"When the samba drums band is set to perform, the kids are all there right on time." This was a distinct change from the late arrivals or excuses for not showing up that plagued previous outside performances by school clubs. Kao Chien-hui, instructor of the Majia Junior High School Samba Drum Band, was surprised by the change in children's attitudes after they came in contact with samba drums. The enthusiasm and energy of the Majia Junior High School Samba Drum Band has made it one of the most popular performance groups of the Morakot reconstruction area in Taiwan.

 

Majia Junior High School is a remote rural school in Pingtung County. The school district encompasses Majia Township, Sandimen Township and Wutai Township, so 90% of the students from the Paiwan Tribe and 5% come from the Rukai tribe. Kao said that students at the school first came into contact with samba drums thanks to Tsai, a business owner from the Dream Community in Taipei's Sijhih District. Tsai invited foreign artists to promote and offer free classes to students on samba drums a few years ago. Energetic and rhythmic African dance was also incorporated into the traditional music and dance of the indigenous people. As the children of the Paiwan and Rukai tribes have a natural affinity for rhythm and motion, their dancing looked superb and eye-catching.

 

Majia Junior High School already had a school choir that has won many national competitions with their magical singing. After the samba drum band was formed in 2007, a partnership was formed with the choir to combine singing with drumming. The combination frequently took part in competitions and received many performance invitations as well. The original instructor was director Mai Feng-chan. Mai retired last year but he still returns to the school to help with the training and joining the children in seeing the world.

 

Kao said that indigenous children used to lack self-confidence, but drumming and singing gave them the opportunity to perform again and again in public. Through the applause of outsiders and their own performances, the children now recognize their own strengths. Nowadays, whenever an opportunity to perform comes up, they all arrive punctually on time without having to be chased. 3rd-year students Ma Hui-ci and Li Chih-chiang used to be quite shy. Since joining the samba drum band, however, even gatherings of over a hundred people don't faze them anymore. They also enjoy having fun with everyone. Li Chih-chiang joined Wutai Elementary School's samba drum band in 3rd grade and continued with his drumming at Majia Junior High School. His skill on the samba drums has become even more highly honed after six years.

 

Although the samba drum band is the signature of Majia Junior High School, as it is a remote rural school with limited resources and parents with small incomes, the drums used by the band are the same set from the beginning when the club is found. The drums' frames are now rusted, they only has one set of costumes for all their competitions and performance. Some students even have to borrow clothing and headgear from their friends and relatives. Kao felt that a new set of samba drums would undoubtedly improve the sound quality of their performances. Despite the basic equipment, the Majia Junior High School Samba Drum Band has continued to show everyone how much the indigenous peoples have invested into the reconstruction of their homes and industry through their enthusiastic performances.

 

The Reconstruction Council under Executive Yuan of Taiwan government, is also actively organizing performance opportunities for Majia Junior High School. Apart from introducing the people and organizations of Taiwan to the tourism opportunities and features of the reconstruction area, it is hoped that the relatively small performance fees can be saved up to eventually help Majia Junior High School upgrade or purchase new performing gear so the love for music amidst great adversity can be passed on.