Stephen Rong Shares Atayal Music in New Show! - Anything Goes With JL Ep19

Reporter/Provider - TaiwanPlus
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Taiwanese-American actor, singer and podcaster Stephen Rong joins Jenny to share his experiences shooting his new show, Songs of Our Ancestors on TaiwanPlus! When Jenny met up with guest Stephen Rong, she wasn’t expecting she’d have to sing an Atayal song. But Stephen is serious about sharing his Atayal roots with the world! The Atayal people (also referred to as the Tayal people) are one of several Taiwanese Indigenous communities with Austronesian ancestry. Each of these communities have their own rich cultural traditions, making Taiwan’s Indigenous music diverse and full of depth. As a Taiwanese-American who grew up in the U.S., Stephen only returned to Taiwan to visit his ancestral village once every two years, making him somewhat distant from his Atayal heritage. It was only when he grew older that he developed the urge to return to Taiwan and rediscover his family’s cultural roots. This led Stephen to explore Atayal music. Now, Stephen has partnered up with TaiwanPlus to host a brand new show, Songs of Our Ancestors, which documents Stephen’s roots journey and his exploration of Indigenous music from diverse and talented musicians across the nation. Stephen came to this episode equipped with an Atayal song to teach Jenny, but is she prepared to sing a song in the Atayal language? Come find out on this week’s episode of Anything Goes With JL!

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Anything Goes with JL

Host Jenny Luo brings her curiosity and playful energy to explore Taiwan’s most exciting people, places, and events. Going beyond the island’s image as a tech hub, the series introduces global audiences to a vibrant, welcoming Taiwan filled with creativity, culture, and fun experiences worth discov