Inclusion: The Joy of Drumming
Posted October 7, 2013 at 7:00 pm
By David Mack-Hardiman, ContributorIn a community called Colony Unzen in Nagasaki prefecture in Japan, people who have conditions that are disabling live in residential homes with the support of professionals and neighbors. While some of these individuals formerly lived in institutions, they are now encouraged to live as independently as possible. Several of them started drumming as a form of rehabilitation and recreation. Through constant practice and training, they formed a professional drumming group.
The drummers dream to compete professionally leads them to the world class taiko drummer, Jishoya Ichiro. With Jishoya’s direction and guidance, the drummers master their challenging compositions. Jishoya composes, Zenshin-daha, which translates to, “making gradual progress while pounding away at prejudice.”
The leader of the drumming group is Iwamoto who is married and raising their four year old son. The film follows Iwamoto in his daily life and musical career. In one of the most dramatic moments of the documentary, he and his wife and son visit his mother, who had once placed him in an institution.
This wonderfully inspiring film touches on independence, community support, normalization, forgiveness and social engagement. It has been screened at the International Family Film Festival , the Global Social Change Film Festival and the Newport Beach Film Festival. Zuihou Taiko, the drumming group, has performed at many events in Japan and in Spain, Los Angeles, the United Nations, Australia and Sweden.
Inclusion: The Joy of Drumming will be shown twice on Saturday, October 12, 2013, at the Amherst Theater as part of the 9th Annual disABILITIES Film Festival. The event is hosted by the Museum of disABILITY History and People Inc. The Amherst Theater is located at 3500 Main Street across from the University at Buffalo South Campus and just one block from the Museum of disABILITY History. The first showing will be at 2 p.m. and the second will be at 7 p.m. Movie patrons are asked to attend the speaking event at the Museum of disABILITY History from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., either before or after their choice of film time. Michael A. Rembis, Ph.D., University at Buffalo historian and disabilities studies scholar will introduce local self- advocates who will speak about what inclusion means to them. Local artists who have disabilities will also be exhibiting and selling their artwork. Light refreshments will be served.
Please join us!
For more information, visit http://www.disabilityfilmfest.org/ or call the Museum of disABILITY History at 716-629-3626.
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