-CONTRIBUTED
Pearl Wright (second left) with her husband, Ashton Wright (left), and Hiroshi Sakurai (right), ambassador of Japan, and his wife, Kinuko. One of her signature ikebana floral arrangements stands proudly on the table.
PEARL WRIGHT is the first Jamaican to receive the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays award.
Champagne toasts, tumultuous applause and beaming faces proclaimed the end of the formalities as Pearl Wright, a Jamaican florist extraordinaire was honoured.
It was a small gathering of friends and dignitaries at the Japanese ambassador's residence on Thursday, December 2, to celebrate the extraordinary honouring of Pearl Wright, the first Jamaican ever to be awarded the prestigious Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays.
QUIET, ELEGANT LADY
This quiet, elegant lady was born in Walderston, Manchester. After completing studies in mechanical accounting in London, she taught for some years at Cornwall College. Rex Nettleford, who came under her tutelage, remembers her taking the boys out to commune with nature. In fact, just about every tribute that was given, referred to her nurturing nature.
It was in 1958 that she was first exposed to the art of ikebana when she attended a demonstration of the late headmaster, Houn Ohara, in New York. She was hooked and encouraged by a fellow Jamaican and in 1962 invited to study ikebana.
Today, she is a grand master of one of the Ohara Schools of Ikebana. Mrs. Wright, whose relationship with floral art and horticulture spans over 30 years, has received many awards, including the Banksian Medal in 1974 from the Royal Horticulture Society for most prized in an event, the Musgrave Award (Bronze), in 1987 and the Order of Distinction (officer rank) in 2002.
Mrs. Wright, who received a sub-grand master degree from the Ohara School of Ikebana in 1997, was also the coordinator of the Jamaican delegation that was awarded the silver gild medal, the second highest honour, at the 2002 Chelsea Flower Show in London.
The Order of Merit was originally instituted by Emperor of Meiji on April 10, 1875, as an award given only to males for exceptional merit, civil or military.
Mrs. Wright is the first Jamaican to receive this award, which is now reserved for persons who have dedicated over 20 years of service in promoting good relations with Japan.
