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The Gaoshan Nationality
Around 340,000 Gaoshan people live mostly in
the mountainous areas of China's Taiwan Province, in the plains along
the eastern coastline and on the Lanxu Island. Among the Gaoshans, over
3,900 are scattered throughout the large or medium-sized cities along
the Chinese mainland coast.
The Gaoshans are usually referred to as the aboriginals
dwelling in Taiwan's mountainous area. Their main occupations are agriculture
and hunting. They have their own oral language but no written characters.
Gaoshan people are known for their bold and uninhibited character which
are expressed through their dancing and singing, carving, drawing and
potterymaking. The Gaoshans have invented a unique musical instrument,
Chuyue, which they use as an accompaniment in their special form of
dancing. The sound of the nose-flute is clear and melodious. The Gaoshan
have a variety of cultural and sports activities.
On the small emerald green Taiwan Island, rows of bamboomade flats
or railing-style houses are comfortably basking in the bright subtropical
sunlight. Villages are dotted with swaying palm trees, fruitladen coconut
and banana trees, which all add to the poetically peaceful feeling here.
The Gaoshan people make cooked rice and porridge with a mixture of millet
and rice, or use sticky rice and millet to make steamed cake and Zanba.
They like to eat sticky rice mingled with peanuts and meat which is
steamed in rolled leaves. Some people prefer to have rice or porridge
cooked with taro and banana.
The beautiful and richly endowed island has nurtured the Gaoshans and
given them the inspiration to create a rich and colorful art and literature.
There are fairy tales, beautiful folk music and dances. Every August
is the annual harvest festival for the Gaoshans. All people in the village
men and women, children and the elderly-dress up in their holiday
best, sit around the bonfire, and enjoy the wine and roasted meat together.
Boys play their harmonica and flutes, while the girls sing Chu songs
and dance Chu dances. The scene is brimming with jubilation and enthusiasm:
a good expression of the Gaoshan people's desire for a happy life.
Within the Gaoshan nationality, there are numerous branches, including
Amei, Taiya, Paiwan, Bunong, Lukai, Beinan, Caoren, Yamai and Saipu.
Song and dance is a timehonored tradition for the Gaoshan. There are
different songs and dances for various occasions, including fishing,
hunting, grass weeding, celebration of the harvest season, wedding ceremonies,
festivals and memorial ceremonies. The mouth-string-harmonica, bow-organ,
leaf-organ, chuyue, tuanban, bamboodrum, waist drum, waist bell, feet
bell are all folk musical instruments, which breathe life into their
dances and give a fascinating quality to their songs. The most distinctive
feature of Gaoshan singing is the chorus which includes the Bu nong
people's full five-degree, four-degree, three-degree harmony and natural
harmony.When people dance in groups, there are outbursts of foot-stamping
and shouts, demonstrating an unrestrained beauty, bringing the dancing
to its climax. When lovers want to express their feelings, a leaf put
between the lips is the best instrument for conveying their heart-felt
emotions.
The Amei and the Zou have a "free" chorus, while the Saixia
have a special fourdegree singing method. The Lukai people sing using
a coharmony method. All of these different chorus methods demonstrate
the outstanding character of the Gaoshans' musical culture.
People of the Paiwan, Lukai and Yamei branch are good at carving and
engraving. A knife can be used to carve utensils such as wooden mortars
for husking rice, wooden barrels, wineglasses, spoons and even dug-out
canoes.
The engraved pillar (totem pole) of the "spirit house" used
by the Pai Wan people for offering sacrifices to ancestors, is especially
admired.
Through their long tradition of singing and dancing, the Gaoshans have
invented a harp flute which adds a sense of jubilation to their music.
This kind of musical instrument, with both a singlepipe and a doublepipe
form, is very popular in Taiwan Province. The pipe itself is made of
bamboo and has five holes. It is usually played during chorus as well
as solo. The double-pipe flute is only used by the Pai Wan branch. One
pipe is for the melody, the other produces a long, soft tone as accompaniment.
Due to the natural environment, fishing and farming are prominent in
the Gaoshan economy, and has laid a deep and farreaching foundation
for their culture and lifestyle. Taiwan used to be a sparsely-populated
place, with high mountains, numerous rivers and a variety of animals.
Long summers, mild winters, fruits in all four seasons: all these made
up a favorable ecosystem for the rapid growth of their fishing and farming
economy. The Ya Mei are especially reputed to be the "nationality
of the sea." Their fishing methods include shooting, nets, forks,
fishing hooks and dart-like weapons.
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