To friends who often visit Dulan tribal village, especially from the north, the place name "Longchang (隆昌)" must not be unfamiliar. In fact, Longchang (隆昌) also has a tribal village, its name in Indigenous language is “Kanifangar.”
It is located just next to Dulan tribal village, at around 136-kilometer mark of Taiwan Provincial Highway 11 (台11線). Longchang (隆昌) tribal friends told me that Longchang (隆昌) is a tribe with mountains as its neighbor, and the ocean as its friend; it is a simple and rather unique tribal village. The tribal people here inherited the kindness and good nature of the Amis people, but the culture of such a wonderful tribe was abruptly interrupted for 50 years by the invasion of foreign culture.
Young people were sad and in tears because they cannot find their roots; and so, five years ago, they held each other’s hand, stuck their chest out, and shouted out their tribe’s name; they began diligently planning to find their roots. Finally, the tribal leader from the last age set of 50 years ago named them Lakaishih (拉開始).
To start a culture again, in the Amis culture, no one can imagine that when you look up at the age set before you, there is a gap of 50 years. Such a huge number that Lakaishih (拉開始) were also once confused and afraid; there is no one to learn from, and no one to tell them what the right answers are.
Yet, with the courage of Lakaishih (拉開始) and the hope of the local tribal people, they were able to continue on without fear for the sake of the tribe’s culture. In these years of cultural revival, they have also began to assemble the Pakalongay (巴卡隆愛), teaching them the Amis traditional skills and culture.
Although 50 years of gap is indeed daunting, Longchang tribe (隆昌部落) did not give up, because there is no home for those who do not have roots; they would rather stumble and fall if that is what it takes to find their own culture. Kanifangar sa'icelen.
When the Amis Music Festival first started, we also did not know where the road would lead us, but amidst the ongoing collisions and challenges, we are now entering the fourth edition this year. At the 2017Amis Music Festival, let’s be together with Longchang (隆昌) tribe’s Lakaishih (拉開始). Aka pisawad!