Taiko is a reflection of where you live

Fun at concentration camp A wrong ethnic assumption The performing arts not for Nisei Changing the taiko rhythm from Japanese to Afro-Cuban Friction between Sensei and Kinnara in defining taiko American influences on Japanese taiko Appreciating Kinnara Taiko's approach to taiko A Japanese American gardening dance Taiko is a reflection of where you live Playing traditional gagaku while creating an identity

Transcripts available in the following languages:

Because…that’s the interesting part of taiko. It really does reflect where you live. Like if you listen to the Ogden taiko group, it’s very laid back and like this. Any LA group is just schizophrenic because we live in LA. So it does show, to some degree, where you live, so it’s interesting to watch. The Hawaiian ones are interesting because the Hawaiian groups have really dipped into Hawaiian tradition and musical traditions and put it together. Here, there’s not that kind of tradition that they come from. So they borrow Afro-Cuban kinds of things, or popular music. It comes from there.

Date: December 3, 2004
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Art Hansen, Sojin Kim
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

music taiko