In Search of an Amis Song Model

There is no official Amis term for ‘music’, although the Chinese word yinyue [音樂] and its Japanese equivalent, ongaku [音楽], are often used in reference to melodic activity. My experiences in Taitung, however, have shown that there is an approximation to the idea of ‘song’ in Amis culture. This is found in the Amis concept of ladhiw, which refers to a specific vocal activity.