When Spirits Meet 歲時之聚 (Malaysian Premiere)

Known for its rich and diverse heritage, Taiwan is home to 16 officially recognized different indigenous tribes, each with their own distinct culture, language, and traditions.

“When Spirits Meet” showcases how the Pinuyumayan of the Puyuma community and the Pangcah of the Kiwit community usher in the New Year through a colourful tapestry of ancient rituals, vibrant songs and dance that have been passed down from one generation to another.

In the first half focusing on the Pinuyumayan people of the Puyuma community, audiences will experience the powerful chanting of the ancient Emayaayam which takes place during the Celebration of Mugamut (Women’s Festival) as well as songs from the New Year Festival to mark the safe return the men as well as the transition to their next phase in life including one sung when elders introduce young men of age to the various households in the community.

The second half features the Pangcah people from the Kiwit community including ancient chants recounting their tribe’s origins and migration over time. You will also get a glimpse of their traditions through the songs and dance from the Ilisin New Year Ceremony such as the Solotao sung after the men return from the mountains and the energetic Ciopihay by men in the second grade. While the celebrations are led by the men, it reaches a climax when the women join in the singing and dancing on the very last day.

Brought to you the Formosa Indigenous Song & Dance Troupe (FISDT), the ensemble comprises young indigenous people from diverse backgrounds who share a common passion to preserve and revive their indigenous culture, learning from anthropologists and tribal elders while immersing themselves in tribal life. FISDT harnesses the spirit of these age-old rituals, transforming them into powerful performances that have toured across Europe, the U.S. and Asia.

A contrast to the more contemporary work “Islands” presented earlier this year, “When Spirits Meet” offers a glimpse into Taiwan’s rich and diverse heritage and marks the fifth collaboration between The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Taiwan.

臺灣享譽「寶島」美稱，擁有多元南島語系原住民族群，目前官方認定的 16 個原住民族，各族擁有獨特的語言、社會結構與祭儀文化。其中世代相傳的「祭儀樂舞」不僅承載著對祖先的記憶， 更蘊含著部落的歷史與凝聚族群力量的功能。。

成立35年的「原舞者」，長年深入部落，傳承了原住民珍貴樂舞文化資產，也從部落走向世界舞臺。原舞者在臺灣累積數百場演出，也曾受邀前往歐洲、美國及亞洲多國演出，他們也將祭儀帶到現代劇場，讓世界看見臺灣原住民族的文化深度與祭典精神樣貌。

今年8月，原舞者首次來到馬來西亞吉隆坡，帶來作品《歲時之聚》，以「循祭・跨越」為主題，透過祭儀樂舞與身體律動，帶領觀眾穿梭在卑南族（Pinuyumayan）與阿美族 (Pangcah) 的歲時祭儀，親眼一睹族人如何在一年一度的祭典中，告別舊歲、跨向新年。

上半場聚焦於來自南王部落 （Puyuma） 的卑南族（Pinuyumayan）。卑南族主要居住於台東山海之間的平原地帶，而南王部落更被視為祭儀保存最完整、規模最大的部落之一。《歲時之聚》將呈現婦女節慶日（Mugamut）古調《emayaayam》，歌頌婦女完成小米田勞動後的辛勤與奉獻；也將帶來年祭歌舞，是族人為年節到來而唱、為青年晉升而唱、為男子勝利凱旋而唱，原舞者在傳統年祭慢板和快板歌舞之間穿插了輕快歌舞作為節奏調劑；同時也重現年祭期間，長者帶領青年拜訪家戶（puadangi）所吟唱的傳統歌謠，展現部落世代之間的情感與凝聚力。

下半場則轉向臺灣原住民族人口最多的一族阿美族（Pangcah）祭儀樂舞。來自奇美部落 (Kiwit) 的阿美族與卑南族相似，同樣承襲母系制度，女性在親屬組織中佔有舉足輕重的地位，而部落的集體活動中則由男性負責。原舞者將帶來《祝禱歌謠》，傳述著阿美族千年的族人繁衍的歷史記憶；由部落青年男子唱跳的年祭 《solotao》 歌舞，強烈展現青年之間的團結凝聚力；年祭歡慶舞蹈則由男子年齡組打頭陣，隨著婦女在祭典最後加入歌舞，讓歡慶氣氛堆叠到最高潮。

繼今年5月現代雙人舞《人之島》之後，吉隆坡表演藝術中心再度攜手駐馬來西亞臺北經濟文化辦事處，隆重推出《歲時之聚》馬來西亞首演，讓馬來西亞觀衆有機會親身感受來自臺灣獨有的原住民文化。這也是雙方第五度聯合呈獻臺灣優質演出，並獲得臺灣文化部的支持。