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Tracks:
Yamadashi:
*Tanne
*Prayer
Misty
Gaia
Wood Fairy
Satobiki
Kiotoshi
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Gaia
The title of
Kitaro's 1998 release pays tribute to our planet. The title
loosely translates to Goddess of the Earth or Mother Earth. This
was Kitaro's first studio release
in four years since Mandala.
The tracks resonate with the history embodied in some of Mother
Earth's most precious gifts, pre-Columbian wind and percussion
instruments dating back to the 1300's. These instruments are
used in Kitaro's music to
connect the old with the new. Wood is the natural building
block supplied by Mother Earth and used to create virtually
everything humans need; from fire, to shelter, to shrines & to
music.
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This new
album is based in part on chanting meant to facilitate
communications with nature. Much of Gaia music was inspired by
Kitaro's witnessing of the "On Bashira" or "Mi Hashira" festival
in Japan.
The music
here is derived from the festival's activities. Every seven
years, eight selected groups of individuals are chosen to be
spiritually cleansed. They participate in cutting eight
individual trees. Prior to cutting, participants ascend a
mountain and, in an attempt to spiritually connect, speak with
the heavens through the trees. As people watch and become
physically involved in the activity, the trees are allowed to
fall down the mountain. The trees eventually become one of eight
posts, the cornerstones and foundation of the ceremonial shrine.
Through these events, respect is attained as nature helps these
individules become in touch with themselves.
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