sixth evocation ✧ cybele

[complementing]

[This time instead of a text wall, the post is a brief video, also seen on the ReVA Facebook page if you follow that. Minako is featured front and center, wearing a yukata and her hair done up-- the perfect image of Japanese summer. She waves cheerily into the camera.]

Hi everyone! Minako here from ReVA to wish you a happy Tanabata! For those who don't know, Tanabata is a Japanese festival celebrating the folk story of Princess Orihime and the cowherd Hikoboshi. The two lovers were separated by Orihime's father, and were only able to meet on the seventh day of the seventh month, after Orihime wished for a way to be able to see Hikoboshi again. A flock of magpies answered her call and carried her to him, allowing them to meet once a year on that same day from then on. The festival is a time for people to send their dearest wishes to the deities and ask them to be granted, so--!

[She steps to the side, and the camera follows her to show a magnificent bamboo plant set up right in the entrance of the ReVA community center.]

Come by the community center and write down your wish! If you tie it to the bamboo plant, it will surely be received by the gods and be granted. [She points to a little red piece of paper already tied there.] This one is mine. No peeking though, or else the wish won't be fulfilled!

One last thing: there are yukatas like this one available for rental here at the community center. Come try some traditional Japanese summer wear, take some pictures, and eat some shaved ice with us!

[She smiles sweetly and playfully salutes the camera in farewell.]

Thanks for watching, hope to see you soon!

[An extra message for her fellow Retrospeccers has been added below the video.]

it doesn't matter if you believe in the gods or you don't

sometimes writing out a wish is emotionally powerful enough to spur you into working towards it, or for fate to nudge you in the right direction

so, for example, if you need help filling out the bingo tile to "grant a friend a wish", I can help arrange for that here! (✩´꒳`✩)

or if you don't want to make the trek but you okay with posting your wish here so it can potentially be fulfilled, that's fine too

Tanabata is closely tied to Obon, the festival honoring ancestors and lost loved ones, so you guys might see something else from me when that comes up too

Comments

[complementing]

...ngl I was thinking the same thing, but I didn't want to be rude (´◕ ◡ ◕｀);;;

but the differences and the similarities are definitely really interesting to think about!

forget next year, if you'd be willing and you have time for an interview in the next couple of days, I'll definitely try to include it in the next newsletter!

[invocate]

Sure! I would be happy to do that!

[complementing]

great! I'll message you later with some more details

thanks for doing this!

[invocate]

Okay! I look forward to it!