Taiwanese singer-songwriter, guitarist and social activist
Panai Kusui
Panai Kusui (Chinese: 巴奈·庫穗; pinyin: Bānài Kùsuì; Chinese name: Chinese: 柯美黛; pinyin: Kē Měidài; born 1969) is a Taiwanese singer-songwriter, guitarist and social activist.[1] Her parents are of the Puyuma and Amis tribes of southeastern Taiwan.
Music career
Panai's first album "ni-wa-wa" was released in 2000 and received an award as one of the top 10 albums of the year by the China Times.[2]
Panai has performed at Tiehua Music Village in Taitung City, which was established by the Lovely Taiwan Foundation to promote indigenous music and culture.[3] She also performed at the fifteenth Migration Music Festival in 2017.[4]
Panai supported Democratic Progressive Party candidate Tsai Ing-wen in the 2016 Taiwanese presidential election campaign, voicing her support for Tsai, whose grandmother was Paiwan. Panai sang aboriginal songs at Tsai's campaign rallies and post-election victory events, including Tsai's investiture.[7][8] Panai, at these events, voiced the need of formal apologies to aboriginal peoples for past abuses. Elected president, Tsai fulfilled these requests and presented formal apologies to aboriginal populations.[7]
In February 2017, Tsai Ing-wen's government declared a series of public lands as aboriginal ancestral territories.[7] Panai denounced the moves as insufficient since it did not return lands previously taken and now owned by private entities, including notorious mines.[7] Panai's objection was based on two principles: the right of surviving aboriginal tribes to get back their whole territories, and the request for autonomy consistent enough so aboriginal community could negotiate as equals with the government.[7] Panai was one of the leaders of the Indigenous Ketagalan Boulevard protest concerning the delineation of traditional lands of Taiwanese aborigines.[9] On February 23, she occupied using tents the grass ground facing the Presidential Office Building, but was moved out 100 days later, installing herself near a metro entrance, and after 600 (January 2019) had to move again to a nearby park.[7] During the protest, Panai won an appeal against a fine levied by the Taipei City Government,[10] and continued camping until the presidential inauguration of William Lai.[11]
^Lin, Chia-nan (January 20, 2019). "Aboriginal advocates move lilies as they evacuate protest camp in 228 peace park". Taipei Times. Taipei. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
^"Taiwan Color Music".
^Ho Yi (June 13, 2014). "Events and entertainment listings". Retrieved June 30, 2024.
^Gibson, Liam (September 29, 2017). "Women on the road". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
^Lin, Sean; Wang, Hsin-yu (June 29, 2024). "No Party For Cao Dong biggest winner at Golden Melody Awards". Central News Agency. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
^Wang, Hsin-yu; Lee, Hsin-Yin (June 30, 2024). "China's censoring of 'Tiananmen' remarks highlights Taiwan's value: Singer". Central News Agency. Retrieved June 30, 2024. Republished as: "China's censorship underscores value of Taiwan: singer". Taipei Times. July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
^ a b c d e f"« A l'allure où vont les choses, que restera-t-il de nos cultures ? » : à Taïwan, la résistance des aborigènes". Le Monde.fr. January 22, 2020.
^Loa, Iok-sin (May 21, 2016). "Democracy focus of celebrations". Retrieved June 30, 2024.
^"Uprooted by Taipei, indigenous people undaunted in fight for rights". Central News Agency. April 5, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
^"Indigenous singer wins appeal against fine, but fight goes on". Central News Agency. August 12, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2024. Republished as: "Panai Kusui continues her battle for land rights". Taipei Times. August 13, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
^Lo, James; Chang, Hsiung-feng (May 6, 2024). "Indigenous activist to end 7-year protest camp on inauguration day". Central News Agency. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
^"FEATURE/Remembering Feb. 28 Incident: Taiwan's youth turn to music". Central News Agency. February 28, 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
^"Dozens of singers, musicians produce song to support Hong Kong". June 28, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2024. Republished as: "Taiwanese, Hong Kong artists write song for protesters". June 30, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Panai Kusui.