Today again I have enjoined Oni Daiko ( ৈদত্যের নাচ ) festival. Last year, I wrote about this in my blog. Please find my today’s video clip and blog posting…
Among the Sado’s amazing cultural staffs inherited from ancient myth and traditions, ‘Oni-Daiko’ is one of the important performing arts. The folk arts ‘Oni-Daiko’ refers to ‘Demon drums’, which locally known as ‘Ondeko’.
Commonly Japanese old culture are linked with religious believes and mystical practices. ‘Oni-daiko’ is also same, and have been practising with devotions to ward off devils for a bountiful harvest and good fortune. The ‘Ondeko’ generally practices in harvesting time that is end of summer and early of spring. During Ondeko, the performers dressed and wear masks like Oni that is monster.
In a nutshell, ‘Onideko’ means dance with huge and continuous beat of ‘Taiko / Tailko’ drum. The purposes of this traditional performing art are to drive away evil spirits and to bring fortune. Worldwide common believe, Oni that is evil or monster do not bring good fortune, but Sado people consider it, as divine.
There are many type of ‘Onideko’ based on area, mask and dance style. Commonly, the during dance performance ‘Oni’ flips their hair up with drum sticks, strike fierce poses at the crowd, chase dragons. However whole performance looks pretty serious. Although there are different style, but purposes are same, such as bring good fortune, good health, peace and the avoiding of disaster. Ondeko devotedly practices in shrine for exorcism ,prosperous business and supplication for abundant crops .
The performance with colourful mask, dress up, wilderness, drumbeats all together create mysterious monster kingdom. This traditional performance has been started on 877 B.C., in the Buddhist Monk Emperor Yozei era.
There are about 110 Oni-daiko groups is small island Sado. Based on area and style there are three types such as ‘Aikawa type (northern), Kuninaka (central) and Maehama (southern) style. The ‘Aikawa type includes the dance of an old man called ‘mamemaki’ who scatters beans for good luck from a wooden measuring box. In the Kuninaka type, black and white demons dance with two lions, and in the Maehama style, two demons dance together to the accompaniment of flute and drum.
However standard form of ‘Ondeko’ include ‘ Dancing of demon and gradually approaches the drum. When the drum beat changes to ‘hayabachi’ the dance becomes wilder. Two lions then emerge and attack the demon, trying to keep monster from the drum. While fighting off the lions the demon struggles to reach the drum. The degree of skill and dramatic flare with which this heroic struggle is portrayed separates the great dancer from the good.
By joining in 5th Annual All-Japan Folk Performance Contest on April 5th, 1930, the ‘Ondeko’ becomes a popular cultural staff nationwide.