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)

Akira Watanabe

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

What is Matsuri Daiko? (Spanish)

(Spanish) We are a group of young people, not because of some age restriction, but perhaps the theme is the physical activity that we do that rallies us around one thing: we want to express, we want everyone to experience, and we want to transmit Okinawa culture through one of its cultural expressions, which is the eisa. The eisa is a very common Okinawa folklore dance in which the taiko is used but as a complement to the dance, like a complement to the choreography. What are we? We are a branch [of the larger organization]. In the case of Peru, we are a branch. Why? What happened was that the head office is located in Okinawa. This happened as a result of a group that had the idea of bringing together young people, to bring together their positive energy to cultivate and transmit values. Values, culture, dance, making [these] known to everyone in a new way, because of this they use a stylized music, a very attractive choreography, showy colors, and this is the reason by which, perhaps, the group has had sufficient appeal among young people.

dance drum eisa (dance) folk dances Japan Matsuri Daiko Okinawa Okinawa Prefecture taiko

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)

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