Overview
“Why can’t electronic music merge with Indigenous music?” This question spins like a record in Dungi Sapor’s head. And so, Dungi began experimenting with electronic music as the background, inviting the elders of her tribe to adapt and re-interpret the traditional melodies of their ancestors. This became the first single of great significance in her life.
As an Indigenous person, she has experienced invisible discrimination when she was growing up. But the tenacity of Cikusuan people flows in her blood, and she does not want to forget her pride and uniqueness. She even had the name “Cikusuan” tattooed on her body, a constant reminder of who she is and where she came from.
In the traditional songs of the Amis people, there is a ballad called “Farewell Song”, which tells the story of the tribe’s farewell to the young people conscripted to fight in Nanyang during the Japanese colonial period. It is full of melancholy for the parting. As change comes with time, young people heading off to the military have a different attitude than in the past. Dungi still hopes that the younger generation will not forget these stories experienced by their ancestors. This historical memory resonates with the forgotten and unsung heroes of Indigenous Canadians in North America’s war history. Using pop music elements to narrate the past, Dungi aims to make connections across generations.
DJ Dungi Sapor strives to find new ways to bridge tradition and contemporary culture. She travels all over the world, exploring and learning with curiosity, resulting in many wonderful in-depth exchanges with various cultures. She believes this process will lead to exciting new discoveries and unique ideas, and to a richer fusion of traditional and modern cultures. She looks forward to bringing these inspiring experiences back to the stage in creative and refreshing ways. Get ready, world, to listen to her one-of-a-kind musical journey!
About DJ Dungi Sapor
DJ Dungi Sapor grew up in the glorious Cikasuan village of the Amis tribe in Hualien. She was discriminated against and excluded by her peers because of her Indigenous identity when she was a child, but this did not destroy her confidence in her identity. She even studied finance law in hopes of helping her tribe and her people. By reinterpreting and innovating with new music, she integrates Indigenous culture into contemporary sound, breaking the stereotype of Indigenous music. At the same time, she appreciates the traditional sounds of the world’s Indigenous population. She is currently experimenting with integrating the hand drum of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada, and will be sharing her new creation for the first time at this event.
Dates & Times
August 26
3pm – 4pm