Concept of TaikoING
By Eri Uchida
What is Taiko?
What would you answer to the question “What makes Taiko, Taiko?”
TaikoING is a new word I created as an answer to this question. In Japanese dictionary, the definition of Taiko is “a type of percussion instrument that makes a sound by stretching a thin film on a hollow frame (body) and striking it with your own hands or sticks (Bachi)”. Taiko in English, the common simple definition is “Japanese drums”.
The traditional image that often comes to mind with taiko.
What is a “Japanese” drum?
It is obvious that you don’t have to be Japanese to play.
When I was with a professional taiko group, I asked myself many times “Why taiko? What is the power of it?” I saw a lot of depth of possibilities by seeking the high qualities in the performing arts of taiko. At that time, I felt high skills, athletic physical and high quality instruments were necessary to carry the power of taiko.
Taiko as a performing art is indispensable for progress of taiko’s skill and representation. And to spread all over the world.
“However, I started to realize that it is just one side of taiko’s power and role.”
The Power Within Taiko
I remembered when I started a Taiko group in Canada where I went to high school, I was playing with pipe drums with tape on it since there was not much budget and very dry climate. I even performed with it and introduced ourselves “we are performing taiko!” to the audience. It was taiko for me without any doubt.
Why do people enjoy and bring them together including the audience by playing Taiko even if it’s the first time for them?
Why does the simplest rhythm bring the players and audience together?
Why did I call the pipe drum “taiko” without any doubt?
Taiko is not just a thing. Taiko is the thing between the things.
Taiko is a resonation.
That’s what I spent the most time on practicing when I was in a group too. How to get the best one sound which is the best resonation out of each taiko in that environment. All the phrases and rhythms are sequences of one sound. Resonation makes sympathy. I think the definition of Taiko is still something to discuss with everyone in the world.
Our Hope
I have a hope that the definition of taiko becomes very broad and that Taiko doesn't decide the border by shape.
Taiko as a noun might be the instrument itself. But I ended up creating a new word “Taiko-ing” as a verb.
It includes my hope of how Taiko will be used and it focuses on the essential power of taiko. “Resonating internally and with the others”.
TaikoIN’ = Taiko-ING + 4 IN’tentions
So even without taiko itself, if you resonate internally or each other by doing or talking, that’s TaikoIN’!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eri Uchida
Eri was a performing member of Kodo for 10 years. In addition to performances, she also oversaw activities and training for incoming Kodo apprentices and facilitated several workshops for visitors from within and outside of Japan. Through TaikoIN’, Eri plans to share the skills and philosophies she has learned from her taiko career with hopes of expanding the possibilities of taiko and its community.
