Pepe Cabana Kohachi has been doing something he loves for over 20 years: sharing the magic of Kamishibai art with people. This year marks one year of the Raymi Kamishibai Cultural Center (Raymi means “party” in Quechua) which he founded to continue fulfilling his goal of promoting his passion with others and having a space that the public can visit to learn from him.
I met Pepe Cabana when I was very young. I remember that my mother took me to his performances at the Elena Kohatsu Library of the Peruvian-Japanese Cultural Center. At that time he was a storyteller. Shortly afterward he introduced Kamishibai into his repertoire, which soon became synonymous with his name in Peru. His grandfatherly persona that he adopted during his performances, now in a larger auditorium, was likeable and recognizable. In some way this character took on a characteristically Nikkei personality.
I grew up and stopped seeing Pepe Cabana in his performances. From time to time I heard his name in news from the Peruvian Nikkei community. I had learned that his passion for Kamishibai led him to write an illustrated book and even travel to Japan to make a documentary on the subject. Who better for that?, I thought.
Among so many news about his work, I found out through social media that he would be celebrating the first anniversary of his Cultural Center dedicated to Kamishibai, Raymi Kamishibai. I thought at that moment that I had spent enough time looking at Pepe Cabana Kojachi from the outside. I had to get to know him better.
I arrived first at the venue where the event was to take place. Pepe welcomed me and took the time to show me what he had prepared. I saw a huge collection of Kamishibai that he has been keeping throughout his career. Some of them are made by himself. In the same room I see figures of Japanese characters: Doraemon, Astroboy, Ultra Seven. Pepe's hobbies converge in this space.
Families with children begin to arrive, the main audience for the Kamishibai show. “The little ones please sit on the carpet in front of me,” says Pepe. I hold on to my seat to avoid an impulse that arises in me when I hear this phrase that I haven’t heard since my childhood.
I'm not the only adult in that room who has known him since he was a child. The little ones present have also had the opportunity to see him several times. It seems that the impact Pepe has on people is so significant that you can't see it just once. It's also true that, despite not having seen him for years, I still kept up to date with his projects.
Despite having done performances like this countless times, Pepe mentions that he is nervous. He is preparing to take on his role as a grandfather. I realize, and he also recognizes it, that he is slowly getting closer to matching the age of his role. Until that moment, I had not realized that I was not the only one who had grown up.
He began his Kamishibai presentation, a very special one for him. I recognized some of the dynamics he has used since I was a child, but he has implemented many new ones that are what win over his new audience. All of his learning of Kamishibai; the trips, conversations with other experts, conferences and his own experience have led him to continue perfecting his art.
Children and adults alike are encouraged to participate in the questions and games that Pepe asks as he tells stories through Japanese paper theatre. The laughter and screams of the audience do not stop; Kamishibai and Pepe have conquered them. The Quechua part of the name of the Cultural Center makes sense.
Pepe finished his show with applause. You can see how grateful he is that everyone allows him to follow his passion. Next, it is time to celebrate Raymi Kamishibai's birthday with a cake. The children, still excited, are in charge of blowing out the candles with Pepe.
As a last surprise for this anniversary, a passageway will be inaugurated where works left by guests to the Cultural Center will be hung. One work has already been hung and Pepe has many other people in mind from whom he would like to include contributions. His eyes light up when he talks about his illustrator friends, kamishibai connoisseurs or artists who deserve a space in Raymi Kamishibai.
Some time later, I had the opportunity to speak more personally with Pepe, with the aim of getting to know the person behind the artist. Although Pepe Cabana Kojachi can be considered synonymous with Kamishibai in Peru, he wants to share it with everyone and encourage them to make their own theaters. He plans to release a Kamishibai product aimed at the youngest, his loyal audience.
However, he has also had people learning about the art try to emulate the style he has given to his wooden theaters. Pepe's theaters feature floral motifs typical of Ayacucho altarpieces, which are related to his Peruvian ancestry. Not knowing about the origin of his theater designs, others may be inspired by them without taking into account the cultural significance that Pepe gives them. He is also concerned with moving away from the more conservative traditional design with the use of wood. For this reason, Pepe has continued to modify his theaters.
Speaking with Pepe, I learned that he had a moment in his life when he took a professional risk to pursue the creative side that he loves so much. He had the opportunity to participate in the Matsuri Daiko collective, which was very meaningful to him. At the same time, he discovered Kamishibai, for which he took many steps in the Nikkei community in order to give himself a space to practice it. The Elena Kohatsu Library was his home for a long time. The enthusiasm for creative expression is something that can be observed in him to this day.
All of his experience has led him to gain the trust of many people. This is demonstrated by the opportunities that various institutions have given Pepe to continue advancing with his projects and ideas. From financing trips to Japan or donating copies of Kamishibai to giving him space to perform to a larger audience. Even in the district where Raymi Kamishibai is located, he has made connections with neighboring families and schools. There is no doubt that Pepe Cabana Kojachi excites many people, including myself.
Mukashi Mukashi, a long time ago, I met Pepe Cabana Kojachi in a library where he occasionally starred. Today he is the protagonist of a Cultural Center dedicated to a passion that he continues to work to spread. Getting to know him better has been an experience that has helped me reconnect with my childhood and has made me excited about the future of Pepe and the Kamishibai.
© 2024 Hiro Ramos Nako
