Arashi Daiko
Montréal 45° 30' 11.46" N, 73° 34' 11.30" W Music Group
Founded in 1983, Arashi Daiko is a Japanese percussion performance group based in Montreal and comprised of members from different communities.
With a repertoire of both traditional and original pieces, Arashi Daiko strives to spread Japanese culture to the greater community through music. The group and its members also believe in sharing the values of consideration, appreciation and respect through their performance and in the everyday lives of the members.
A Brief History of Arashi Daiko[edit]
There were many involved in establishing Arashi Daiko (“storm drums”) in 1983; among them were Terry and May Yasunaka who gave their final performance at the group’s 20th Anniversary Concert in March 2003. Twenty years earlier, they had invited Vancouver's Naomi Shikaze to give a series of Japanese drumming workshops at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montreal. A small group of interested community members showed up to learn about this exciting form of expression and hence, Arashi Daiko was born.
From humble beginnings practicing on old rubber tires to the group's present-day collection of over 30 drums, Montreal's taiko group has changed and evolved over the years, bearing witness to a true “melange” of backgrounds in its members, while maintaining the original mission of its founders’ vision: to be a community-based group sharing this exciting aspect of Japanese culture with the public at large.
Throughout the years, members from all walks of life have joined and left the group. Although it is the magical and transformative power of the taiko that draws people into the group, it is the members' warmth and generosity of spirit of its members that nourishes this passion for the drums. All who have encountered Arashi Daiko have been touched by the family atmosphere its founders and members continue to cultivate.
Our Philosophy[edit]
Arashi Daiko has three core values:
1 - Respect We respects all cultures and backgrounds, and all ages. Regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or religion, Arashi Daiko exists with an open membership policy, respecting each member’s individuality, and asks that all members carry this respect into the group and beyond.
2 - Consideration We each remain individuals, but when acting as a member or representative of Arashi Daiko, we must first consider what is best for the group, and remember that our actions reflect on the group as well. Consideration is also expressed in the way we treat our fellow members.
3 - Appreciation We appreciate the drums and the equipment that we have, that has been accumulated over the years by the hard work of those who have contributed to the establishment of Arashi Daiko before us.
These core values are at the root of every culture; Arashi Daiko advocates that these human values be shared amongst all cultures. If we can help and respect one another and offer consideration and appreciation to each other on a personal level, then we are also realizing the philosophy of Arashi Daiko.