Paper short abstract:

This paper analyzes how residents, out-migrants, and artists cooperate to pass on folk performing arts in depopulated rural communities and discusses the possibility of succeeding to them through the participation of artists. The research case is Rokusai-Nenbutsu in Shiga Prefecture.

Paper long abstract:

In recent years, projects in which artists and contemporary dancers learn folk performing arts have been conducted in some local communities. This paper analyzes how residents, out-migrants, and artists cooperate to pass on folk performing arts in rural depopulated communities and how the participation of artists affects the transmission of these arts. It also explores the possibility of succeeding to folk performing arts through the participation of artists.

The research case is the performing art called Rokusai-Nembutsu in Kutsuki-Furuya settlement of Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture. Since the 1970s, the population of Kutsuki-Furuya has been decreasing, and the dance performance of Rokusai-Nembutsu was discontinued in 2012 due to a lack of performers. However, in 2016, Takashima City Board of Education and a group of residents who have inherited the traditional culture of Takashima City introduced artists to the residents. The artists learned how to dance Rokusai-Nembutsu from the residents and collaborated with them to resume the performance. In addition, the artists have taught how to dance Rokusai-Nembutsu to out-migrants who live outside the settlement, as well as to contemporary dancers interested in folk performing arts. And both of them also participated in the succession of the dance. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, Rokusai Nembutsu was canceled from 2020 to 2022, but in the meantime, the artists continue to recruit new participants and practice together on Zoom.

Through interview with residents, out-migrants, artists, and dancers and participation observation of practices, preparation, and performance of Rokusai-Nebutsu from 2017 to present, this paper focuses on how the relationship between them was established and transformed through the mediation of the Board of Education and the residents' groups, and how the transmission of the folk performing arts has changed and discusses the possibility of future succession.