Comforting tones of folk instruments as Ainu musicians perform in Sapporo
On December 12, approximately 80 people enjoyed a mini performance of the ‘mukkuri,’ a traditional Ainu musical instrument, and ‘digeridoo,’ a wind instrument of the Australian Aborigine, at ‘The Knot Sapporo’ hotel in Chuo-ku, Sapporo.
The event was held in conjunction with the Kushiro City-sponsored ‘Crossing Arts Exhibition,’ which was held at the hotel until December 26. Mukkuri player, embroidery artist and resident of Akan-cho, Kushiro, Toko Midori, who also exhibited her works, appear onstage alongside GOMA, a painter and didgeridoo player who lives in Tokyo, as well as Toko’s daughter Goukon Fukiko, an Ainu musician who also lives in Akan-cho, Kushiro.
During the performance, the musicians played mouth harps from around the world, as well as ‘tonkori,’ a stringed Ainu instrument. A talk show was also held, in which GOMA shared episodes of how he started drawing elaborate pictures after suffering from higher cerebral dysfunction in a traffic accident. Ms. Toko said, “I hope that the fusion of Ainu culture and art will help many people understand the appeal.”
Location
The Knot Sapporo
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