Taiwan’s world-famous Formosa Aboriginal Song & Dance Troupe will be performing in Washington, D.C.’s Freer Gallery of Art on Oct. 9th at 3:00 p.m.
Taiwan’s world-famous Formosa Aboriginal Song & Dance Troupe will be performing in Washington, D.C.’s Freer Gallery of Art on Oct. 9th at 3:00 p.m.
Comprised of members from Taiwan’s 12 officially recognized indigenous tribes, the Formosa Aboriginal Song and Dance Troupe aims to bring to life and preserve Taiwan’s often-overlooked Austronesian heritage with songs and dances that have been passed down from one generation to the next for thousands of years. This year’s performance is titled “Bathing with Spirits,” and features songs and dances of the Bunun tribe of Ming-de and Luo-na villages in mountainous southern Nantou County and the Amis tribe of Makota’ay village on Taiwan’s eastern coast.
The music of the Bunun tribe is distinguished by its four-tone melodies and harmonies that celebrate humanity’s connection with the natural and supernatural, while the motions found in the dances of the Makota’ay Amis evoke the sights and sounds of the ocean that has provided the tribe sustenance for thousands of years.
Having played an important role in the movement of people across the Pacific Ocean, Taiwan’s aboriginal population is thought to have migrated to Taiwan thousands of years ago before using the island as the “jumping off point” for the Austronesian peoples that eventually populated the South Pacific.
Since its inception in 1991, the Formosa Aboriginal Song & Dance Troupe has won acclaim in Europe, North American and Asia, with the New York Times praising its “authority, simplicity, and radiant humanity.” The concert, co-sponsored by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and the Freer Gallery, is a rare opportunity for Americans to see a little known yet important part of Pacific culture. The Freer Gallery is located at Jefferson Drive and 12th Street. Admission to the performance is free.Those interested in reserving tickets can do so through Ticketmaster.com (reservations are subject to a $2.75 service fee).
For those who are interested in learning more about the music of the Bunun tribe, world-renowned cellist David Darling recently released “Mudanin Kata”, an album recorded with the Bunun of Wulu Village, Taiwan. The album explores the Bunun’s ancient traditions while Darling’s cello accompanies the tribal singers to create new interpretations of Bunun songs.
