2022 Tainan International Human Right Festival Discuss Social Movements and Human Rights Issues in Street Demonstrations
Edited by Elysee Chung. Image credit to Chen Yi-An.
The openning ceremony of Tainan International Human Right Festival on Oct. 27
National Cheng Kung University(NCKU) and the National Human Rights Museum co-organized the "Tainan International Human Right Festival (臺南國際人權藝術節)" for the fourth time this year, and held an opening press conference at the Phoenix Theatre (鳳凰樹劇場) of NCKU on Oct. 27. With the theme of "Street Demonstration", the festival brings together the historical experiences and issues of social movements in Taiwan and abroad. Lectures, workshops, and theatrical performances are held not only to present human rights issues through art media, but to support the pluralistic communities in society, speaking out for the oppressed.
Jhang Chan-Jyuan(張嬋娟) says, many discussions on social democracy and public issues take place on the street
According to Jhang Chan-Jyuan (張嬋娟), the deputy director of the National Human Rights Museum (國家人權博物館), says that many discussions on social democracy and public issues take place on the street. She mentions the incident in 1989, when the generation rent slept on Zhongxiao East Road, has influenced many street performances. While another incident in 2014, the Sunflower Movement, inspired the popular song "Island's Sunrise (島嶼天光)." Through this festival, she hopes to show the public how arts and culture connect and speak to people.
The Vice President of NCKU, Chen Yuh-Neu (陳玉女), says, "human rights is an act of life." The first Tainan International Human Rights Arts Festival discussed human rights in the theater; the second talked about human rights issues arising from the movement of ethnic groups; the third explored human rights issues at the border; and this year, the main focus is the social movement on streets. Chen believes, "human rights cannot be left unattended." Through four years of arts activities, NCKU has not only deepened students' literacy, but introduced human rights issues to the surrounding high school. Chen looks forward to future events.
“Tàu-lāu-jia̍t” band (鬥鬧熱走唱隊) and "Tsng-kha-lâng” band (裝咖人) give performances during the openning ceremony
After the opening ceremony on Oct. 27, “Tàu-lāu-jia̍t” band (鬥鬧熱走唱隊) and "Tsng-kha-lâng” band (裝咖人) boost the atmosphere of the event with brilliant live performances. “Tàu-lāu-jia̍t” band's name is inspired by the first novel written by Lai Ho (賴和), who is the father of Taiwan's new literature.They convey their care for people by incorporating the poems of Lai Ho into their songs; while "Tsng-kha-lâng” band fuses traditional Beiguan and rock & roll music to retell local stories through literature and lyric writing. Both bands' songs tell the stories of their encounters with literature and music in unique ways.
According to the Taiwan Art History Research Center (臺灣藝術史料研究中心) of NCKU, "streets" are open and fluid spaces. They are venues for people to fight for their right to speak. In order to fight for equal human rights, housing justice, and environmental safety, artists have transformed their protests into music, dramas, dance, graffiti...etc. to raise people’s awareness. Through various art styles, such as music creation, theatrical performance, and documentary films in Taiwan and other nations, the festival invites the public to think of human rights issues' connection with art media.
Liu Nan-fang(劉南芳) hope the new general course of Dept. of Taiwanese Literature, Human Rights Through Arts, can raise young generation's awareness on human rights
Liu Nan-fang(劉南芳) is the curator of the festival, also the associate professor of the Dept. of Taiwanese Literature (TWL) of NCKU. She points out, the festival this year holds more than 30 events from Oct. 13 to Dec. 21 at NCKU, National University of Tainan (臺南大學) and the Tainan Youth-Center (天主教臺南青年中心). The festival focuses on "music about social movement" and "people's theater." Many bands are invited to give performances: Taiwan's first workers' band "Black Hand Nakasi (黑手那卡西)" with Chen Po-wei (陳柏偉) as lead singer; "Tudi voice (農村武裝青年)," a band concerned with the issue of land sustainability; "Wanderers (流浪者)," a band formed by NCKU students. The festival also invites the the lyricist of Sheng Xiang & Band (生祥樂隊) Chung Yung-Feng (鍾永豐), and the well-known broadcaster Ma Shih-fang (馬世芳), to give in-depth lectures on the songs related to social movements.
In the section of drama and film, the Yushan scholar Alain Brossat, is invited to discuss the documentary film about the general strike of 1968 in French history. Director Hsu Rey-Fang (許瑞芳) has been committed to modern people's theater in Tainan, developing the documentary theater of "Lingnan Protest (嶺南聖戰)." She is also invited to share her experiences in environmental social movements. Through the Butoh dance performance of the protest in Lo-Sheng Sanatorium (樂生療養院), and the student play "Justice Speaks (正義喊聲)" directed by Lan Pei-Chih (藍貝芝), the profound influence of social movement and artistic reproduction is explored. To attract local students, the festival invites the team, His-20-Story (二十而立工作隊), from the Dept. of History of NCKU to curate an exhibition and lecture entitled "White Terrorist Action Guide on Campus (校園白恐行動指南)." What's more, this year, TWL offers a new general course called "Human Rights Through Arts," which introduces the integration of art and social movements, aiming to raise the young generation's awareness on human rights.
Related Info.：2022 Tainan International Human Right Festival
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