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The hills are alive...

An Aboriginal child stands in Mystery Land. PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAN DIEKS

Nestled high in the mountains a few kilometers from Fangliao (枋寮), in Pingtung County, is a small village that is home to a community of predominately elderly aboriginals who live a simple existence similar to their ancestors. That quiet will be shattered with a two-day music festival that begins Wednesday.

"It is the most remote aboriginal village I've been to," organizer Stan Dieks said. "Everyone between 20 and 50 has left. What remains is a community of about 80 houses."

The organizers of the music festival — dubbed Mystery Land — don't plan on annoying their temporary neighbors though; they have teamed up with the community to make the music marathon as much a cultural event as a musical experience.

The venue is a run down sports facility on the side of a mountain complete with racetrack and stage that Diek and a team of workers from three aboriginal villages cleaned up and readied for the two-day concert.

In addition to Taiwanese, Aboriginal and expat bands, Diek has lined up US-based spiritual rappers Shambhala and expects an attendance of over 1,000 people to attend the festival.

Stevie Ray, is one of many local acts that will set the hills of Pingtung singing next week.

There will be two surprise acts on the first day and three on the second which have "something to do with Aboriginal culture and [are] rarely seen by outsiders," Diek said.

Festival-goers are encouraged to leave their cars and motorcycles at home or in Fangliao as parking spaces are limited mountainside.

The festival grounds will have a large bar. The Web site says that a "decent" part of the festival's revenue will go to the bands and on wages. There is a smorgasbord of Aboriginal food for meat eaters and vegetarians alike, and there is also a selection of Western food such as hotdogs and tacos.

Festival notes: What: Mystery Land music festival Where: Meet at the train station in Fangliao (枋寮), Pingtung County, where shuttle buses will ferry revelers to a secret location in the nearby mountains. Buses leave every half hour beginning Feb. 19 at 4pm until midnight and Feb. 20 and Feb. 21 beginning at 8am When: Feb. 20 to Feb. 21 Tickets: NT$500 per day to enter the festival grounds. Tickets for the shuttle bus and camping are NT$30 Contact: Call Stan or Rikki at 0937-972-061 for reservations and details or check out the English- and Chinese-language Web site at www.mysteryland.com.tw Band Lineup Feb. 20 13:00 Surprise act 13:30 Mark Berglund 14:25 Shayne Lazarowich 15:20 Stonedoor Airport 16:15 The Idiots 17:10 Minstral 18:05 Public Radio 19:00 Rocket Girl 19:55 Electrocute 20:50 Shy Kick Apple 21:45 Fireflower 22:40 Shambhala 23:45 The O-Brothaz Sound System 02:00 Surprise act Feb. 21 11:00 KbN FunkBnice 11:55 Surprise act 12:35 Stevie Ray and the Black Sheep 13:30 Rabbit is Rich 14:25 The Soilers 15:20 Fink 16:15 Pan Africana 17:10 SE 18:05 The Deported 19:00 Consider the Meek 19:55 Harley 20:45 Surprise act 21:00 Full House 21:55 Shambhala 22:50 Squids 23:45 Marcus Aurelius 02:00 Surprise act

Spaces in "Mystery" tents, one of which can hold 20 people, are going for a reasonable NT$30 per night, on a first come first served basis. Additionally, there are ample campgrounds. The festival grounds have toilets and the school nearby has running water. Festival-goers who remain on the grounds overnight won't have to pay for the second day.

Unlike other music festivals in Taiwan, small campfires at designated spots are allowed; firewood will be provided so leave the axes at home.

When the live bands finish, a DJ will take over.

In addition to providing locals with a venue to sell their merchandise, Diek has hired 48 Aboriginals from three mountain communities to clean up the stage and camping area and run the festival stalls.

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