Taiwanese Indigenous Performance Wins Top Arts Award

TAI Body Theater, founded by Taroko artist Wadan Toki, has clinched the prestigious Taishin Arts Award for their work "qaqay Stepping on the Sound of Water." The piece, which emerged victorious from a field of 16 nominees, earned the troupe NT$1.5 million and high praise from the judging panel for its artistic merit.

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TAI Body Theater's work "qaqay Stepping on the Sound of Water" won this year's Taishin Arts Award.

The award-winning production delves into the connection between the Taroko language and the human body. Through "foot scores", a unique artistic language of stepping, rhythm, and sound, the performance responds to the land, transforming landscape changes, temporal sedimentation, and cultural memory into a performative narrative. It uniquely integrates the historical context of the Japanese-era Hualien Jianshi Tobacco Factory, addressing the history of ethnic migration and re-establishing links between people, land, and history.

"TAI" signifies "to see" or "to look" in Taroko. Artistic director Wadan explained that founding the theater was his way of observing and reflecting on indigenous traditional culture. He noted a concern that indigenous music and dance, once integral to traditional rituals, have become commodified for tourism.

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TAI is Taroko for 'look' or 'see'. Founding TAI Body Theater is my gaze and reflection on indigenous traditional culture.

The inspiration for "qaqay" struck Wadan during a train ride in 2013, listening to the rhythmic clatter of the wheels on the tracks. This sound sparked the idea for his unique choreographic method, "foot scores," which involves deconstructing and reconstructing movements. The Taishin Arts Award jury commended "qaqay" for its sincere spiritual exploration, directly confronting issues of cultural erosion and memory loss. They highlighted how the work connects traditional memory with contemporary experiences through music and dance, seeking possibilities for continuity amidst fragmentation.

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Indigenous music and dance were originally traditional rituals, but in recent years they have become tourist performances.

The Hualien County Cultural Affairs Bureau stated that "qaqay Stepping on the Sound of Water" was first presented during the Hualien Pacific Art Festival. The bureau pledges ongoing support for local artists through festivals, creative subsidies, and exhibition platforms, aiming to foster deeper local engagement, broaden artistic horizons, and promote cultural exchange. This support seeks to bring more works with local characteristics and international perspectives to the forefront.

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"qaqay Stepping on the Sound of Water" explores the relationship between the Taroko language and the body, using stepping, rhythm, and sound's 'foot scores' to respond to the land.