Golden Melody Award
Over the years, the Golden Melody Awards (GMA) have put the spotlight on indigenous Taiwanese music, and at this year's event, Makab, a member of Taiwan's indigenous Bunun people, won the coveted Best New Artist award.
“I'm so grateful! I hope I can inspire my fellow 20-year-old creatives to pursue their musical ideas and bring them to fruition,” Makav told Variety.
Taiwan's 16 indigenous ethnic groups make up just 2% of the population, but young Gen Z artists like Makav are sparking a resurgence of truly local music across the island, while eagerly blending in international influences. “When I make music, I blend English, Bunun and Mandarin, singing however I feel natural, but I always make sure to include my native language, because it's so cool,” she said.
“In Taiwan, more and more people are participating in the creation of indigenous music,” Makav said. Indeed, indigenous musicians were prominent in several categories at GMA. They were also recognized in the indigenous language category, winning Best Vocal Group (O-Kai Singer) and Best Taiwanese Language Album (Panai Kusui's “Iā-Pô”).
ABAO, founder of the Taiwanese indigenous label NANGUAQ, emphasized that contemporary artists are fusing diverse musical genres: “Today, young indigenous people are influenced by R&B, African-American music, gospel, hip-hop, electronic music, K-pop, and so on.”
These artists draw inspiration from a variety of sources, but also respect traditional wisdom. Mani (Dremedreman), a musician from Nangak, highlighted the importance of elders in preserving cultural heritage: “My aunt once said, 'Learn as much as you can from us, whatever you want, while we are still here!'”
Professor Jonathan PJ Stock, from University College Cork, said awards like the GMAs help bring more attention to such artists. “Being nominated is a big step forward, and winning can give a singer a sense of recognition for several years to come.”
Some Taiwanese indigenous artists explore themes such as revitalizing cultural heritage and championing environmental protection, but others adopt apolitical attitudes in their music. “Some are just all about having a good time, but at the same time they use Austronesian languages to infuse popular music,” says DJ W. Hatfield, an associate professor at National Taiwan University. “Musically, they're eclectic and don't necessarily echo or allude to traditional music.”
“As an indigenous Taiwanese, I am proud. The uniqueness of Taiwanese indigenous music comes from having many different ethnicities and languages on a small island,” said Kivi, a musician from Nanguaq.