Walk towards world with your story

With the influence of globalization and economic liberalism, practitioners in many industries become nomads living by the opportunities. Artists are no exception. However, how do the indigenous artists who seem having strong connection with their land and people regard this issue and how they cope with the inevitable shift and exchange?

The Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts is the first one that reached out to the indigenous artists and also the most ambitious to interpret the indigenous art. The first phase of Austronesian Art Workshop: Artist Residence Plan has been initiated in 2006. The domestic and international artists have been invited to make site-specific works at their residency. The long-term partnership with Tjibaou Culture Center in New Caledonia, a French territory comprising dozens of islands in the South Pacific, has been set off since 2007. The Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts clearly declares that ‘Austronesian art will be one of its focus in the future.’

Wang Yu-Hsin, who serves as visiting committee member and mentor for resident artists, believes that “every artist takes a great leap on his creation after residency.” The artists from the same family in Makotaay village, Sapod Kacaw and Iyo Kacaw, are the good examples, she says. The two brothers learn from artist Rahic Talif and use the same material, large driftwood, as Rahic does thus the ways of handling material “are inevitably similar with their teacher’s”. “However, after their return from residency abroad, changes appear.” Whether it’s the way they extend the driftwood to upright or embed the artificial material into driftwood, even the change as stop using one piece of wood as a whole but cut it off and work on it, they start integrate their care and observation on the land and nature to their works.  

Ljuzem Madiljin, the founder of Tjimur Dance Theatre, shares her blunt and practical opinion on this. She founded the company at her hometown, Tjimur village, Paiwan’s traditional land located in township Sandimen, Pingtung and trained young dancers since 2006. Her brother Baru followed her step of home-coming and started making artworks there. Their goal is to create contemporary physical pieces in Paiwan style. Yet, “with no connection, how could we be seen?” Going to international seems to be a necessary move. 
 
Tjimur received funding and support from Ministry of Culture going to perform in Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2014 and 2015. It was invited to Cervantes International Art Festival in Mexico, and was commissioned by Taipei Arts Festival to co-produce ‘2 Gather’ with Black Grace Company from New Zealand in 2016. In 2107, it headed to Festival Off d’Avignon in France. For a company which determines to go international, it goes quite smoothly in the past few years. The opportunities were given and they took them to learn and uplift in operation, marketing, and art making through international exchange.  

As to the influence to creation, Baru jokingly describes himself as ‘a self-centered choreographer’ in the past. When he went to Edinburgh for The Gaze of Kavaluan in 2015, due to the nudity and interaction with audience in the piece, he received a very subtle question from the director of venue “Haven’t you noticed that here are many Catholic churches in Edinburgh?” He realized then that an art work not only speaks to the audience but also listens. “You have to observe what your audiences are like and revise your piece without losing too much autonomy.”  

For Dondon Hounwn, who establishes Elug Art Corner in Tomong of Hualien, ‘taking down the roots in ancient land’ and ‘exploring the world outside’ are two different but must go parallel paths.  

He stresses that the first step of moving outwards is “to see who you are and what the difference between you and the others is”. Take himself as example, growing up in the village and studying in Taipei, he vaguely realized that he’s different with the others but was not certain the meaning of being a Truku until he returned to his hometown for ‘Mgay Bari’ (Ancestor Rite).   

Dondon’s understandings for exchange is “one has to go out and meet people, meet the right people and interact with them then he’d learn from what he sees. His works wouldn’t be necessarily transformed but he’ll master the concept more.”     

“It is important to go out but it’s not the sole answer. Bringing the internationals here is also an effective way.” Elug Art Corner has been trying to promote culture guide tour and has received Ainu peoples from Japan. 

“As exchange is carrying on, languages, ceremonies and lifestyle will be seen, that is how culture being passed down.” In addition, Dondon doesn’t believe that the territorial or ethnic boundaries will still exist after more exchange taking places. Because “in Truku language, ‘alang’ (the homeland) is ‘a place of survival’. If you amplify this concept, everywhere in this world is a place of survival, then your life and culture wouldn’t be limited by location. Boundary would be unnecessary.”  

From Taipei to the world, then from the world back to originated community, there are many indigenous artists share similar experiences with Dondon in art exchange. Most of them choose to return to their hometowns and look at their people and lands with new perspectives. They not only make more people know about their homes also their crafts as a Pulima. Furthermore, they become storytellers telling the stories of their own.