When Spirits Meet: The Rainbow Bridge and Ocean Chants

Hualien County, Taiwan, possesses a rich and diverse cultural landscape, notably home to the Truku and Amis peoples. Guided by ancestral teachings and looking to the "Hakaw Utux" (Rainbow Bridge) as the soul's final home, the Truku people maintain a profound spiritual bond with their ancestors within the heart of the mountains. Along the coast, the Makota’ay village of the Amis people is renowned for its traditional “Ilisin” (annual) harvest festival, which takes place each July following the summer harvest. The ritual is an important post-harvest celebration—a sacred occasion to offer gratitude to the spirits and the supreme deity, Malataw, while performing rites of purification.

“When Spirits Meet: The Rainbow Bridge and Ocean Chants” brings together the distinct traditions of these two cultures. From the resonant echoes of the mountain forests to the rhythmic pulses of the Pacific tides, the performance unfolds as a vibrant dialogue between the Truku and the Amis through their songs and dances.

台灣花蓮縣擁有豐富多元的族群文化，其中就包含太魯閣族與阿美族。太魯閣族人遵循祖訓，並視「Hakaw Utux」（彩虹橋）為靈魂的最終歸處，他們在山林裡維繫著與祖靈深切交織的精神生活。而在太平洋沿岸，阿美族的港口部落（Makota’ay）以傳統歲時祭儀「Ilisin」聞名，深刻展現了年齡階級制度、海洋文化與團結精神。

《彩虹與海洋》結合這兩個族群截然不同的傳統樂舞。從山林間迴盪的太魯閣族幽谷樂音，到太平洋潮汐律動的阿美族奔放舞步，這場演出譜寫出一場太魯閣族與阿美族之間生動的文化對話。

Traditional Song and Dance of the Truku People
太魯閣族傳統樂舞
Deeply rooted in the high-mountain forests, the Truku people walk a path shaped by ancestral teachings, with ancestral rites forming the cornerstone of their traditional ceremonies. In Truku culture, the rainbow is known as "Hakaw Utux"—the Bridge of the Ancestral Spirits. It is the site of a sacred myth, the Rainbow Bridge Judgment, where ancestral guardians wait at the entrance to greet and evaluate the souls of the departed.

For the Truku people, the availability of farmland, hunting grounds, and suitable living environments are the decisive factors in establishing or relocating a settlement. The pursuit of arable land and productive hunting territories—both vital to the community's survival—has historically been the primary driver of their migratory patterns. From the sowing of millet to the harvest of crops, the complete cycle of agricultural practices intertwines with hunting activities, forming a dense and continuous ritual system; at the heart of these ritual practices lies a faith-based relationship of mutual protection and reciprocal balance between people and their ancestral spirits.

太魯閣族深耕於高山森林，與自然和諧共生；族人遵循祖訓，而祖靈祭是其核心祭儀。在太魯閣族文化中，彩虹被稱為「Hakaw Utux」，意即「祖靈之橋」。它是神話「彩虹橋審判」的所在地；在那裡，祖靈守護者守候在橋頭，迎接並審視每一位逝者的靈魂。對太魯閣族而言，耕地、獵場以及居住環境是建立聚落或決定搬遷的關鍵因素。尋找足以維持群體生存的可耕地與狩獵領域，一直是驅動太魯閣族自然遷徙的主要動力。從小米播種到農作收割，完整的農耕週期與狩獵活動緊密交織，形成一套嚴密而連續的祭儀系統；這些祭儀實踐的核心，在於人與祖靈之間彼此守護、相互彌補的信仰關係。

Traditional Song and Dance in the Makota’ay Community of Amis
阿美族港口部落傳統樂舞
Located at the mouth of the Shiouguluan River in Hualien, Makota’ay is a cradle of Amis culture. Nestled between the Coastal Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, the community remains a sanctuary for the traditional age-grade system and sacred rituals such as the Ritual of the Ocean and Ilisin (Annual Festival). 

The Ilisin (Annual Festival) of Makota’ay takes place each July, following the summer harvest. Although Western influence has introduced a Catholic Mass on the eve of the festival, the community’s ancestral spirit remains steadfast. The ritual is an essential celebration following the rice harvest—a sacred time to offer gratitude to the spirits and the supreme deity, Malataw, while performing rites of purification.

The festival is organized and governed by the men’s age-grade system. During this period, strict discipline is enforced, and all tasks are assigned by seniority, showcasing a profound spirit of collective cooperation. After four days of welcoming, entertaining, and feasting with the spirits through songs and dances, the festival culminates in the Spirit Send-off, a final ritual led by the women of the community.

To the people of Makota’ay, the sea is more than a landscape—it is the very pulse of their songs, the rhythm of their dance, and the foundation of their social order. Through this performance, we invite you to transcend the boundaries of land and sea to experience the ancient, wave-like memories of a life that flows eternally.

阿美族港口部落（Makota’ay）位於花蓮秀姑巒溪出海口，是阿美族重要的文化發源地之一。這裡背倚海岸山脈、面迎太平洋，保存了嚴密的年齡階級制度與海祭、年祭（Ilisin）等傳統。對 Makota’ay部落族人來說，海洋不只是地景，更化為歌舞中的律動與社會秩序的根基。透過樂舞，我們將跨越山海邊界，感受這座古老部落如浪潮般悠遠、綿延不絕的生命記憶。