2021 Taiwan Bunun Indigenous Music & Film Festival
Join the Michigan Taiwanese American Organization and community partners for 2021 Taiwan Bunun Indigenous Music & Film Festival, a virtual celebration of the music and culture of the indigenous Bunun people of Taiwan. The festival runs from October 13th-27th. For a full roster of events, see the Michigan Taiwanese American Organization's website.
October 13th-27th | Listen to Bunun
Virtual | Hosted by the Detroit Institute of Arts
This musical is provided by the National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan (NCO) and performed by Bunun tribal members and also includes interviews. Through a Bunun elder’s recollection, the musical tells the history of the Bunun people with generations of joys and sorrows, ethnic disputes, and emotional entanglements among the Bununs and their neighboring tribes, as well as the arrival of Chinese Han people since the 17th century and the Japanese colonization of Taiwan for 50 years. The eventual harmony was achieved under the guidance of Pasibutbut music through integration of blood and emotions. Hatred is replaced with love and light.
Pasibutbut is a ritualistic song of the Bunun indigenous people of Taiwan sung as a sacred prayer for the millet harvest. “Pasi” means “harmonious sharing,” and “butbut” means “mutual support.” This 60-minute musical It is available virtually throughout the Festival until October 27.
October 14th, 7-8:30pm | Panel Discussion on Bunun Music and Culture
Virtual | Hosted by the Detroit Institute of Arts
Watch the international panel discussion on the Bunun music and culture, hosted virtually by the Detroit Institute of Arts. This trans-Pacific panel discussion features panelists in Michigan and in Taiwan:
Panelists in Michigan: Larry Baranski, DIA Director of Public Programming, and Dr. Daniel Birchok, Professor of Anthropology, the University of Michigan-Flint
Panelists in Taiwan: Dr. Rung-Shun Wu, Professor of Music and former Dean of the Taipei National University of Arts, and Film Director Chih-Lin Yang, Mr. Guo-Ching Wang, Bunun Chief and General Manager, and Ms. Shiu-Lan Chuan, Bunun Art and Music Lead.
An elementary school for Taiwanese aboriginal students located in the remote mountain region is facing a crisis of being abolished. With limited resources and absolutely no music background, the PE teacher has to form a choir with a group of tone-deaf students to win the national singing contest in order to save the school. But no matter how hard they try to sing like the others, they still lose their confidence when they find their voice is different from the other choirs. Although they lose the contest, the teacher finally realizes that being different is their gift rather than shortcoming. With the help from the substitute music teacher, they work together to encourage their students to be proud of their difference and culture, and let their true voice shine through.
The lecture will be delivered by Dr. Rung-shun Wu, Professor of Music and former Dean of the Taipei National University of Arts. He will introduce the Taiwanese indigenous Bunun tribe’s story of culture, music and Pasibutbut. Pasibutbut is a ritualistic song of the Bunun indigenous people of Taiwan sung as a sacred prayer for the millet harvest. “Pasi” means “harmonious sharing,” and “butbut” means “mutual support.”
Dr. Joseph Gascho, Professor of Music and Director of the Stearns Collection, the University of Michigan, will discuss the music and instruments of the Bunun People of Taiwan. Two Bunun musical instruments will be presented to the Stearns Collection.
These events are in partnership with the Detroit Institute of Arts, Oakland University Taiwan Week, the University of Michigan-Flint, and several units at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, including Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, and the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments at the School of Music, Theater & Dance.