Interviews

1. Realizing Importance of Birthplace

2. Honing Artistic Talent at Camp

3. The Birth of Kinnara

4. Taiko Community

5. Defining "Lifestyle"

6. Playing for Yourself

7. Ocean of Sound: Taiko in the Womb

8. Getting along with "Jichan" and "Bachan"

9. Pushing Taiko to the Limit

10. Influencing Japan

11. Japanese American Taiko

12. Thank You, Shakuhachi

Abe,George

(b. 1944) taiko and flute performer

Realizing Importance of Birthplace

I think it goes way back to the first time I ever filled out a form—“Where were you born?” You put “Manzanar Relocation Center.” You find yourself having to explain it because people say, “Manzanar, where is that?” Or just the fact that putting “Relocation Center,” and not really knowing. Kind of knowing what it means—that Japanese were put in these places, and that I was born in the sabaku, in the desert. Knowing these things but not really fully understanding it.

I really began trying to understand it I think when I was, again, early in college. Probably like Alan. When in government classes, I had to do a paper, I did it on the racism in the internment of the Japanese American. I read all of Gordon’s books and things like that doing the research. It was very enlightening to me. It did politicize me in many ways.

California concentration camps Manzanar concentration camp racism United States World War II World War II camps

Date: December 10, 2004

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Art Hansen, Sojin Kim

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

George Abe (b. 1944), renowned taiko and flute performer, was born at Manzanar concentration camp. He was one year old when his family relocated to Los Angeles, California. His mother was kibei, born in the city of Orange, California, moved to Japan when she was about nine years old, and returned to Los Angeles at about 26 years of age. His father was an Issei.

George grew up among artists and musicians, often attending biwa (lute) recitals with his mother. He played multiple instruments in his school band, including the clarinet, saxophone and oboe. As an adult, George remained fascinated with music, and learned to play the shakuhachi and fue, traditional Japanese flute-like instruments.

George was a founding member of Kinnara Taiko, a taiko group based at Senshin Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles, and remains associated with them today. Kinnara Taiko was one of the first taiko groups to form in North America, second only to Sensei Seichi Tanaka’s San Francisco Taiko Dojo. George believes in the influential power of art and the energizing effects of taiko. He uses his art to bring cultural, spiritual and community awareness to others. (December 10, 2004)