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This is a true story,
a story about an elementary school deep in the mountains of Taiwan and the passing on of tribal music.
School in the mountains Taiwanese tribal music
Today, we are going to sing 221 songs.
Well, just 20 of them.
Okay, Nian-ting, give me a starting note.
How high?
About six stories!
Okay great! Stop at this key,
everybody pay attention!
Each person in the Paiwan tribe
belongs to two tribal areas.
One is the physical one we live in,
and the other is that of our ancestors.
Two years ago, in August,
three days of non-stop, heavy rain
washed a school away.
Leading over 60 kids,
we began to wander.
Whether having to deal with using a temporary classroom
or staying in a crowded dormitory,
these kids who had to leave their homes
courageously faced the tough trials forced upon them by fate.
No matter how hard it is,
we never forget that we are the pride of our people.
When we sing in our tribal area,
we hold the hands of our Vuvu (grandmothers) through our song.
When we sing on stage,
we offer the land to the world through our song.
When we sing in our daily lives,
we feel the pulse of our ancestors through our song.
No matter how great a storm we may face,
we need not fear.
Today,
our school will be finished,
and our tribal area
will move away from North Dawu Mountain forever.
Today,
what we wish to do most
is singing our ancient songs
to connect to our ancestral tribal area.
Through ancient song,
we make a devoted call,
a call to our ancestors to present themselves
and attend to the wandering spirits of the children
to give them the power to settle themselves in their new surroundings.