Gregory Wada is a yonsei Japanese American taiko performer, cultural worker, scholar, organizer, archaeologist, and activist.

Memory Keeper

A theme that connects both my training as an archaeologist and my creative work as a taiko player is in contemplating the past and keeping memories alive through contemporary practice. The social world that we inhabit is constantly reinvented, and our relationship to memory plays a huge role in how we navigate the fluidity of history. My practice uses research, music, and stories to keep memories alive and evolving within communities today.

TAIKO

Gregory is a taiko instructor and performer at the Northern California Koyasan Temple and a former member of Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan.

As a student performer and leader, Gregory had opportunities to learn from taiko masters such as Seiichi Tanaka (San Francisco Taiko Dojo), Roy and PJ Hirabayashi (San Jose Taiko), Tiffany Tamaribuchi and Sascha Molina (Sacramento Taiko Dan), and Isaku Kageyama.

Gregory’s work focus on Asian American joy, Third Space projects, community-building, non-violent resistance, displacement and belonging, and solidarity. Gregory founded the Davis Cherry Blossom Festival and serves as the executive director of its associated 501(c)3 organization.

Gregory is available for workshops or speaking engagements and has presented for company DEIC projects and youth education programs.

ARCHAEOLOGY &
CULTURAL RESOURCES

Gregory (M.A. Anthropology, UC Davis) has a background in Museum Science and Archaeology. He currently works as a field archaeologist in California and the Great Basin.

Gregory’s proficiencies include GNSS and GIS, field and museum photography and photogrammetry, collections management, basic bioinformatics for ancient DNA, and project management.

Gregory cares about decolonial and antiracist practice in Museums and Cultural Resources. In his former role, he worked with the NAGPRA Advisory Committee at UC Davis and helped facilitate cultural visits, records sharing, consultation, and repatriation.