Taiwan Indigenous News

Friday, 20 February 2009

TB Treatment Delays In Taiwan
It should also be noted that the mortality rate and incidence of TB are much greater in aboriginal communities in Taiwan than in non-aboriginal areas. ...

Taiwan's indigenous population up 2.05 percent
MOI officials said the increase was about six times that of the 0.34 percent rate of growth of Taiwan's overall population. Taiwan's indigenous people were ...

Not the same old song and dance
He aims to present a more authentic picture of Aboriginal performing arts and culture. “I want our customers to see the performances in their most original ...

President pushes to boost tourism in Taiwan's indigenous areas
8 (CNA) Concerned over the development of tourism in Taiwan's indigenous areas, President Ma Ying-jeou asked government agencies Sunday to work with travel ...

The Truku

Myth, Dance and Music

Generally speaking, a song and lyrics are not treated separately in the music of the indigenous peoples. So when the elders of the Truku tribe instruct the young people in singing, the melody and the words are always taught together, rather than practicing one first and then adding the other.

Traditionally, Truku dance is dominated by the female members of the tribe. The women’s dances are a relaxed, spontaneous affair. The participants are humming improvised melodies as they slowly gather momentum, performing in an impromptu fashion. Male dancers may also be involved, but the male steps are much less complex, featuring only simple back and forth or side to side moves. The male performance mostly serves just as an accompaniment to the women’s dance.

Occasions for Song and Dance:

The Truku are fond of dancing and singing together, especially on the following occasions:

• Annual festivals and rites, such as the Ancestor Rite, the Sowing Festival, or the Harvest Celebrations.
• Weddings.
• Assembly of the young men and women at the lookout tower

Meaning of Truku Songs:

Songs and ballads form an important part of all Truku festivities and celebrations. But they have broader functions and significance than serving for entertainment alone:

• When the whole tribe sings together, the ties between the various clans and families are strengthened; this promotes harmony and cooperation within the community.
• Exhilarating song and dance, featuring lots of skipping and bounding steps, allow the tribespeople to express their deepest emotions in a sublimated manner.
• Traditional songs and ballads keep alive the tribe’s ancient warrior spirit.
• Some songs are prayers asking the ancestors and other spirits to bestow their blessings and protection on the tribe. These songs, having a more strictly ritual function, are generally less lively and more profound, as befits their religious purpose.
• Most aboriginal societies did not develop a writing system, but speech, language, song and dance all developed simultaneously.