Singing Folk Songs in the Downhill Winds
One of the most traditional music from Taiwan comes from the Southern most tip of the island—the Hengchun Peninsula. The Hengchun Folk Song is a unique composition that blends the musical styles of four ethnic groups: Hakka, Hoklo, Indigenous of the Mountains, and Indigenous of the Plains. Interestingly, there isn’t a fixed tune or set of lyrics but each tune can be tailored to different events throughout one’s life. The songs not only showcase the local customs of the Hengchun people of the past, most variations convey the hardships and sorrows of everyday life. Yet, with recent attempts to save this national treasure from extinction, other elements of contemporary life can blend in with this Taiwanese classic.
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