Group History#
Hinode Taiko (Rising Sun Drums) of Winnipeg was founded in 1982 by a core group of enthusiasts who participated in a taiko workshop sponsored by the Manitoba Japanese Canadian Citizens’ Association. Eager to further this Japanese art form in Manitoba, they formed the first taiko group on the Canadian Prairies.
From its origins, Hinode Taiko has studied with a number of taiko groups and performers from across Canada, the U.S. and Japan. Under the direction of original Artistic Director, Pamela Okano (1984–2008), Hinode Taiko hosted national Taiko Festivals, presented prominent guest artists, and travelled internationally to perform. In 1997, Hinode Taiko formed its recreational branch, Genki Daiko, which has since come to develop important ties with the Winnipeg Deaf community. Constantly striving to provide a welcoming environment for drummers, these connections have pushed the group to evaluate how taiko can be taught, practiced, and performed in inclusive ways.
The arrival of current Artistic Director Yuko Nozoe (2020–) provided the group with a fresh repertoire of self-composed pieces. Outside of milestone concerts, Hinode Taiko performs regularly at public events including Folklorama and Asian Heritage events in and around Winnipeg, as well as at charity and fund-raising events. In addition to performing, Hinode Taiko aims to educate the broader community about the art of taiko, through adult workshops, a school Outreach Program, and regular Beginner Classes.
Notable History#
- The cornerstone of Hinode Taiko’s performing year is a week of summer performances at the Japanese pavilion at Folklorama, the world’s largest and longest-running multicultural festival.
- The Aozora (“blue sky”) Matsuri project was conceived to provide our community on the Canadian Prairies with a local festival song and dance to celebrate our history and nature. Hinode Taiko runs free community workshops to share the piece and wholeheartedly encourages community members to join in any performance of Aozora either by dancing or drumming.
- Hinode Taiko maintains a close relationship with the Winnipeg Deaf community through our Deaf members. We have performed at a number of Deaf-led events, have attended/facilitated workshops on the methods of playing taiko with Deaf and hard of hearing members, and work in as mentors with the drumming club at the Manitoba School for the Deaf.
- In 2004, working with producer Dan Donahue, the group released a CD, Hinode Taiko, with all original compositions.
- In 1996 and 1999 Hinode Taiko travelled to Japan, performing at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, the Setagaya summer festival, and the Extasia International Taiko Festival in Matto.
Performance Material Sources#
A large part of our repertoire is composed by memebrs of the group, but we also use some open-source material such as raku and ashura.
Taiko Community Mentors in the Group#
- Yuko Nozoe (mentoring for taiko skills, composing songs, workshops)
- James Coleman (resource for deaf/hard of hearing drumming)
- Dave Emmond (building taiko)
- Elizabeth Ready (grant writing)
