PUYUMA TRIBAL MUSIC

A Collection of Aboriginal Music​​ 

The Objective

To create on organized collection of music of the Puyuma. This collection is not only a
physicalizing of my interest in documenting varied musical forms but also as a platform to share
the culture of a Taiwan indigenous people.

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Step by Step Process

My Great Grandfather's vinyl recording of Puyuma Music

Great Grandfather

In preparation for the project, my mother told me the story of my Great Grandfather's achievements. How he organized a singing troupe to shine light on the aborigine culture

Each Sunday elders gather to sing traditional songs

Sunday Get Together

I was graciously invited to record at a Sunday gathering - elders involved in the tribe get together every Sunday to sing traditional songs that pertains the tribe's history

I attended the Sunday gathering to document the songs

Recording

I placed my Blue Yeti Microphone in the middle of the circle and recorded the voices with Audacity.  I later edited the tracks and adjusted the volumes

What Sparked my Interest?

My friend, Brandon Lim, and I performing for our Junior Prom

My cousin, Serena Ryan (Left), and I dressing up in our Tribal Wear

Two main reasons:

First, I love music, especially singing. 

Since I was young I've always loved music. I began with piano, and then in third grade I shifted to singing with singing lessons twice a week in a school group. Since then, I've never stopped. Now I'm in my last year in the High School Choir, opus, where we sing A cappella in multiple concerts throughout the year. In addition, I've been a member in a student-run music club, Harmonix, for three years now and president in my final year. 

Second, I'm proud to be an aborigine

Since I can remember, my mom and my grandparents have always encouraged my brothers and I to travel South to Taitung, where the Puyuma Tribe is located, to visit family and to learn about our roots, a culture that is diminishing. Given that we are bilingual and have the privilege to be able to share our voice via the interenet, it is of the utmost importance that we learn as much as we can to preserve the language history, and culture