Itsushi Kawase is a professor at Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology and the Graduate University for Advanced Studies. His work bridges ethnographic filmmaking, poetry, fiction and performance, bringing a dynamic and engaged approach to scholarship.
Since 2001, he has conducted research on hereditary singers in northern Ethiopia, and since 2018, he has explored religious practices among the Ethiopian diaspora in Tokyo. As a filmmaker, he has directed several documentaries, including Azmari-The Fest of Voices- (2023), When Spirits Ride Their Horses (2012) and the award-winning Room 11, Ethiopia Hotel (2007). His work critically examines the challenges and opportunities of communicating anthropological knowledge through film, encouraging dialogue both on screen and in daily life.
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AzmariKAWASE Itsushi
In Ethiopia, music is a way of life. This book ...In Ethiopia, music is a way of life. This book offers a close, immersive portrait of itinerant poet-musicians who earn their living through song and performance.Focusing on Azmari singer-instrument...
