Volunteers

Assalom alekum!

My name is Komazaki Mashu. In October 2015, I came to Uzbekistan in the frame of volunteer program of JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). For the last two years, I've been teaching music in Uzbekistan.My main specialty is playing piano, but here in Uzbekistan I was impressed by the dutar sound when I listened to for the first time. From that time on it was my dream to learn playing dutar. In my spare time from teaching at the school I attended dutar lessons. I enjoy playing Uzbek national music at Uzbek dutar during the organized events along with volunteers like myself.

I'm not only a music teacher, but I'm also introducing Japanese culture and traditions to people in Uzbekistan. We also enjoy a variety of events with Japanese volunteers who have come to Uzbekistan for the same purpose as me. One of such events was held at the Japanese language and culture center in Rishtan district of Fergana region. Visitors of this center are very interested in Japanese language learning, so they are interested in Japanese life too. Together with the students of the Training Center we held an event dedicated to Uzbek and Japanese songs and dances. We tried to express Japanese culture through music and dance. In addition, along with the guests of our event, we were able to study and sing one of the most popular songs in Japan, which I translated into Uzbek.

Nowadays, Uzbek schools have a summer vacations, and one of our goal is to spend time with pleasure at the training center. Besides the members of the center there were mothers, sisters and even grandmothers of the members among the participants at the concert.

I am very glad to add my contribution to make the relationship between Uzbekistan and Japan stronger!