Bodies in motion: gender, identity, and the politics of representation in the American taiko movement

Abstract

The ancient drumming tradition of Japanese taiko has recently become popularized in America, partially maintaining its Japanese roots while incorporating American musical ideals, practice, and aesthetics, thus creating a unique hybrid cultural tradition. My project, inspired by the recent study of musical identity in the diaspora, focuses on the development of taiko in America in relation to ethnic identity and gender. The rise of the American taiko movement, although rooted in the Japanese American community, dovetailed with the ethnic revitalization movements of the late 19605 and early 19705, and has thus become emblematic of the Asian American voice in America. This thesis examines the interrelation of ethnic identity as expressed through music and movement, gender constructs in taiko performance, and the politics of representation within the local and global taiko community. I utilize ethnographic data gathered from interviews and observation of San Jose Taiko of California and the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble of Honolulu, as well as numerous individual taiko practitioners, to argue that taiko drumming has provided a unique outlet for self-expression through music and movement and allows its practitioners to construct, affirm, and challenge their identities amid the changing American geo-political landscape.