Handed Down - Nevada Arts Council

1994–1995
Japanese Taiko Drumming:
Doug Muraoka, William Fujii and Norma Honda-Wagoner
The Las Vegas Japanese American Citizens’ League
has been an active community organization for
twenty years, promoting the interests of Japanese
Americans, providing scholarships, and serving as a
social and cultural catalyst for the community. When
Doug Muraoka arrived in Las Vegas from Southern
California to attend the university, he didn’t know
of the organization, but within a few months JACL
president George Goto had located him and asked if he
would play the drum for dancers at their Obon Festival,
a traditional summer celebration. Doug describes it
this way: “My first set was terrible, my second set was
almost perfect, and so I thought there’s no way they’re
going to ever ask me to do this again. Then George gets
on the PA and he introduces me as a drummer, and also
says, ‘Oh yeah, by the way, Doug will be teaching a class
starting in December’. I just said, ‘Okay.”
Taiko drum master
Doug Muraoka
Thus began, in early 1993, a remarkable example of a
grassroots performing group that has become a dynamic
force in the cultural community of southern Nevada.
Doug had been playing taiko drums for his Buddhist
temple in San Fernando since he was twelve, but had
never taught, and was more familiar with the older solo
drumming tradition than the newer Japanese American
innovation of playing in groups. The Las Vegas group
had only one drum to start with, and had to practice on
old tires, but under Doug’s direction they began creating
their own compositions and choreography based on
traditional rhythms and styles. “It was all by accident,” he
laughs. “It’s been by the seat of our pants the last year.”
Two of the group’s members, William Fujii and
Norma Honda-Wagoner, showed exceptional talent
and interest. Because Doug was eventually planning to
leave Las Vegas to continue his education, he saw a need
to train someone to take over his teaching duties, so he
chose William and Norma to work with in an apprenticeship.
William is the son of Japanese immigrant parents,
and has a strong interest in Japanese culture. He is
a student at Las Vegas’Academy of International Studies
and Performing Arts, and he already has a background in
music and is studying the Japanese language. Norma was
raised in Los Angeles, but has lived in Las Vegas for 30
years and is a long-time member of JACL. She especially
values the range of ages of the drum group’s members,
from young teenagers to senior citizens.
Doug is very modest about his teaching abilities, and
gives enormous credit to the group’s members. “I think
anybody can hit it, but it takes something else to play
it,” he explains. “It does take talent to play the drum,
it really does, especially to make it look good, to have
some style. [Some people are] concentrating, so intent
on what they’re doing and there’s no style in the face,
there’s no style in the movement, they don’t play. And
that’s what I’m looking for, but that’s the hardest part
to teach.” All of the members of the Kaminari Taiko
Drummers can be proud of what they have achieved
in just two years, starting from one drum and some
old tires. As they pound out their theme song, Kaminari
(which means thunder) on drums they have made
themselves from old wine barrels, they are sounding the
heartbeat of a living tradition.
The Kaminari Taiko Drummers performing at the
Las Vegas Folklife Festival.
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