Amis Hip Hop documents how a group of young Amis men in Dulan village have blended influences from contemporary social and cultural life in Taiwan with their traditional practice of ritual dance performance in the village.

When people think of Amis in Taiwan, images of colorfully dressed female dancers welcoming visitors, or else repetitive chanting in a circle dance at a harvest festival, come to mind. However, the Amis young men of Dulan village on the east coast of Taiwan have been creating a new style of performance that is still based on their traditions.

Rooted in the Amis ethos of respect for male age-grade organization, matrilineal affiliation, intimacy with the ocean, and appreciation of joking relationships, these young men also blend in elements of foreign fashion in music and dance all while keeping with traditional village aesthetics. Through their performances, they represent a new image to both locals and outsiders, and actively construct their local identity as Dulan Amis.
　

• AWARD:

2005 David Plath Media Award

(Presented from Society for East Asian Anthropology)

Award Comments-

This fascinating DVD contains both historic and ethnographic material that contributes to theoretical debate and is additionally designed to enhance teaching. The film presents the visible results of globalism, of deconstructing forms of modern performance, questioning mutated meanings of tradition and adaptation, and illustrates both cultural continuity and change.

• FILM FESTIVAL:

2005 Taitung Ho Hay Yan Documentary Festival