Mickela Mallozzi: We acknowledge the Indigenous peoples of Taiwan as the original custodians of this land, with rich histories whose cultures and connection to the land are deeply rooted in this place and have shaped this island for millennia.
I'm a dancer, and I'm a traveler, and wherever I go, I experience the world one dance at a time.
I'm Mickela Mallozzi, and this is "Bare Feet."
Announcer 1: "Bare Feet" is supported in part by... [Singing in African language] [Music] [Drumming] Announcer 2: Bloomberg Connects gives you a way to experience the arts from your mobile phone.
You can explore hundreds of cultural organizations from around the world anytime, anywhere.
Learn more at BloombergConnects.org or wherever you find your apps.
Announcer 3: Taiwan, a gateway to the world.
Crossing the continents together with you, blossoming in the sky.
China Airlines, from Taiwan.
Announcer 4: Additional funding was provided by Koo and Patricia Yuen through the Yuen Foundation, committed to bridging cultural differences in our communities.
Announcer 5: And by the Ann H. Symington Foundation.
Mickela: Welcome to Taiwan, a beautiful island in the heart of Far East Asia.
This island has a long history of cultures colliding, with the Dutch setting up trading posts here over 400 years ago, followed by Spanish settlement, huge migration from the Han Chinese starting in the 17th century, and then Japanese occupation in the 20th century.
But long before any of these groups of people called Taiwan their home, this island had its own people.
On this "Bare Feet" adventure, we'll explore some of the ancient and diverse cultures that are still very much alive here in Indigenous Taiwan.
Taiwan is home to 16 federally recognized Indigenous tribes, with other additional tribes seeking status as well.
A large number of Taiwan's Indigenous peoples originally lived in the island's central mountains, in the south and on the eastern coast.
These Indigenous communities have called Taiwan their home for thousands of years.
Like most Indigenous communities around the world, the survival of these languages, dances, dress, food, and culture are a testament to the perseverance of the tribal communities, along with the systemic change and cooperation between the public and private sectors and the tribes themselves.
We start our indigenous journey in Taiwan through the Alishan Mountains.
The Alishan Mountains are home to the Yuyupas Tsou Cultural Tribe Park.
[Singing in Tsou] Mickela: Founded in 2010 in response to the devastation of the typhoon Morakot, Yuyupas' mission is not only to showcase the local Indigenous Tsou culture but to also provide economic stability to the Tsou community.
The Tsou tribe is one of the smallest federally recognized tribes here in Taiwan.
[Singing in Tsou] Mickela: What did these dances mean?
When were these dances done?
Pu Peiqi/"Sherry": [Speaking in Mandarin] [Singing continues] [Cheering] Mickela: This was a beautiful performance.
I would love to dance with your group.
Can I dance with you?
Sherry: Yes, but first you have to change your dress.
Mickela: OK, I'm ready.
Yeah.
[Men singing in Tsou] Sherry: Jump to the left.
[Singing continues] Sherry: OK.
Mickela: Not bad, eh?
[Group playing percussion instruments] Mickela: When the men were dancing and making those faces, what's happening?
Sherry: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: You won, you're the winner.
Sherry: Victory dance.
It's not enough ugly.
It's too beautiful, your face.
Mickela: I'm trying to make it ugly.
[Mickela laughing] [Singing in Tsou] Sherry: [Speaking Mandarin] [Singing continues] [Cheering] Mickela: [Cheering] How do you say "thank you" in your language?
Sherry: Aviuviu.
Mickela: Aviuviu.
Sherry: Yeah.
Mickela: Aviuviu.
Sherry: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mickela: Aviuviu, aviuviu.
Thank you.
Aviuviu... Yuyupas covers around 7.5 acres, featuring a wide variety of indigenous flowers and plants.
The park is also home to tea fields, coffee fields, and traditional Tsou structures with tribal imagery and design.
To learn more about Yuyupas, I meet with Chairman Zheng Yuping, founder of the park, and Du Mingzhe, Tsou tribe member who has helped developed this park over the years.
They take me on a tour of the Yuyupas grounds.
Zheng Yuping: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Mm!
Wow!
It's very sweet.
Oh, my goodness.
I thought it was going to be sour.
Yuping: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: With about 2,000 coffee trees, Yuyupas is the highest producer of coffee here in Alishan.
Mickela: Wow!
Yuping: Honey.
Mickela: Honey coffee.
Yuping: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: The natural taste of the coffee.
It's delicious.
I like it.
Thank you.
Yuping: Thank you.
Mickela: Xie xie.
I love it.
What is Yuyupas?
What does it mean?
Yuping: [Speaking Mandarin] Du Mingzhe: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Chairman Zheng Yuping is Han Chinese.
This type of partnership and level of trust between the two communities was unheard of back in 2010.
Yuping: [Speaking Mandarin] Mingzhe: [Speaking Mandarin] Yuping: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: I had so much fun.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Yuping: Thank you.
Mickela: My next stop takes me to the southeastern coast of the island in Taitung to the Amis Folk Center.
The Amis are the largest of the federally-recognized Indigenous groups here in Taiwan.
The center was established in 1995 not only for visitors to come and experience the life and culture of the Amis people, but also for the Amis themselves to have a thriving place for the community to call home.
The tribe members have graciously organized a traditional Amis welcome ceremony led by musical tribal leader and my official Amis guide for the day, SawtoySaytay.
[Horn blowing] Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] [Singing in Amis] [Mickela speaking Amis] Mickela: Alai.
Both: Ahh... [Woman laughing] Sawtoy: [Singing in Amis] Mickela: For the next part of the welcome ceremony, Sawtoy takes me to the Amis ceremonial cannon.
I am warned that it is an important tradition not to show fear when the cannon is fired.
If I do, it would be extremely disrespectful to the tribe.
Sawtoy: Yes.
Fire.
Mickela: Fire?
OK.
Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] Both: 5, 4, 3... 2, 1!
OK!
[Explosion] [Clapping] Sawtoy: OK?
Is it OK?
Mickela: Yeah.
Sawtoy: [Laughs] [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Ah!
Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] [Cheering] [Choir singing in Amis] Mickela: The Amis language has survived thousands of years only through oral tradition from song, music, storytelling, and dance.
It is considered as one of the endangered languages of the world.
[Singing in Amis continues] Mickela: The Amis Folk Center is home to the Amis Kakeng Musical Group.
Founded by Sawtoy in 1999, this award-winning group is dedicated to reviving and preserving Amis singing, instruments, and dance.
All: [Singing in Amis] Mickela: After the most beautiful welcome by the Amis people, I'm invited to be fully immersed in their culture.
I meet with Akai to get properly fitted and wear the colorful traditional dress of the Amis myself.
Akai: I will help you dress in Amis traditional clothes.
Mickela: Amis traditional dress consists of leg pieces, 3 wrap skirts and an ornate shoulder piece.
These are beautiful.
Is everything done by hand?
Akai: Yes.
Mickela: Wow!
Akai: Last one.
Mickela: Last piece.
Akai: And it's called...
"alusaisai."
[Mickela repeats word] Akai: Yeah.
And I love this one most.
Mickela: It's beautiful.
Akai: Yeah.
It's very beautiful.
Mickela: Oh, my goodness.
Akai: OK.
And you're finished.
Mickela: Alai.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
This is beautiful.
Now that I'm in full Amis regalia, I'm ready to join the elders again.
[Cheering and applause] [Woman singing in Amis] Mickela: There is no instruction given for this Amis dance.
It is based on the most ancient type of group singing in human cultures: call and response.
As the leader sings a line, the rest of us in unison respond.
All: [Singing in Amis] Mickela: And this is how the Amis language survived for thousands of years, through this method of singing in community with repetition, meditation, familiarity and, of course, joy.
The Amis community is known as a matriarchal society.
Amis mothers and grandmothers are heads of families and households.
[Singing in Amis continues] Mickela: As we move, the space opens up to us, and more and more members of the Amis community join in support.
And this is the basis of the Amis culture.
Music and dance belong everywhere, anytime and for everyone.
No one should feel left out.
All: [Singing in Amis] [Cheering] Woman: [Speaking Amis] Translator: Your name is Ohay, Ohay means beautiful.
Mickela: Oh!
Translator: And your dancing very... Mickela: Alai!
Alai!
Alai... Through archaeological research, Taiwan was discovered to be the linguistic cradle of languages found in other Indigenous communities throughout Southeast Asia, Micronesia and Polynesia, dating back almost 15,000 years.
The Amis are traditionally a fishing community.
And recently, initiatives to revive traditional sailing methods are coming back, including building this boat that the tribe recently sailed in Hawaii.
[Man singing in Amis] Mickela: The Amis are also skilled hunters with a bow and arrow.
Mickela: Mm-hmm?
Mm-hmm?
Sawtoy: No?
OK?
[Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: OK.
Hold it like this.
Sawtoy: Yes.
Mickela: I've never shot a bow and arrow.
This is my first time.
Sawtoy: Yeah.
Mickela: First time.
Sawtoy: Your first time.
Mickela: This is gonna go nowhere.
Oh, God.
Man: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Further?
Man: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Oh!
[Laughs] Sawtoy: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Oh!
The tip of it.
OK... All right, aim the tip.
Hu!
Oh, close!
Close.
It's powerful.
It's just not straight.
Man: Hu.
Mickela: Hu!
Yay!
I got it on the blue!
Yay!
[Man singing in Amis] Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] Mickela: Mmm.
Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] Mickela: [Repeating Amis phrase] Mmm!
Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] Mickela: [Repeating in Amis] Mickela: Mmm!
Sawtoy: [Laughs] [Speaking Amis] [Group singing in Amis nearby] [Sawtoy speaking Amis] Mickela: Mmm!
Wow!
Bamboo's sharp.
Sawtoy: [Singing in Amis] Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] Mickela: [Repeating in Amis] Mickela: Can I smell that?
Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] Mickela: Mmm!
Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] Mickela: OK.
The water's boiling in that bamboo.
Sawtoy: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Over here?
Sawtoy: Yeah, OK.
Mickela: Ah!
Sawtoy: [Speaking in Mandarin] Mickela: Another one?
Sawtoy: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Yes.
Mickela: More?
Sawtoy: Yeah, more, more, more.
Mickela: OK, he's putting me to work.
[Group singing in Amis nearby] Mickela: Bamboo is used for every single aspect of cooking and eating, from the utensils to the bowls, the pots, the tongs, the chopsticks and even the spoons.
Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] [Singing in Amis] Mickela: Mmm!
Wow!
That's delicious.
[Group singing in Amis nearby] Mickela: Ah!
Yeah!
Mmm!
That's so good.
Sawtoy: [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Is there a song about shrimp we can sing?
Sawtoy: [Singing in Amis] Mickela: As we've seen firsthand, music and singing was incorporated in everything we've done here so far at the Amis Folk Center.
So, Sawtoy invites me to learn more about this core tradition in Amis culture.
[Flute music] Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Wow.
Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] Mickela: So, I have to put my nose right on it.
Sawtoy: Yes.
Mickela: [Clears throat] Give me a second.
Sawtoy: Yes.
Mickela: Like this?
Sawtoy: Yes.
[Plays flute very softly] I'm gonna get it.
I'm gonna get it.
[Plays flute very softly] Sawtoy: [Laughs] Mickela: Oh, I'm lightheaded.
There's a lot of air that has to come out.
Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] Translator: He said that because your nose is not that pretty, so this is probably the best you can get.
Mickela: [Laughs] Thank you.
At least he's being honest.
[Flute music] Sawtoy: [Speaking Mandarin] [Flute music] [Sawtoy speaking Mandarin] [Speaking Mandarin] Mickela: Sawtoy saves the best for last.
Sawtoy: [Speaking Amis] [Singing in Amis] Mickela: He introduces me to kakeng, which is the namesake of his musical group.
Sawtoy: [Singing in Amis] Mickela: Kakeng, or the bamboo bell, is a joyful instrument traditionally played by the Amis women.
[Flute music] Sawtoy: [Speaking in Amis] [Speaking Mandarin] [Singing in Amis] [Speaking Amis] Mickela: [Cheering] Sawtoy: Ha ha!
Mickela: [Speaking Amis] Thank you!
Though the island of Taiwan may be small, the strength in the beauty and diversity of the Indigenous communities here is powerful.
And above all, the most powerful is their perseverance and preservation of their cultures.
This was only a taste of some of these incredible Indigenous cultures and traditions originating on the island, from one of the smallest tribes with the Tsou people, to the largest tribe with the Amis, my never-ending respect and curiosity of the Indigenous cultures here in Taiwan can only be topped by the gratitude I have for their generosity in sharing their languages, their stories, their songs, and, of course, their dances.
"Aviuviu," "alai," "doshia," "xie xie," and thank you to all of the Indigenous communities here in Taiwan for sharing your beautiful cultures with us and the world.
And I'll see you on my next "Bare Feet" adventure, wherever it may take me.
Mickela: You can stay connected with us at travelbarefeet.com, where you'll find extra bonus videos, join our "Bare Feet" series conversations through social media, and stay updated with our newsletter.
Mickela: Ohh, that's heavy.
Yuping: [Laughs] Mickela: Oh, I broke it.
No!
Oh, no!
[Laughter] I'm so sorry.
Oh, no.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Yuping: [Speaking in Mandarin] Mickela: Put me to work.
I'm so sorry.
Oh, my God.
Thank you, thank you.
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
[Laughter] Announcer 1: "Bare Feet" is supported in part by... [Singing African chant] [Drumming] Announcer 2: Bloomberg Connects gives you a way to experience the arts from your mobile phone.
You can explore hundreds of cultural organizations from around the world anytime, anywhere.
Learn more at BloombergConnects.org or wherever you find your apps.
Announcer 2: Taiwan, a gateway to the world.
Crossing the continents together with you, blossoming in the sky.
China Airlines, from Taiwan.
Announcer 3: Additional funding was provided by Koo and Patricia Yuen through the Yuen Foundation, committed to bridging cultural differences in our communities.
Announcer 4: And by the Anne H. Symington Foundation.
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