'You can't ignore the sound of the drum': Hinode Taiko celebrates 40 years
A Winnipeg-based Japanese drum group is celebrating four decades of high energy beats.
Hinode Taiko held two performances of its 40th anniversary concert – titled "Hikari" - at the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain (CCFM) this weekend.
Artistic director Yuko Nozoe said it's an important milestone.
"For such a small community to sustain such a group for 40 years, it just speaks to the strength of the community," she said. "The commitment and the dedication of not just the players, but the people that support us as well."
Nozoe said that taiko - the Japanese word for "drum" – is an art form she has a strong connection to.
"The first time that I was exposed to this style of drumming was when I was three years old, and I went to Japan for the first time," said Nozoe. "I still remember how I felt when I first heard the instrument, and it's just been with me ever since.”
Hinode Taiko is Canada's longest-running taiko group east of the Rockies. Nozoe became involved with the group five years ago, when she moved to Winnipeg from Toronto.
"You can't ignore the sound of the drum. It's just like an unapologetic expression of my Japanese-Canadian-ness," she said.
Nozoe added the performance makes her feel connected to her Japanese heritage in a physical way.
"In Japanese tradition it's said that the sound of the taiko resembles the sound of a mothers heartbeat as heard from an unborn child, so its one of the first sounds that we hear," she said.
She said that even though the drumming is high energy and loud, it still has a calming effect.
"For me, the taiko drum represents all of our hearts beating as one, so I hope that we can connect on heartbeat level with the audience," said Nozoe.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Woman, 18, killed by co-worker's vehicle on Highway 1 in Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw police say an 18-year-old woman who was at work has died from injuries she sustained in a collision with a vehicle being driven by her co-worker last Thursday.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
MPs to vote on NDP motion calling on Canada to recognize Palestinian statehood
Members of Parliament will vote Monday on a motion from the federal New Democrats, calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine,' among a range of other calls to action in regards to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.