“Upopo Sanke“ was recorded on a farm in Tokachi in the summer of 2003. We hear dogs barking, a distant thunderstorm and voices imitating animals. The liner notes that accompany the 2LP release gather the anecdotal memories of Umeko Ando and Oki Kano about the stories of the 14 songs.

Oki Kano is a musical ambassador of the Ainu culture who tours worldwide with his Oki Dub Ainu Band and also gives solo concerts, always playing the Tonkori, the five-stringed Ainu harp.

The Ainu have suffered from the oppression of their culture and language by Japan, especially since the 18th and 19th centuries. Only recently, in 2008, were the Ainu officially recognized again as an indigenous people culturally independent of Japan. As a result of the marginalization, there are now only a few hundred native speakers of the Ainu language left, making it a particularly worthy object of preservation. This music would not exist if the Ainu had not maintained their culture in remote and secret communities against Japanese hegemony. Thanks to Oki Kano, Umeko Ando's interpretation of Ainu music has been recorded in great detail from within the community. "Upopo Sanke" is a treasure of the Ainu heritage.

"Upopo Sanke" was mixed again in part by Oki Kano before being mastered and cut to vinyl by Kassian Troyer. The 2LP plays on 45rpm and it sounds fantastic.

This album was the second album by Umeko Ando, the follow-up to "Ihunke", originally recorded in 2000 and also re-released in 2018 by Pingipung together with Oki Kano. The vinyl editions of "Ihunke" and also the 7’' single "Iuta Upopo" including an M.RUX remix have long been sold out. They will be made available again in the course of the release of "Upopo Sanke".

Photos by by Oki Kano