Taiwanese Indigenous pop music
Pop music performed in indigenous languages of Taiwan
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Taiwanese Indigenous pop music comprises contemporary songs performed in Austronesian languages native to Taiwan, blending modern pop music with Indigenous linguistic and cultural elements. It has steadily gained mainstream recognition over the past two decades, reflecting a broader cultural revival and renewed pride among Taiwanese indigenous peoples. The music fosters inter-ethnic dialogue and increases respect for Taiwan's Indigenous languages and culture.[1] More recently, Taiwanese Indigenous pop music has not only risen to national prominence but also fostered cultural revitalization, community cohesion, and broader awareness of Indigenous issues.[2]
History
Before the late 1990s, Indigenous-language songs were mostly traditional folk pieces presented as "world music." A turning point came in 2000 when Bunun artist Biung released The Hunter, featuring the hit “Ana tupa tu”, marking one of the earliest major attempts to fuse Indigenous language with pop music.[3] This trend gained momentum through the 2000s and 2010s, with artists across genres: Suming in EDM/pop, Ilid Kaolo in bossa nova, Sangpuy in folk, Kasiwa in hip hop, and Abao in R&B/EDM.[4][5]
Cultural Revival and Language Advocacy
Singing in Indigenous languages offers a path toward cultural and linguistic revitalization. As only 2.5% of Taiwan's population is Indigenous,[6] and many languages nearly disappeared due to decades of Mandarin-only policy, pop musicians use their songs as living language projects.[7] Abao, for example, co-writes lyrics with her mother to ensure proper pronunciation, referring to her work as "mother-tongue language workbooks".[8]
These musical efforts also serve as community empowerment. Artists often involve youth in their creative process. For example, Suming composed the EDM hit “Kayoing” with local teens, while Abao's “1–10” is now used in Paiwan primary schools, promoting cultural pride and language use among the younger generation.[9]
Mainstream Breakthrough
The mainstream breakthrough of Indigenous pop occurred in 2020 when Abao won both Album of the Year and Song of the Year at Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards for her Paiwan language album Kinakaian (“Mother Tongue”) and the single “Thank You”.[10] This was the first time an Indigenous-language artist had taken these top honors in Mandopop-dominated categories, signaling a major shift in public and industry attitudes.[11][12]