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EDITORIAL: Bowing to China with A-mei

With all of the activities relating to Aboriginal autonomy in the news lately, there might be good cause to think that Taiwan's indigenous peoples are gradually leaving the shadow of dependence and indignity that has saddled them since the Japanese era.

Saisiat Aborigines, for example, are taking the initiative to elect tribal representatives rather than allow the state's electoral districts to do the talking for them. Similar sentiment is growing elsewhere, much of it free of the crude green-blue political coloring of Taiwanese politics.

This week also saw the release of a comprehensive review of documents relating to the Aboriginal movement, which began its latest phase in the 1980s.

But every now and then comes a reminder of Taiwan's long history of Aboriginal subservience.

A few weeks ago Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) patronized urban Amis Aborigines to their faces, provoking a degree of anger at the scene. He was surprised at the response to his comments on Aborigines needing to learn Han ways and to be "educated" but, then again, it has been a few decades since ordinary Aborigines cowered before top politicians.

These days, Aborigines, like other Taiwanese, are more likely to expect top dollar for their vote in an election.

How fitting for the times, then, that Chang Hui-mei, (A-mei, 張惠妹), the Puyuma Aboriginal pop superstar, should be lobbying for inclusion in Beijing's Olympic showbiz line-up.

For A-mei, having her song chosen as the official tune for the Games would be a sensational boost for her career, and it would be a delicious irony given earlier treatment Beijing meted out to her, which included sabotaging her contracts with sponsors, canceling concerts in China and insulting her, her Aboriginal heritage, her president and her country.

The trigger was her rendition of the Republic of China's anthem for the first inauguration of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in 2000, then considered a radical act by the Chinese.

A-mei's problem was likely not that she sang the anthem, but that she did so for a DPP administration. Even so, A-mei has insisted that she tries to keep politics out of her career, concentrating on the good vibes and good times that come from bringing people together with music. And she deserves sympathy: Whatever she does, someone is going to be dissatisfied. In China, that dissatisfaction extends to officially tolerated protests outside her concerts.

The real question is whether Taiwanese have a legitimate cause for dissatisfaction. Unfortunately for A-mei, this now appears to be the case.

Beijing is perfectly aware that the Olympics gig is of huge significance for A-mei; any positive response it makes to the singer is inextricably connected to the symbolic bounty this offers Beijing.

If A-mei captures the song crown or is given the chance to perform, there might be some among her many fans who would be crestfallen to realize that, although her interest in singing at the Olympics has nothing to do with politics, the function it will serve is purely political. And her Aboriginality would be fundamental to this.

The symbolism of the Taiwanese Aborigine bowing down before his or her Han master would be rejuvenated; this time, however, the master is on the other side of the Strait, and Taiwan as a whole will be doing the bowing along with her.

All that would be left, then, are two choices. Either A-mei would be ridiculously ignorant of what is going on in her own backyard, or she would be perfectly conscious of it and, with fame as her muse, not give a damn.
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