TEA+ | Tokyo University of the Arts / Taipei National University of the Arts Exchange Artists+ Program

The TEA+ Artist-in-Residence Exchange Program annually selects one to three artists, musicians, performers, and researchers from the alumni of Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA) and Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo Geidai) to participate in reciprocal residencies lasting one to three months. The sound artist Yasuhiro Morinaga, who concluded his residency in early July, visited the Taiwan Sound Lab at C-LAB, the Department of Fine Arts and Creative Industries at National Taitung University, and National Dong Hwa University during his stay. Having long focused on documenting ethnic and traditional music, Morinaga’s residency centered on the collection and study of Pasibutbut, the traditional Bunun ritual song praying for a bountiful millet harvest.

Pasibutbut is not only a ceremonial song invoking agricultural abundance but also an expression of gratitude to the celestial deities and ancestral spirits. In order to record the distinctive polyphonic structure—formed by male singers standing in a circle and creating an interwoven, multi-part harmony—Morinaga undertook a week-long field research trip across Hualien and Taitung.

In late June, at the height of summer, the artist traveled with staff from the Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts to Yuli (Hualien), Luye (Taitung), and Ma-Yuan Village (Hualien) for interviews and sound recordings. He also engaged in exchanges with scholars and local artists deeply involved in Indigenous cultural research. During his stay in Yuli, accompanied by Bunun poet and writer Salilau, Morinaga visited elders of the Zhuoxi community, where he was privileged to witness a demonstration of the Bunun eight-part polyphonic singing performed by elders dressed in traditional attire.

In Taitung, Morinaga met with Professor Chang Pu-Teng of the Department of Fine Arts and Creative Industries at National Taitung University. Professor Chang, whose practice and teaching focus on digital and animation art, shared his experience in organizing exhibitions and performances—particularly those related to Indigenous culture—as well as resources currently available in Taitung that could support this residency project. Morinaga also conducted recordings of eight-part polyphony at the Bunun Cultural Park in Luye and explored the surrounding cultural and ecological environment.

While visiting Ma-Yuan Village, community care worker Ms. Lin Hsiu-Lien, who supports local underprivileged families, provided in-depth explanations of Bunun origins and the historical background of Pasibutbut. She also introduced her father, elder Lin Yeh-Cheng, who speaks fluent Japanese. The artist and elder engaged in lively conversations, and Mr. Lin generously presented his traditional Bunun attire.

On the final day of the itinerary, Morinaga was honored to attend the opening of “Blossoming Traditions: 2025 Taiwan Craft Season – Hualien Exhibition,” curated by Professor Wang Yu-Hsin of the College of Indigenous Studies at National Dong Hwa University. The exhibition explores the integration of Indigenous traditional craftsmanship with contemporary experimental practices. During the opening, Morinaga met numerous local artists, laying the groundwork for his second research residency in Taiwan scheduled for December.

This field research on the Bunun Pasibutbut in Eastern Taiwan was made possible with the generous support of the Taiwan Sound Lab at C-LAB, the Department of Fine Arts and Creative Industries at National Taitung University, the College of Indigenous Studies at National Dong Hwa University, and many artists and scholars based in Hualien and Taitung. Their assistance enabled meaningful connections with local Bunun communities and the successful completion of interviews and sound recordings. Morinaga noted that the substantial outcomes of this research on traditional Bunun ritual songs may lead to future collaborations with Japanese ensembles, culminating in a performance project that brings together Japanese and Taiwanese singers in a cross-cultural work spanning ethnicity, time, and space.