This afternoon, folk musicians and artists from Greenland, Finland, Tuva, Inner Mongolia and Taiwan will be congregating at a Taiwanese Aboriginal village in the mountains of Hsinchu County to perform at the Gathering for Indigenous Peoples’ Dance and Music (音樂上山．部落樂舞會).
The free event, which is being organized by the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation (原住民族文化事業基金會), a Taipei-based nonprofit group, and world music label Trees Music and Art (大大樹音樂圖像), aims to bring together indigenous artists and performers from across the globe.
The event was also conceived as venue for cultural exchange and a study opportunity for Atayal youths in Jianshih Township (尖石鄉), according to a press release from the organizers. The visiting performers have spent the past week living in the township, holding music and dance workshops for students of all ages at Sinle Elementary School (新樂國小), where today’s performances will be held.
Photos courtesy of Trees Music and Art
Tuvan-style throat-singing was among the musical styles that the students got to try, and visitors at Sinle Village today will get to hear such music today when Yat-Kha takes to the stage as one of the headlining groups.
Led by singer Albert Kuvezin, Yat-Kha performs the folk music of its homeland, Tuva, an autonomous Russian state bordering Mongolia and Siberia. Kuvezin is known for combining throat-singing with heavy metal and hard rock, as well as avant-garde music.
Another pair of far-flung musicians, Ailo and Inger Biret Gaup of Norway, will perform traditional yoiks, an a cappella song form. The Gaups, a brother-sister duo, are Sami, an indigenous group that is spread across the Arctic regions of Finland, Sweden and Norway.
Photo courtesy of Trees Music and Art
There will also be a mask and dance performance by Norwegian actor Kristian Molgaard, who is of Inuit descent and was born in Greenland.
Rounding out the program are Mongolian female vocalist Urna Chahar-Tugchi and local Aboriginal performers, including Atayal singer Inka Mbing (雲力思), Paiwan vocalist Ngner-ngner (林廣財) and Amis indie-pop musician Suming (舒米恩).
The students who participated in this week’s workshops also get to show off what they learned. Dubbed “the Atayal Youth Creativity Camp” (泰雅部落青少年), audiences can expect to hear Atayal youths performing Tuvan folk songs, Sami yoiks and Inuit dances, among the indigenous art styles featured this afternoon.
Photo courtesy of Trees Music and Art
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