We Are Tomodachi Winter 2018

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34Amna Al Darmaki of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) never imagined becoming a Japanese wadaiko drummer, although she had been promoting culture exchange between Emirati and Japanese people since she made her first Japanese friend in 2011. But meeting Yotaro Matsutani and his Japanese traditional wadaiko drum group “Kharsha” (meaning “exciting” in Arabic) in 2017 added bold new dimensions to her intercultural activities.Amna is from the inland city of Al Ain, meaning “The Spring,” and she deeply appreciates the history, tradition, and natural beauty of her hometown. Al Ain has been continually inhabited for over 4,000 years, and its oases once provided respite for caravans. Visitors can now stroll through Al Ain Oasis, lush with 147,000 date palm trees. The oasis, together with historical remains of settlements and ancient burial sites in Al Ain became a World Heritage site in 2011. Al Ain also has an old fort and many museums; the city seeks to preserve the past even as it builds state-of-the-art shopping malls and business centers.Amna enjoyed Japanese anime and video games as a child, and then switched to Japanese dramas (she still watches the anime Chibi Maruko-chan). But when she cofounded Sakura Club in 2012 during her senior year at UAE University and started searching for information about Japan for the club magazine, she “fell in love with traditional Japanese culture.” After graduating, she made her first visit to Japan, and then began working at her university, keeping her ties to Sakura Club.In 2016, Amna made her second trip to Japan, this time on a mission. Fujimigaoka High School in Tokyo had pulled back from sending students to the UAE for homestays due to parents’ concern for their children’s safety. Amna took it upon herself to correct this misunderstanding. With family and friends in the UAE, she made a video showing the safety of public transportation, the welcome given in homes, and the modern, attractive city life. At Fujimigaoka High School, Amna met with students and their parents and showed them the video. Also, a Fujimigaoka graduate who had visited the UAE told how the Emirati blend of the old and new had inspired and changed her. She shared pictures of beautiful Amna performed wadaiko with Kharsha at a UAE Flag Day event. ©Marah ShatarahSeries: Friends of JapanWadaiko Drumbeats in the United Arab EmiratesAmna Al DarmakiBorn and lives in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Cofounded Sakura Club in 2012 to promote positive relations between Japan and the UAE through cultural activities. Now plays in the Japanese-UAE Kharsha wadaiko drum group, and helps to plan, organize and expand the group’s activities.