I was so boring when I accidentally found a clip in You Tube about Ondekoza (demon drum group), sometimes it also referred as “Za Ondekoza”. It is a Japanese troupe specializing in Taiko drums (a percussion instrument). I was so amazed with their spirit, dedication, discipline, self sacrifice and passion in playing the taiko drums, the rhythm and ritual are amazing; and most important how they appreciate and promoted their culture to be known worldwide. There are lot of sources for you to understand better on Ondekoza.
Ondekoza was formed in 1969 under the direction of its founder, Den Tagayasu. The group was originally created on the Japanese island of Sado, where a group of young men and women gathered to follow the ideals of Den Tagayasu. Since then Ondekoza has expanded across Japan and the rest of the world, popularizing taiko along the way. They are widely recognized as one of groups to have set the groundwork for taiko as a performance art.
At the foundation of Ondekoza’s activity is the principle of “Sogakuron”- that “running and drumming are one, and a reflection of the drama and energy of life”. For more information on Ondekoza, you can visit their official website and Wikipedia.
I hope you'll enjoy the clips as I am !
It's important that someone celebrate our existence... People are the only mirror we have to see ourselves in. The domain of all meaning. All virtue, all evil, are contained only in people. There is none in the universe at large. Solitary confinement is a punishment in every human culture.
Lois McMaster Bujold, "Mirror Dance", 1994
If you look through all the different cultures. Right from the earliest, earliest days with the animistic religions, we have sought to have some kind of explanation for our life, for our being, that is outside of our humanity.
Jane Goodall (1934 - )
