Dulan Amis Dancing to Golimar

The "Indian Michael Jackson" video for Golimar is a big hit in Taiwan, although largely because of the humor created by fake subtitles (like the Downfall Hitler meme). Here is a link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL6xgki326E

During the Dulan Harvest Festival 都蘭部落的豐年祭 the Lakayakay 拉中橋 Age-set chose this song, as well as a more classical style Chinese song for the opening, for the modern dance competition. While their performance was well received, they group suffered from the absence of many of their members who were unable to get off from work to attend the festival. Otherwise they might have one first place like they have in previous years.

In this performance two out of the seven dancers are not Amis, but Han Chinese who have been accepted into the age set. One is the anthropologist Futuru, who made a film about exactly this kind of performance: Amis Hip-hop:

http://oz.nthu.edu.tw/~d929802/amishiphop/index-1.htm

While Futuru has been participating for 15 years and has a leadership role within the group, the other non-Amis member is a newcomer (one of many Han who have recently moved to Dulan, but wishes to understand the local culture) who is still on "probation."

It would be a mistake to see this as a "dilution" of tradition. Instead, I would argue that it shows a living tradition able to incorporate diverse new elements while keeping its core values.

Related: A great music video by Dulan Amis singer Suming, featuring the youngest age-set, as well as appearances by members of Lakayakay 拉中橋, including Futuru.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX6RWEoaR3M

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• anthropology
• Taiwan
• Amis
• 豐年祭
• 阿美族
• 台灣
• 人類學
• 都蘭
• Dulan
• Harvest Festival
• dance
• 舞蹈
• 原住民
• Aborigines