Supporter Spotlight

The story of our new "cloud costume"

Five volunteers (listed below) created our new summer costume, nicknamed "the cloud costume" because of the cloud-like pattern in the green and gold fabric. They sewed more than a dozen costumes over several months. We are very grateful for their help and expertise!

Meredith and Marsha

Portland Taiko and performer Meredith Chan spearheaded the design. Marsha (not pictured) is Meredith’s mom.

My mom and aunt taught me to sew as a child. I love to sew, figure out how things are made and try to recreate them or make the design better.

We started working on this costume more than two years ago. We needed something lightweight we could wear with shorts in warmer weather. 

The purple fabric was purchased by our Artistic Director, Tiffany, on a Japan trip, and I was tasked with finding a coordinating fabric. I found the green cloud fabric and had it shipped from Japan.

Carol Saiget

Carol is a former board member who has helped with multiple PT costumes.

Sewing has always been my passion, hobby and creative outlet.  There are a lot of challenges when creating a new costume. We need a design, colors and fabric that would please everyone. We contemplated at least 3 or 4 color combinations before Meredith took the plunge. 

The previous summer costume, which the performers have been wearing since before COVID, was cut for each performer. For the new costume, we have three sizes in two different lengths. 

Kegan Wells

Kegan is an advanced taiko student.

Sewing is sewww much more than sitting at a machine. There are measurements, geometry and more ironing than I ever wish to do (which is none) followed by pinning, then sewing, then MORE ironing. 

I worked on the costumes in an assembly line because I have a memory only slighted better than a goldfish. Working on each one individually would mean constantly check the instructions to remember which sections needed French seams, purple thread vs. green thread, etc.  

What I love most about sewing is the gentle hum of my machine and transforming flat puzzle pieces into a beautiful garment. 

Lena Walker

Lena is also an advanced taiko student.

It brings me joy to help Portland Taiko, with its mission of sharing our Japanese American history with the community. Sewing was a significant part of my family history. As the story goes, my great grandmother, who immigrated to Hawai'i from Japan as a picture bride, made her living as a seamstress after rejecting the man who catfished her with an incredibly inaccurate picture of himself.

Michael Hale

Please tell us a bit about yourself...

I've been married to Wendy for almost 60 years. We met in Boston and have two kids. Stephen is a software development director and Stephanie is an editor. I was the de facto database marketing manager for Bank of America NW until I retired.

What do you do for Portland Taiko?

I do data entry, tech support, and I'm a member of the Advisory Board. Right now, we're looking at reducing how many software programs Portland Taiko uses.

How long have you volunteered with us?

I responded to a Help Wanted! request in the newsletter back in August 2004. They needed someone "a couple of hours a week"...which ended up being two days a week.  

What do you like about volunteering with Portland Taiko?

I was a taiko fan for many years and tried Taiko 101 a few times,  but I have absolutely no talent for it. I can't do what the performers do, but I can help the organization by doing things I am good at.

Janice Okamoto

Please tell us a bit about yourself...

I was born here in Portland, Oregon. During WWII, I was sent to the Assembly Center, then Minidoka, then we moved to Vanport. I'm a Vanport survivor.

I met George Okamoto at one of the Obonfests.  I didn't drink coffee at the time, so when he invited me out for coffee, I said "Oh no, I don't drink coffee." And that was that, haha! But a week later, he called me and took me out to dinner and a movie. I told my mom about George Okamoto, and she told me that the Okamoto family and our family lived in the same block at Minidoka. So both of our families were very happy when we got together. We had two children, and I have 5 grandchildren. George is deceased.

How long have you been a Portland Taiko supporter?

I came from a musical family. My dad played taiko for the church Obons and played piano and organ.

In Minidoka, the young kids started playing baseball. My dad said they needed something musical too, so he and my uncle started a band to bring people together for dances in the mess hall. Dad worked in the mess hall and said no one liked Cream of Wheat. So they put it on the mess hall floor to make it slippery so they could dance more smoothly.

My husband George was interested in Portland Taiko and wanted it to be more than just at Obon time. He was one of the first people to help make bachi and taiko stands. We knew Ann and Zack and of course Valerie and June and everyone who was there in the very beginning.

Do you have a favorite Portland Taiko piece?

I like the sun goddess story (Amaterasu), it's always so funny. I also really like the one about the internment camps, where June reads all the names of the camps (A Place Called Home) and I really like Zack's Salmon Ghost Song, and Ha! They're all so good!

You've been to many Portland Taiko fundraisers, what do you like about the event?

I like coming to the party to support Portland Taiko and help keep it going. I like to meet the people behind the taiko and also meet other taiko fans and talk about why they like coming. We always enjoy hearing the music and seeing how hard everyone plays. It's so interesting and we know how challenging it is!

What motivates you to stay involved?

I want people to understand that taiko is not just for ceremony, it's for entertainment too.  I remember dad playing taiko, and I remember wishing there was more.

Music is a universal language for everyone to enjoy. Each generation should understand that music is love for the whole country. Friendship and love, that's what I want people to remember about Portland Taiko. That's why I support PT.