Welcome to National Chiayi University

　　The 33rd Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music, one of the most prestigious annual ceremonies of its kind, was held at the Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center on Oct. 29th. “Sing, Pray, Pasibutbut – A Bunun Musical” won the “Best Audiovisual Album.”

　　The Musical documents the results of field research of the Bunun people conducted by Prof. Yuh-Fen Tseng of the Music Department, National Chiayi University for over two decades. Commissioned by the National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan (NCO), it is an epic Bunun musical created by outstanding artists from various fields. The Chinese/Bunun bilingual script was co-written by Prof. Yuh-Fen Tseng and the Bunun elder, Bukun Ismahasan Islituan. Inspired by Bunun ballads, Austria-based composer Ruei-Ran Wu created a whole new Chinese orchestra piece. With Bukun Ismahasan Islituan acting as the Bunun storyteller, tribal members from the Bunun Cultural Association, Sinyi Township, Nantou County sang ancient Bunun ballads and performed roles in the musical. Chang, Deen, Assistant Professor of the NCYU Music Department served as the director. Chang, Deen, Assistant Professor of the NCYU Music Department served as the director. Their performance on August 8th, 2020 at the National Taichung Theater was recorded live by Prosperity Cable TV Co., Ltd., and was released as an audio-visual album after going through professional, refined post-production.

　　Boasting excellent radio reception and meticulous camera planning, this work connects lights, images and characters to form a well-articulated story with a unique vibe. The post-production addes a sense of dynamism to the performance, singing and acting, rendering the musical into an audio-visual work of new heights.

　　In order to pass down and promote the beauty of Bunun music, NCYU Prof. Yuh-Fen Tseng has been carrying out field research at the tribe since 2003. In 2007, she collaborated with Prof. Rung-Shun Wu in publishing a bilingual audiobook in Chinese and Bunun featuring the Bunun Music Theatre “I Sing with My life.” Prof. Yuh-Fen Tseng wrote the epically profound musical story about Bunun, based on the 44 recordings on the Bunun history provided by Prof. Wu and the field research results she collected. She has been planning “Sing, Pray, Pasibutbut – A Bunun Musical” since 2018. Conducted by Prof. Amy Chang, the premiere in 2019 was performed by the NCO and the Bunun Cultural Association, Sinyi Township, Nantou County. In 2020, Mr. Ching-Po Chiang took over the role as conductor, and the performance was recorded and published on DVD by Prosperity Cable TV Co., Ltd. in 2021.

　　The Musical tells the story of Haisul and Tiang, a Bunun father and son, who tread the paths once taken by their ancestors, listening to the sounds of the mountains and forests once familiar to their ancestors. Step by step, they trek towards the heights where Asang Daingaz is located. Following the sound of life’s origin, they step into highest realm of the Bunun spirit, which exudes a harmony reverberating in the universe. As the story reaches its climactic end, the tribesmen sing “Pasibutbut,” which is the culmination, crystallization and representation of Bunun oral history and songs over thousands of years.

　　Prof. Yuh-Fen Tseng indicated that “Sing, Pray, Pasibutbut – A Bunun Musical” is not just a story, but an epic of the entire Bunun people in Taiwan. The work centers around the Bunun culture and is performed in Bunun throughout. The NCO assumes the significant role as a lyrical narrator, telling the most beautiful stories of Taiwan with Chinese music. The objective is to bring new life to the crucial intangible cultural asset of mankind. Receiving the award is an honor and recognition for the entire creative team, production team and performers. Given the distinctive nature of indigenous music in Taiwan, which has been passed down through oral recitation for generations, this honor and acknowledgement belong to all Bunun people.