Passing the Baton: Hear, My Indigenous Sounds. | pasevalit: ulja lemangdasun ta uljingav

In the age without written language, indigenous peoples convey messages by singing. Human’s life was tightly intertwined with nature and the sounds of nature shaped the cultural wisdom of indigenous peoples. The knowledge of survival, ancestors’ teaching and experiences accumulated over generations were translated into ballads which circulate among the community so future generations can trace memories deposited in songs to explore their ethnic roots and stories of the people before them.

Although some of the traditional rituals and skills were washed away by time, indigenous people who shoulder the mission of preserving cultural legacy for future generations are not intimidated by the tides of time. They relay experiences of a lifetime to the next generation through singing. If you listen carefully, the chanting and singing by the older generation will help you find the rhythm of mountain and sea and those lost memories.

Note: “pasevalit: ulja lemangdasun ta uljingav,”means “passing the baton: may you hear my voice” in Paiwan language.

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