Baraki-Nakayama Festival

So my town is relatively small, despite being situated within the megalopolis of Tokyo (it's not really Tokyo, but it may as well be).  They held a local festival sponsored by the shops around the community (the lanterns in the video below have the shop names as a form of advertisment).

The centre stage was a drum, struck by various people throughout the performance.  Hopefully you'll get an idea of the relative repetitiveness of the song, despite the changing background music.  They seemed to be content with their accompaniment regardless of what the DJ decided to put on, I think they'd choreographed their dance and didn't have any backup plans for when the folk music gave way to a more dance orientated tune.

You'll also see the kind of laid back circle dancing that is quite common in Japan at these kinds of smaller festivals.  In Japanese schools they sometimes organise dances around a bonfire (often made of the detritus from the festival, wooden boards, signs and stands - that kind of thing) in which dances similar to the ones in the video are performed.

If they're feeling particularly risque they might even allow couples to dance together (don't think slow dancing, think a dance very similar to the one in the video).

And without any further ado, here it is:

As of Yet, Untitled

So I previously wrote in handwriting because an article inspired me to try it out.  Upon re-reading it, I found that it was total garbage and instead of flipping it over, I'm going to leave it as an impenetrable wall of hand carved nonsense.  Good luck, should you wish to attempt deciphering it.

Anyway, I went to a Fijian independence day party at a country club.  It was a proper country club too, with bowls lawns and an artifical pitch.  In the middle of Tokyo.  Amazing.  It was chock full of white people wearing tennis gear, and Japanese people wearing blazers, tuxedos and ties.  What the hell?

Anyway, this bizarre slice of life in colonial Japan aside, it was awkward because Fiji was previously a colony of England and I happen to be English.  It would have been awkward if it were any other country.  That is to say, if it were an american independence day gathering, I would obviously have been shot.  If it were Indian, I'd have been burnt in effigy, if not worse.  Fijians are super chilled out however, and everyone got along swimmingly.  Even the berks in blazers were having fun, which is a rare thing in Japan.

So, onto the pictures.

The first girl is one of the organisers, the second a translator.  No one mention the man at the back.  Inappropriate.

The guy in third in this mini conga is one of the centres for the gaijin. Mojee weighs a metric tonne, and looks dapper in a skirt.

This rather nervous woman didn't look particularly thrilled at being handed the speech obligations.  She was evidently someone quite important, but just how so I'm not sure.

The line began with only a few people.  Normally it would have expanded to everyone within seconds - but this is Japan.  It took a rather long time for it to reach this number of people, and the eagle-eyes among you will notice that it's mainly foreigners.  Ever such a difficult proposition, getting the locals to have fun.

The Samoan delegation also danced, and considering the history between these two islands, I'm surprised there wasn't a fight.  Indeed, their territorial disputes make the invasion by England look tame.  At least we didn't eat anyone.

All the women wore these dresses.  The reason this picture is black and white is because it's slightly out of focus.  A good way to mask it is make it black and white and hope people focus on that, rather than your poor skills.

Bati is like the tribal elder or something.  He's at all these events, leading the dancers and helpers with great enthusiasm.

They can't sing though.  The nicest people in the world, but they can't sing.

This girl was sporting a traditional Fijian wedding dress; actually made of bark.  Her mum liked the picture, but she didn't.  I got a hell of a dirty look when I took it.  Sorry girl.

Another view of the conga, always of interest to those who take part.  Probably less interesting for you.  Sorry about that.

Again, the leader rallies his troops, just out of shot.

Mojee doing a climb the rope impression.

The traditional dances of these islands are usually rather sedate.  Think of Hawai'i and you'll get what I mean.  A much different proposition to their past endeavours.

One of the two basque we have in the gaijin.  Both are constantly reminding us that the basque are neither french nor spanish, a proud race unto their own.  So proud, one of them is training to overtake his homeland with a bazooka.  No one told him it was a stage light, we all thought he'd have been sad.

An alternative view of the conga.  I really don't know if this photo works.  Only the girls face is in focus, which immediately draws my eye, but it's such a small part of the picture that I really don't know how I feel about it.  At least she is looking away at something off screen, so you're left wondering what it is that has her attention.

Two of the Samoan dancers, giving a similar dance to the Fijian ladies.  It's all very sedate, and shows that women have certain roles thrust upon them, regardless of where they're from.  The men do the war dances, the women do the... I don't really know what to call them.  Those dances.  Yeah, them.

Anyway, that's all for today.  Three anyways in the introductions probably means a rather scatter-brained approach to the blog, but whatever.

Catch you later!