OKI (Hokkaido, Jp)

After a long time estranged from his Ainu indigenous roots as a young man, OKI (Oki Kano) embarked on a fascinating journey to reconnect with them. Following a stint in New York in the 1980s, he yearned for a sense of belonging upon returning to Hokkaido, which ultimately led him to teach himself the tonkori - a five-stringed lute deeply rooted in Ainu culture, a part of his heritage. From then on, he never looked back.

The result is a visionary fusion of indigenous Ainu music with global vocabularies.

A delicate balancing act, held together by traditional strings, peppered with sunny dispositions as seen in jangly tones - just listen to Yaykatekar Dub (Love Dub) and you will immediately recognize this merge. OKI's live and recorded performances bring the imperishable force of Ainu music, languages, and traditions into the spotlight.

Touted with great acclaim by international press, including The Guardian and Mojo to The Wire and The Quietus, Tonkori in the Moonlight (2022) showcases the captivating power of the tonkori. OKI's music carries the weight of ancestrality: his father, renowned Ainu wood sculptor Bikki Sunazawa, served as an inspiration. He continues to deepen his connection with heritage through collaborations with Ainu elder singer Umeko Ando. OKI's music is nothing short of intergenerational magic: played with the tenderness of someone who consciously and intentionally incorporates languages and knowledge, eager to expand and transmit them.

OKI's multi-layered and beautiful pieces are a testament to the once-outlawed Ainu culture conversing with transnational traditions from dub to funk. Through this dialogue of global traditions, Ainu knowledge returns full force, never to be erased.