Marewrew / OKI

Tradition is passed on in a circle

The hypnotic singing of Rekpo, Mayunkiki and Utowa, the three singers of the Ainu group Marewrew, unfolds like dub music: they sit in a circle, then one begins and the others join in slightly out of phase. This traditional canon song of the Ainu, who have inhabited the northern region of the Japanese archipelago, the island of Hokkaido in particular, since time immemorial, is called »Ukouk«. Marewrew’s fresh versions shed a whole new light on these fascinating songs, which have been passed down by word of mouth for generations. Traditionally sung by an all-female vocal group, the Elbphilharmonie concert will feature the famous Ainu musician OKI, who not only sings but also plays hand percussion and the five-stringed Ainu harp tonkori.