2023-2024

By Utshaa Basu '25 Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is a five day-long festival celebrated between October and November every fall. It commemorates the victory of light over darkness, and relates to the tale of Lord Ram returning to Ayodhya after his exile and defeat of the demon king, Ravana. In celebration of his return, the subjects of Ayodhya decorated the kingdom with diyas (small earthen lamplight candles) and set off firecrackers, affording Diwali the title: “Festival of Lights.”1 Coincidentally, Navaratri is a festival dedicated to Durga Ma and Goddess Parvati. During the festival, which lasts for nine days, various forms of the Devi, or the Divine Feminine, are worshiped. It concludes with Dussehra on the tenth day. Navratri is celebrated differently in regions of India, an...

By Hongli Zeng ‘24  In the past summer I traveled to Chengdu, China, my home, to conduct field research with funding from the Asian Studies Program’s Gaylord Prize for Independent Study Research. The project examines representations of the Korean War in lian huan hua (连环画), a particular form of Chinese comic books widely produced and circulated in socialist China. In close collaboration with Professor John Williams of the History Department and Asian Studies Program, I collected and translated these materials, which will also be used for teaching purposes at Colorado College.   Despite being one of the opening episodes of the global Cold War, The Korean War (1950-1954) remains a “forgotten war” in the United States, where its historical significance is often overshadow...

BY UTSHAA BASU '25  Nozomi Hashimoto, the 2023-24 Japanese Cultural Program Coordinator (CPC) was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. Before coming to CC, she earned her bachelor’s degree in language education with a minor in psychology, and specialized in education for her master’s degree at International Christian University. Her supervisor at the university suggested the CPC position when Nozomi was looking for a job teaching Japanese language abroad. Interestingly, Nozomi shares that International Christian University boasts a famous CC alumnus, William Merrell Vories (Hitotsuyanagi), who designed the aforementioned university campus!  This job is her first time in the United States, but Nozomi has been adjusting smoothly. She wants to use her longer breaks to explore plac...

by Esa Chen ‘25  A Luminary in Japanese and Asian Studies  For over three decades, the hallways and classrooms of Colorado College have echoed the profound influence of a singular name in Japanese and Asian Studies: Professor Joan Ericson. Students also call her Joan Sensei (which means “teacher” in Japanese). Since her arrival in 1996, she has meticulously shaped the college's approach to Asian Studies, carving a distinctive niche in Colorado College’s academic landscape.  Raised in Japan, Prof. Ericson's intimate bond with Japanese language, culture, and literature has not only marked her personal journey but also forms the backbone of Colorado College's transformative journey in Asian Studies. She is celebrated for both her vast knowledge and her visionary ap...