The History of Origami
Origami duck
The Japanese word "origami" itself is a compound of two smaller Japanese words: "ori", meaning to fold, and "kami," meaning paper. Until recently, all forms of paper folding were not grouped under the word origami, namely "tsutsumi," a kind of wrapper used for formal occasions. Before that, paperfolding for play was known by a variety of names, including "orikata," "orisue," "orimono," "tatamigami," and others. Exactly why "origami," became the common name is not known; it has been suggested that the word was adopted in the kindergartens because the written characters were easier for young children to write. Another theory is that the word "origami" was a direct translation of the German word "Papierfalten", brought into Japan with the Kindergarten Movement around 1880