, Yamanaka boosted herself off the cushion and onto a chair. She began to strum a ukulele; her right leg swung slightly in rhythm, and the small class continued to dance. ASTHMA IS ON THE RISE. Help us find a cure. 1-800-LUNG-USA