Daruma

What is a Daruma, and what does it have to do with a snowman?

In my last post I talked about my favorite topic for ESL class, 'Let's make a snowman' >>>and why I use the Japanese word 'daruma' when talking to my students.

So, let me explain what 'daruma' is.
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India>China>Japan
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It is one of these things with roots back in India.   
'Bodhidharma was a buddist monk, in the 5th or 6th century, and pretty little facts are known about him. 
However, he was the one who took Buddhism from India to China and from there to Japan, where it evolved into Zen.

According to my findings he is also the father of Martial Arts.

There seems no doubt about his look though.  Big eyes, thick eyebrows, beard and mustache, and a red (cape) covering his body.  
Please do read the Link I have added ↑‥There are some rather interesting legends and stories about him.

Daruma in Japan

And finally  I can explain you a bit more, what a Japanese Daruma is.
In the foto I posted under the title you see a bunch of Daruma.
You get them in all sizes from mini to giant.
Most common is a 4,5 cm tall Daruma, usually made of wood.
It comes without the black eyes.  So, just white 'eyeholes'.

Why?

After buying it, one makes a wish and draws a black eye into the left white part.
When the wish comes true, -this may take time- the owner draws a black eye in the right part.　You maybe won't be able to read the Japanese, but have a look at some beautiful Daruma made of different materials, here.

conncetion to snowman

The connection to the word 'Snowman' is simply the looks, I think.
The Japanese word for SNOW is YUKI
And SNOWMAN is 'YUKIDARUMA.

DARUMA=達磨

This is the Japanese　Character for DARUMA and it consists of :
達＝'to pass' or 'enlighten'
磨＝'to polish'

As I mentioned in my post the other day:  I am using the word 'daruma' because for kids it is this roundish jolly shape of a snowman, and noone can tell me that I am ignoring any genders.  So instead of Fruitsmen we have Fruits Daruma, ...

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