Two rows of children grabbed onto a rope made of multi-colored T-shirts and began to twist and pull.
Placing their hands side by side, Brandeis University students joined the chain as laughter echoed through the Prospect Hill Terrace Community Center last night.
The exercise was the idea of Mariyo Yagi, a world-renowned Japanese artist, who visited the center as part of her trip to the university.
"This kind of activity, all these people can join together to feel the connectiveness and unification of this community," Yagi said. "This project is a mix of harmony and collective happiness."
Yagi has created public artworks including huge sculptures of rope in various parts of Europe, America, South America and Japan.
She taught students yesterday about the ancient tradition of nawa - making sacred ropes that bind together the hopes and dreams of a community.
"'Na' means 'you' and 'wa' means 'I.' It takes you and I together to make the rope," she said. "Through these experiences we create such a harmonious world."
Mark Auslander, director of community engaged learning at Brandeis University, said Yagi was invited recently to speak at Brandeis.
"Ms. Yagi is probably one of the greatest textile artists who is also a civil engineer ... she's responsible for some of the most sacred sculptures in Japan," he said. "She heard about the community center and she thought this would be a great activity."
Parents at Prospect Hill Terrace and Brandeis University students donated T-shirts to help make the nawa rope.
Brandeis student Deborah Thompson, 18, helped children twist and tie the rope with string.
"I'm in the Art and Aesthetics Across Culture class with Mark Auslander. He encourages involvement in the Prospect Hill community," she said. "I think it's my fourth time coming here and it's always so different depending on what's going on."
Thompson said she is a fan of Yagi's art.
"I'm excited to see how the kids take the concept of the rope," she said. "If there's anything to take away from this, it's to see them work together, just to learn how to create something as a team."
Yagi said she has created nawa ropes with children in Brazil, Ireland, Germany and now Waltham. The purpose is to teach bonding and co-existence, she said.
"Bonding from heart-to-heart is the most important lifeline in urban communities," Yagi said. "(The nawa rope) is an experimental human network ... I think it's necessary to bond with those around you."
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com.
