Indigenous Youth Club of Taiwan Tech participated in the Northern Region Indigenous Language Singing Contest for college students. Through a series of melodies including "New Millet Harvest", "Praising Taromak", and "Warrior's Dance", they brought the traditional music and dance of the Rukai tribe's Taromak tribe in Taitung to the stage. The performance vividly portrayed the careful preparation and unity of the men and women of the Taromak tribe before their annual millet harvest festival. The team leader, Yu-Sheng Chen (Cegaw), a senior majoring in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, mentioned that to accurately represent the tribal culture, the members had conducted extensive fieldwork in the tribe. While Yu-Sheng Chen felt regretful about achieving only third place in this competition, he emphasized that everyone had given their utmost effort. He pointed out that "everyone enjoyed being on this stage", and the journey had created many wonderful memories along the way.

The indigenous students from Taiwan Tech performed "ho wa la hi yo hy" (Warrior Song), showcasing the warrior dance of the young men from the Taromak tribe. Photography captured by Bo-Yuan Hsu.

The Indigenous Youth Club of Taiwan Tech achieved third place in the Northern Region Indigenous Language Singing Contest. Photography by Bo-Yuan Hsu.

Yu-Sheng Chen participated in the Northern Region Indigenous Language Singing Contest for the third time. Recalling his first participation guided by senior classmates during his freshman year, he was moved to tears by the atmosphere and the impact before the competition started. He hopes to continue this emotional journey and preserve and pass on Indigenous traditional music and dances to others.

"Taromak" means "the land where warriors live." The Indigenous Youth Clubs designated the Rukai tribe as this year's theme. Although they faced difficulties in recruiting members for the Indigenous Language Singing Contest, Yu-Sheng Chen's enthusiasm and dedication attracted many individuals to join in understanding the unique culture of Taromak. He was fortunate to receive support from experienced senior members who had participated in previous contests. Despite challenges during the practice sessions, it was through the inheritance of experiences and collaboration with these senior members that they were able to present the profound and distinctive culture of Taromak through captivating Indigenous language songs and traditional dances.

"a i nga ro ngo i" (Song of Praising Taromak) portrays scenes of Taromak tribe women preparing for the millet harvest festival. Photography by Bo-Yuan Hsu.

There was also a crucial contributor to this competition, namely, Teacher Shu-Hua Tian, who served as the instructor for music, dance, and indigenous language. Shu-Hua Tian, a native of the Taromak tribe, expressed delight in witnessing the fervor of Indigenous students from urban areas towards tribal culture. She mentioned that seeing this enthusiasm among the students made her very happy. While guiding the students, Shu-Hua Tian specifically explained the cultural significance of the songs. "Naturally, the students, in their mindset and physically, become closer to the appearance of the tribe", she said. She also hoped that the children would have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of various aspects of Taromak.

The song "a i nga ro ngo i" (Praising Taromak) portrays scenes of the Taromak tribe's young men preparing for the millet harvest festival. Photography by Bo-Yuan Hsu.

Indigenous students from Taiwan Tech primarily study in the College of Engineering and the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Due to the heavy workload of their studies, the number of students who are willing to engage in on-campus indigenous activities has been decreasing annually. Yu-Sheng Chen felt concerned about the urban Indigenous population's disconnection from their ethnic culture, leading the Indigenous Youth Club to face challenges in recruiting members. However, notably, this time a non-Indigenous student, Wei-Jun Xu, who had a strong passion for Indigenous culture, joined the group. He turned his curiosity into enthusiasm and care for traditional culture, infusing the team with new energy.

The Indigenous Education Center at Taiwan Tech fully supports Indigenous students in participating in educational and cultural heritage activities, academic guidance, and career counseling. This includes offering Indigenous general education courses, individual consultations for Indigenous students, a series of talks on Indigenous growth, and workshops on Indigenous cultures. During winter and summer breaks, the Indigenous Youth Club specifically conducted in-depth investigations in multiple dimensions at the Taromak tribe in Taitung. They documented and learned about Taromak's ceremonial culture firsthand. Yu-Sheng Chen also hopes to convey the unique cultural charm of the Taromak tribe through organizing activities, aiming to attract more people to understand and participate in these events, thereby showcasing Taiwan's Indigenous cultural treasures to the world.

Indigenous students from Taiwan Tech performed "lra lro wa lro me zane" (Welcoming the Harvest Festival), portraying scenes of men from the Taromak tribe preparing for the millet harvest festival. Photography by Bo-Yuan Hsu.