The Bunkasai

In a land where every town, season and practically every sort of institution has several festivals, it isn’t surprising that schools too have festivals of their own.

The bunkasai - the mother of school festivals – is something the students look forward to throughout the year. Bunkasai literally means “cultural festival.”  But most cultural aspects have long since been replaced with trend. It’s basically a two day long showcase for homerooms and clubs. This festival gives the students a rare opportunity to exercise their imagination through preparing exhibits that will be viewed by schoolmates, students from other schools and people living in the neighborhood.

Days of classes are often cancelled to prepare for this event. Hours and hours are poured, on the part of both students and staff, over making banners, painting posters and transforming classrooms. The exhibits are endless in variety.  I’ve been made to dunk my hand in a tub of muculent slop at a “Horror House” and then, five minutes later, find myself in an earthquake simulation box. The school is abuzz with activity until way beyond work hours and it’s the one time of the year where you’re guaran­teed to find something to do. In addition, it's a great time to build a stronger rapport with your workmates and students.

The festival starts off with a raucous parade into town. A number of costume-clad students bang on triangles, pots and pans (you name it), while chanting things like “We’re number one! Others play flutes and beat drums, while others yet wheel around a flavor of the month float.

This is followed by an open house.  Anyone is welcome to partake in the festivities.  They look at the exhibits, eat copious amounts of junk food, play some games and take in the stage show. The final day is reserved strictly for staff and students and maybe that’s a good thing. The stage show is usually hilarious, albeit slapstick in humor. Inhibitions are thrown to the wind as the students that put on the stage show really do “put it on.” All the hams (staff members included) come out of nowhere to do stand up comedy routines or sing their favorites accompanied by a student/teacher band or a karaoke machine.

Words of advice:  have sportswear handy during the days of preparation, lest you have your good clothes splattered with poster paint. Be prepared to be called up on stage with no warning and try to keep your sense of humor about it. Other than that…

Have fun!