Who Are the Bunun?
The Bunun (布農族) are an indigenous people of Taiwan's central mountains, numbering approximately 58,000-62,000 people. They speak Bunun, a Formosan language with five major dialects. The Bunun traditionally inhabited high mountain areas of central Taiwan, living at higher elevations than most other indigenous groups. Their territory spans parts of Nantou, Hualien, Taitung, and Kaohsiung counties. The Bunun are renowned for their unique polyphonic singing tradition, particularly the Pasibutbut (prayer for an abundant millet harvest), which features complex harmonies that astonished international ethnomusicologists when first recorded in 1943.
Pasibutbut Polyphonic Singing
The Pasibutbut is a Bunun prayer song for millet harvest, performed by a group of men in a circular formation. What makes it remarkable is the complex polyphonic harmonies—eight distinct voice parts that create overlapping tones and beat frequencies. Japanese ethnomusicologist Kurosawa Takatomo recorded it in 1943, and when UNESCO-associated experts heard it in 1952, they were astonished that such sophisticated polyphony existed outside the European tradition. The Pasibutbut challenged assumptions that polyphony was a uniquely Western development. It remains central to Bunun cultural identity and has been performed internationally, gaining recognition as intangible cultural heritage.
Pictographic Calendar
The Bunun developed a unique pictographic calendar system (Bunun Calendar) inscribed on wooden boards. These calendars recorded agricultural rituals, ceremonies, and taboos associated with each month or period. Symbols represented activities like planting, harvesting, hunting, and various ceremonies. The calendar coordinated community activities around the millet-based agricultural cycle. This was the only known indigenous calendar system developed in Taiwan. While no longer used for practical purposes, the pictographic calendar has been preserved in museums and cultural institutions, representing Bunun astronomical and agricultural knowledge encoded in visual form.
Contemporary Bunun
Modern Bunun maintain strong cultural identity, particularly around the polyphonic singing tradition. The Bunun Cultural and Educational Foundation and other organizations work to preserve language and customs. Some Bunun communities have developed cultural tourism focused on music, traditional villages, and mountain environment. However, economic challenges persist; many Bunun work in urban areas while maintaining village connections. The Bunun language faces pressures from Mandarin, though school programs and community efforts support revitalization. How the Bunun preserve their unique musical heritage and high-mountain culture amid modernization shapes this singing people's future in Taiwan's multicultural landscape.
References
- Yang, Y.-L. (1978). The Bunun of Taiwan
- Kurosawa, T. (1973). The Musical Instruments of the Taiwan Aboriginal Peoples
- Cauquelin, J. (2004). The Aborigines of Taiwan