Round Trip
Listening Post 386. Sauljaljui is a singer-songwriter-musician and a cultural icon of the Paiwan people, one of the indigenous Austronesian tribes living in Taiwan for 6,000 years before Chinese settlement began in the 17th century. She fashions songs from nature, humanity and community, inspired by Kapanan, the village where she was born and raised. Her instrument of choice is the yueqin, or moon lute, and her soothingly powerful voice is not so much accompanied by as it is woven with strings and percussion. She mixes Paiwan themes into her own compositions, fusing traditional and contemporary world sounds. Her third album reflects a departure—literally—from her previous work: Vaivaik means “embarking” or “searching.” Over the past few years Sauljaljui has performed on stages from mainland Asia to Australia, Europe and North America, and the new nine-track collection channels inspiration from other islands, where she sang and learned at the side of kindred artists. In Dipin Kari Tang (Bread, Curry, Hedgehog, video 1), three seemingly unrelated words chanted in Mauritian Creole match a drumbeat rhythm in which she discerns a palpable affinity between Mauritius and Taiwan. The title track (video 2) similarly links the artist’s sense of heritage and belonging with her thirst for adventure. Sapuy (Torch, video 3) describes a firefly illuminating itself and everything around it, while Tjualayu evokes the mountain that yielded the rocks she used to build a home with her own hands (video 4). In Anun Bala (Hello, video 5), she sings in three Austronesian languages with Malaysian artist Alena Murang about the rivers of their respective lives. Sauljaljui travels with purpose, more roving ambassador than rolling stone. When she’s not traversing the continents, she dedicates much of her time to Kapanan, organizing cultural festivals, performing for the elderly and teaching music in local schools. It seems the more she sees of the world, the more she plants in the village. (Wind Music)

Sauljaljui: Vaivaik / Embarking
戴曉君: 尋走
Sauljaljui: Vocals, yuequin, guitar, percussion, synthesizer
Hsueh Jung-Han: Guitar
Jiro Yeh: Bass, percussion
Dakung: Bass
Vikung Ruljadeng: Bass
Paerec: Electric Guitar
NINE G: Electric Guitar
Hoper Sun: Electric Guitar
Lin Ching-Po: Drums
Avon Lai: Percussion
Ljavuras Ljimatjakan: Backing vocals
Aruwai Vaviungan: Backing vocals
Dresdres Vaviungan: Backing vocals
Dresdres Azangiljan: Backing vocals
Kiwa Takihusungan: Backing vocals
Kincyang Masilo: Backing vocals

Guest Artists
Alena Murang: Vocals, sape’
Taiwu Ballads Troupe: Vocals
Putad Pihay & Sra·Rata: Tapelike drum, percussion
Indus: Percussion

Note. Paiwan, spoken by 65,000 people, is one of a dozen indigenous languages used in Taiwan. It is part of the Austronesian family of some 1,250 languages spoken across the Indian and Pacific Oceans by nearly 400 million people, from Madagascar to Easter Island. The prevailing view of linguists is that Taiwan is the point of origin of this vast grouping of languages. Today the Austronesian tribes make up just 2.5 percent of Taiwan’s population.

Related posts. Sauljaljui. Insides Revealed, Listening Post 276, Oct. 27, 2020. https://worldlisteningpost.com/2020/10/27/sauljaljui-insides-revealed/

Alena Murang. Sky Songs, Listening Post 333, Jan. 13, 2022. https://worldlisteningpost.com/2022/01/13/alena-murang-sky-songs/

 

Dipi Kari Tang / Bread, Curry, Hedgehog (feat. Taiwu Ballads Troupe)
Lyrics & music: Sauljaljui

(Performed in Mauritian Creole and Paiwan)
We are so full of joy today
The moment has come to get together here in Mauritius 

Guitar sound from the shore, unending
Come on and move your hips!
U wa ye hey
Hey ya u way 

One bottle, sure!
Two bottles, certainly!
The ocean is still where it always is
The sound of the guitar from the shore, never-ending 

I knew you long ago
Have this first toast with me, my brothers and sisters 

Such a rare get-together
So much joy
Let’s seize the joyful moment and set off whenever we like 

Such a rare get-together
So much joy
Let’s seize the joyful moment and set off whenever we like 

Dipin Kari Tang
Dipin Kari Tang
Dipin Kari Tang
I treasure the melody deep in my heart 

One bottle, sure!
Two bottles, certainly!
The ocean is still where it always is
The sound of the guitar from the shore, never-ending

In fact, I’ve known you for a long time
Have this first toast with me, my brothers and sisters 

Such a rare get-together
So much joy
Let’s seize the joyful moment and set off whenever we like 

Such a rare get-together
So much joy
Let’s seize the joyful moment and set off whenever we like 

Dipin Kari Tang
Dipin Kari Tang
Dipin Kari Tang
I treasure the melody deep in my heart 

Ah, this is the farthest place I’ve ever been
And I love it so much 

na na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na na 

Come on, come on (move your hips)
Aren’t you coming? (Come)
Come on, come on (move your hips)
Aren’t you coming? (Come) 

 

Vaivaik / Searching for My Path
Lyrics & music: Sauljaljui

(Performed in Paiwan)
ye e e e e e ye e e e
ye e e e e e ye e e e
ye e e e e e ye e e e
ye e e e e e ye e e e 

Searching for a path in faraway places
No need to mind anyone
Simply abiding by my own mind
Speaking freely
This is the path I’ve been searching for 

Stop always saying that
Always saying “wait”
Now is the best time
Believing in our current path
This is my path of searching 

ye e e e e e ye e e e
ye e e e e e ye e e e
ye e e e e e ye e e e
ye e e e e e ye e e e

 

Sapuy / Torch
Lyrics & music: Sauljaljui

(Performed in Paiwan)
What is this light?
Brighter as it comes closer
ling ting ting
A resonant sound closing in 

My good brothers and sisters
Come quickly and join me
Rejoicing with one heart 

oh hi yan (Hand in hand)
oh hi yan (Heart to heart)
oh hi yan (Till the very end) 

oh hi yan (Hand in hand)
oh hi yan (Heart to heart)
oh hi yan (Till the very end) 

What is this light?
Brighter as I come closer
ling ting ting
A resonant sound closing in 

We are like fireflies
Carrying torches of the soul
At the boundless horizon
Illuminating 

oh hi yan (Illuminating you)
oh hi yan (Illuminating me)
oh hi yan (Till the very end) 

oh hi yan (Illuminating you)
oh hi yan (Illuminating me)
oh hi yan (Till the very end) 

Relax
Let’s have fun together
Relax
Let’s have fun together

 

Tjualayu / Tjualayu Mountain
Lyrics & music: Sauljaljui

(Performed in Paiwan)
Tjualayu
a la hey
ya hey ya u  

In this mountain paradise
of perfect seclusion
with animals by my side
An exit just for me 

That firm and determined mind of mine
Has already turned into a heap of rocks
Piling onto all thoughts
Unchanging 

In this mountain paradise
of perfect seclusion
Those thoughts in turmoil I have buried
As I am standing here 

Tjualayu
a la hey
ya hey ya u  

 

Anun Balla/ Hello (feat. Alena Murang)
Lyrics & music: Sauljaljui, Traditional

(Performed in Paiwan, Kelabit and Kenyah*)
Hello, Sarawak
Hello, mother
Your smile, like a boat
Takes away all my sorrows 

Flow on, flow
Flow on, flow
Awaiting our next meeting 

Hello, Sarawak
Hello, father
Your song and your call
Rinse the dust from my heart 

Flow on, flow
Flow on, flow 

Flow on, flow
Flow on, flow
Awaiting our next meeting 

May the river’s grace
flow on forever
Awaiting our next meeting 

**Liling liling liling liling
liling uyau along liling
nalan 

*Kelabit and Kenyah are Austronesian languages spoken in Sarawak, a Malaysian state on Borneo
**Liling (“turn around”) is a traditional folksong of the Orang Ulu of Sarawak