Taiwan’s first nationally-broadcasted Indigenous radio station Alian FM 96.3 celebrates its seventh anniversary on August 9, the same day the station started broadcasting in 2017, which also coincides with the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. Their celebratory ceremony was one full of song and food.
Rti Chairperson Cheryl Lai (賴秀如) and Alian Chairperson Maraos acted as witnesses presenting a recently signed memorandum of cooperation between Rti and Alian. This partnership aims to share Taiwan’s Indigenous voices worldwide through Rti’s 20 language services broadcasted internationally. Maraos noted that he has been listening to Rti since his youth, whether in the mountains or out on boats where TV reception is hard to come by, and he knows many Indigenous people who have relied on Rti’s radio service.
Maraos said that in many Indigenous cultures across Taiwan a large number of guests in attendance means a larger blessing, and thanked the guests including representatives of nearly 60 radio and television stations for attending with both an opening statement and Indigenous blessing song. He joked that the venue wouldn’t let them roast a pig indoors, so the Indigenous tradition of slaughtering a pig to roast had to be changed to cutting a pig-shaped cake. The event was complete with performances from two Golden Melody Award winners Biung Wang and ABAO, and Indigenous delicacies including Taroko banana rice and Paiwan cinavu.
Since its establishment, 36 Alian programs have been nominated for and three have received Golden Bell Awards. Alian says it is committed to safeguarding Indigenous people’s media access rights and freedom of expression. Through further developing Indigenous people’s identities and cultivating talent, Alian looks forward to promoting mutual trust and respect among Indigenous groups and increasing the scope of their programs to be heard worldwide.