The Japanese Taiko Drummer Who Found Her Rhythm in Singapore | Singapore Hour

Key Concepts

• Taiko drumming
• Japanese cultural promotion in Singapore
• Hibikiya (Taiko group and teaching platform)
• SSEAYP (Ship for Southeast Asia Youth Programme)
• Cultural integration and adaptation
• Singlish
• "Rojak" culture (Singaporean mixed culture)

Hibikiya and Japanese Cultural Promotion

• Establishment: Hibikiya was founded in 2009 by a Japanese Taiko player to teach traditional Japanese music and promote Japanese culture in Singapore.
• Mission: To provide a platform for people interested in Japanese culture, not just Taiko, to come together and enjoy.
• Authenticity vs. Accessibility: The founder aims to maintain the authenticity of Japanese culture while making it accessible to a wider audience.
• "Rojak Day": Hibikiya holds sessions called "Rojak Day" where they practice many songs in a single day. This reflects the "rojak" (hodgepodge) culture of Singapore, where different elements blend together. The founder likens it to the "melting pot" concept in the USA.
• Performance: Hibikiya was invited to perform for a company's 30th anniversary, at the same place they performed 16 years ago.
• Recognition: Hibikiya received the Foreign Minister's Commendation from the Japanese government for their work in promoting Japanese culture.

Personal Journey and Cultural Integration

• Arrival in Singapore: The founder arrived in Singapore in 2000, while his wife arrived in 1998 from Malaysia.
• SSEAYP Connection: The founder participated in the Ship for Southeast Asia Youth Programme (SSEAYP), which led him to make friends in Singapore and eventually move there permanently. He first visited Singapore in 1993 and then in 1997 as a SSEAYP participant.
• SSEAYP Activities: During SSEAYP, participants engaged in various activities, including community service projects like cleaning up beaches.
• Singlish Acquisition: While teaching Japanese, the founder picked up Singlish to make lessons fun and it quickly became a part of his communication style. He uses Singlish phrases like "jalan-jalan" (go for a stroll) and "makan-makan" (eat).
• Local Food Preferences: The couple enjoys local Singaporean food, including roti prata, mutton soup, and kangkong sambal (though the wife's tolerance for spicy food is higher). The founder can read and write Chinese for ordering food but struggles with pronunciation. He also enjoys naan and dosa.
• Sense of Belonging: After living in Singapore for 26 years, the couple feels that more than half of themselves is Singaporean.

SSEAYP and Lasting Friendships

• Meeting through SSEAYP: The founder met friends Rozailey, Raja, and Li Chu through SSEAYP in 1997, and they have remained friends since.
• SSEAYP Structure: SSEAYP involves participants from Southeast Asian countries and Japan traveling by ship to each other's countries for over a month. Singapore served as a port of call where contingents from different countries would gather to start the journey.
• Port of Call Activities: In each port of call, participants engaged in homestay programs, institutional visits, and courtesy calls.
• Maintaining Connections: After SSEAYP, participants maintained contact through physical letters and postcards.

Conclusion

The video highlights the journey of a Japanese couple who have deeply integrated into Singaporean society through their involvement in cultural promotion and personal experiences. The establishment of Hibikiya serves as a platform for sharing Japanese culture while embracing the unique "rojak" culture of Singapore. The SSEAYP program played a crucial role in the founder's decision to move to Singapore and build lasting friendships. The couple's story exemplifies the power of cultural exchange and the creation of a sense of belonging in a new environment. The Foreign Minister's Commendation is a testament to their dedication and impact on promoting Japanese culture in Singapore. The founder feels that his current path was made possible by the people he met and the experiences he had, and that he is meant to be in Singapore.