Interviews

1. What is Matsuri Daiko? (Spanish)

2. Origins of the Matsuri Daiko Group in Peru (Spanish)

3. The kimochi surpasses technique (Spanish)

4. Eisa: Modernity and Tradition (Spanish)

5. Taiko, an element that represents strength (Spanish)

6. The philosophy of Matsuri Daiko (Spanish)

7. Dance: An excuse to learn from others (Spanish)

8. Eisa, a dance that transmits emotions (Spanish)

9. To be a Nikkei is a confluence of cultures (Spanish)

10. Generational Change (Spanish)

11. Yes, Nikkei culture exists (Spanish)

Watanabe,Akira

(b. 1974) Director of Ryukyu Matsuri Daiko in Peru

Yes, Nikkei culture exists (Spanish)

(Spanish) People identify us as a group; perhaps to some [of these people we are a] closed [group], but [one] that has very well placed values. A Nikkei culture -- precisely what I had told you in [my responses to] the previous questions -- a Nikkei identifies with very positive values. Therefore, Nikkei culture, a sum of all the folklore that we can bring, be it odori, eisa, shamisen – shamisen on the Japan side, sanshin on the Okinawa side, all this kind of mixed cultural expressions of Nikkei identity, and its values, make up what we call Nikkei culture. Definitely [Nikkei culture] exists, and it definitely not only exists but that each of us transmits it.

culture Hawaii Japanese Americans Nikkei United States

Date: September 14, 2007

Location: Lima, Peru

Interviewer: Harumi Nako

Contributed by: Asociación Peruano Japonesa (APJ)

Interviewee Bio

Akira Watanabe Osada was born on October 6, 1974, in Lima, Peru. His grandparents are Japanese immigrants who came to Peru from Fukushima Ken. An engineer, Akira is also director of the Peru branch of the Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko Group. Founded in 1999, the branch grew out of the festivities commemorating Japanese immigration to Peru. Akira promotes the Okinawa eisa dance throughout the country. As a member of this group, Akira has performed quite often in Peru, which the most important of these performances have been the centennial celebrations marking Japanese immigration to Peru (1999), and the Centenary of Okinawense Immigration to Peru (2006). (September 14, 2007)