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By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Washi eggs, front row, by Kathy Bryant are made of
Japanese rice paper smoothed and lacquered over blown
eggs. $10.95. Esther Nowell's ceramic eggs are made
without molds or stencils. $9.50-$15.50. All are
available at The Academy Shop.

Unscrambling
origin of Easter eggs

Egg and bunny events

By Stephanie Kendrick
Star-Bulletin

What came first, the bunny or the egg? Definitely the egg. Despite the fact that in our current mythology the bunny brings the eggs, Easter eggs have been around a lot longer than Easter bunnies. In fact, the egg has been celebrated as a symbol of life, rebirth and prosperity since long before the Christian Easter.

The Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks, Japanese, Indians, Persians, Phoenicians and Romans built stories of creation and renewal around the egg. Ancient cultures around the globe dyed and exchanged eggs during spring festivals.

The Academy Shop at the Honolulu Academy of Arts specializes in folk art from all around the world and manager Kathee Hoover has researched the history of decorated eggs.

"It's a symbol of birth, rebirth, it's universal," she said.

Hoover added that egg decorating materials are readily available and inexpensive, which has allowed people across cultures to participate regardless of economic conditions.

In traditional European folk art, Hoover found, the colors chosen for eggs have significance.

White, or an undyed egg, symbolizes purity. Red, the most powerful color, means happiness, hope, passion and bravery. Red dye was made from raspberries, rose hips, beet juice and red onion skins. Yellow, made from onion-skin, represented moon, stars, sun, harvest and wisdom. Green symbolized freshness and youth and was made from grasses. Blue conveyed sky, air, magic and good health. Purple represented faith and trust. And black, made of soot, was combined with white to symbolize protection from evil.

Waikiki Aquarium
There's still time to have pictures taken with the
Easter Bunny. Look for him at the Easter Sea Hunt.

Ceramicist Esther Nowell found herself drawn to the egg for reasons that had nothing to do with religion or symbolism.

"It's such a perfect shape, that's part of its appeal to an artist," she said. "The egg shape just lends itself to all kinds of patterns." Nowell, who adopted the blue-and-white style of early Chinese and Dutch porcelain, enjoys using patterns of geometric and organic shapes in her work.

While she describes herself as agnostic, Nowell said she is attracted to the trapping of religious holidays. She is not alone.

Libby Boatwright, director of family ministries at First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu, finds the accessories of Christian holidays can overwhelm the message.

"I think kids look forward to Easter because of presents and bunnies and other things that have very little to do with the Christian story," she said.

But churches also can use these symbols to reach children with their message.

At First Presbyterian, the symbols of the Easter story are put inside plastic eggs. As children open the eggs, for example to find a coin representing the pieces of silver for which Christ was betrayed, the Easter story is told.

The technique seems to work. "There seems to be a fascination to open up and find the surprise," said Boatwright, who believes the egg decorating tradition endures primarily because of its appeal to children.

Traditions

Egypt and Persia: People dyed eggs in spring colors and gave them to friends as a symbol of renewed life long before Christ was born.

Asia: Several cultures maintained the earth itself was hatched from a giant egg.

Ancient Rome: Pregnant young women carried an egg to foretell the sex of their unborn children.

Ukraine: According to ancient legend, decorated eggs called pysanky serve as protection against the beast that would destroy the Earth. The creature's minions roam the world counting these eggs. If there are many, the creature's chains are tightened; if there are few, they are loosened. And if the custom of dying the eggs were ever abandoned, the beast would be set free.

Poland: One legend tells of the Virgin Mary giving eggs to the soldiers at the cross. She entreated them to be less cruel and she wept. The tears of Mary fell upon the eggs, spotting them with dots of brilliant color. Another legend has it that on the first Good Friday a man was taking a basket of eggs to market to sell. On the way he put the basket down and ran to help Christ carry the cross. When he returned, the eggs were decorated in beautiful colors and designs.

England: Decorating and coloring eggs for Easter was a custom in England during the Middle Ages. The household accounts of Edward I, for the year 1290, recorded an expenditure of 18 pence for 450 eggs to be gold-leafed and colored for Easter gifts. Our frosted and foil wrapped chocolate eggs are a continuation of this tradition.

Russia: The most famous decorated Easter eggs were those made by goldsmith Peter Carl Faberge. In 1883, Czar Alexander commissioned Faberge to make a special Easter gift for his wife, the Empress Marie. It so delighted the czarina that it became a custom.

Christian Orthodox: The red color of the Orthodox Easter egg signifies the blood of Christ, its shell his entombment and its breaking his resurrection.

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Sources: http://www.cygnus.uwa.edu.au/ ~jgrapsas/noframes/Eggs.htm, http://ns2.carib-link.net/history.html, http://4easter.4anything.com.

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EASTER BUNNY APPEARANCES

The Easter Bunny is available for photos and visits during mall hours through Saturday:
Ala Moana Center, 946-2811.
Kahala Mall, 732-7736.
Pearlridge Uptown, 488-0981.
Windward Mall, 235-1143

"Easter Bunny Hops Into Liberty House"
941-2345
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, all Liberty House locations. Treats, children's games and more. Free.

DISPLAYS

Bunny Patch Displays
Cute and cuddly rabbits on view through Saturday:
Kahala Mall, 732-7736.
Windward Mall, 235-1143.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Easter Egg Hunts
Egg hunts, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Windward Community College. Children's games, craft and food booths and entertainment as part of the "Ho'olaule'a 2000: A Voyage of Discovery Celebration." Call 235-7433, free.
10-11 a.m. Saturday, Kuhio Elementary School. Sponsored by the Hope Chapel for infants-age 12. Call 955-0525, free.

"Easter Eggstravaganza"
Aina Haina Community Park, 395-3407
9:30-11:45 a.m. Saturday. Egg hunt, entertainment and more, free.

"Easter Festival"
Ko Olina Resort & Marina, 673-7678
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. With game, craft and food booths, inflatable bouncers and more. Proceeds benefit Valley of Rainbows. Free admission.

"Easter Fun"
Borders Waikele, 676-7820
6:30 p.m. today. Storytime and a search for prizes.
"Easter Sea Hunt"
Waikiki Aquarium, 923-9741
9 a.m.-noon Saturday. Egg hunts, pictures with the Easter Bunny, arts, crafts and games. General admission: $7; $5 residents; children under 12 are free. Additional fees charged for games, photos, egg hunts and crafts.

Fun for the Keiki
Ward Warehouse, 591-8411
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Free face painting, coloring contest, crafts, make-and-take floral arrangements, balloon animals and more.
2-3 p.m. Bunny Trail parade to collect treats from participating vendors.

"Hippity Hop Parade and Egg Hunt"
Town Center of Mililani, 625-5233
10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. Muffin and the Easter Bunny lead the parade, 10 a.m.; Easter egg Hunt, 10:30 a.m.; Paper egg collar or Easter hat decorating, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Bring your camera to take photos with the Easter Bunny.

A Latin Dance
7 p.m.-midnight Saturday. Puerto Rican style dance featuring the Second Time Around, egg hunts, pupus and more. Tickets available at the United Puerto Rican Association, 847-2751; Centro Hispano, 941-5216; B&D Productions, 841-5692; Rita and Chico Padilla, 847-1491; and Alma Latina, 234-0772. $10; $12 at the door.

Mililani Easter and Mother's Day Fair
Town Center of Mililani, 625-5233
9 a.m.-3 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday.

Click for online
calendars and events.