It was colder, darker, open to the elements and had a more mournful feel. A man stood in the middle of swaying dancers cracking a whip. The elders' singing seemed more trancelike, more like a dirge. They had microphones that made them sound like muezzin calling the faithful to prayer.
The dancing seemed slower and more ponderous, compared to the feeling of celebration at Wufeng. The dancers were directed by senior tribal members and some carried poles decorated in silk and tinsel. Others stewarded the dancing, stopped people getting in the way and prevented photographers from taking shots from inside the dance. Taking photos was prohibited in the 11 rules that were handed out with the shuttle bus ticket to the site.
In addition, visitors had to enter with a "sincere heart," show respect, not fight or argue, not go in the private ritual area, and follow the steps and lyrics as directed, not make up your own. The rules did not mention that a mangtsao, a long leaf similar to bamboo, needed to be tied to your arm to prevent trouble from the spirits of the awakened Short Black People. The stewarding was friendly, but firm, often ending in a shared drink of rice wine.
As to my feeling that the mood of the two events had been different, several Aboriginal elders assured me the dances and 16 songs were the same and the ritual is basically similar at both places. They looked quizzical and amused, though one said the Wufeng festival was more "modern."
As we watched the dancers sway and circle, Mwa, who is in his 80s, looked healthy and was happy with the drink and excitement. He said that three generations of his family have taken part in the Ritual of the Short Black People. When he was young, he said, there were slightly fewer people compared with the 5,000 or so who turned up in Nanchuang on Friday. But, he said there were more Saisiyat then, fewer Atayal (the neighboring tribe), Chinese and foreigners.
The Saisiyat are said to number approximately 5,000. They are dwindling in number and many marry into Atayal or Han families.
Mwa offered no opinions but gave me a drink instead and we toasted each other, as did those in the same place for a similar ritual long ago.
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