FandangObon is a new art form that combines Fandango, a traditional dance from Mexico and Obon, a Japanese ritual performed during ceremonies honoring ancestors. At the 2016 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, folk musicians and dancers showcased how two independent cultures manage to merge traditions and carry them forward for future generations.
“Now it becomes a way to extend the tradition towards younger people, younger Japanese-Americans to understand that they are connected to this long line, it takes them across the ocean to their homeland and the traditions and the practices that we do,” said Nobuko Miyamoto, the co-founder of FandangObon and Asian American artist.
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival will continue from July 7 to July 10.