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Melissa Kamibayashi – Ottawa, ON
Melissa Kamibayashi grew up in Ottawa to Japanese Canadian parents. With the JET program she spent three years 1994-1997 in Usa City in Oita Prefecture as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) where she taught in five junior high schools and at a Centre for Young Workers. In addition to teaching, she helped coordinate the first annual English Language Camp during the summer for junior high school students. Melissa became immersed with the culture, gaining wonderful experience, by joining an award-winning, all women’s taiko group. She joined a scroll making class with a Master scroll maker for two years. For Melissa the experience in Japan gave her an opportunity to try almost anything she could: tea ceremony, ikebana, kyudo (archery), shuji (calligraphy), pottery making, soba (buckwheat noodle) making, shiitake (mushroom) picking and live dojo (mudsucker) eating. Every year she had the honour of helping the women of the city carry the omikoshi (portable shrine) around the city for good luck. If that wasn’t enough, she made time to go hiking, soak in a local onsen hot spring) and karaoke. When she returned to Ottawa, Melissa continued to play taiko by joining the local group and became involved a local community television program dealing with Japanese and Japanese Canadian topics.
Melissa (middle) with school students
at Ekisen Junior High School.
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Melissa performing with taiko group,
Toyokawa Taiko. Melissa is on far right.
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Carrying omikoshi (portable shrine) at Usa
festival.
(All photos: Melissa Kamibayashi)
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