To sing in Pairs: Austronesian Chants among Taiwan's

By presenting ritual chants of the Pinuyumayan people, one of Taiwans sixteen Austronesian-speaking ethnic groups, this edition provides a glimpse into little-known aspects of Austronesian music and culture. The Austronesian geographical realm extends southward from Taiwan and includes insular Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Madagascar, making the Austronesian language family the most widespread language family in the world. By revealing the interrelated dualities that permeate Pinuyumayan ritual chants and socio-cultural practices, this edition argues that parallelism, a prominent feature of Austronesian languages pointed out by James J. Fox, lays a foundation for the social and ritual functions performed by Pinuyumayan chants. Through an examination of the Pinuyumayan peoples practice of singing in pairs, the editor introduces the elaborate prosodic design and antiphonal singing practices of Pinuyumayan ritual chants to general readers, performers, composers, and music scholars. Content: 1. Kudaw (Lamenting the Monkeys Death) 2. Tremilratilraw and Padukeduk (Skip Dance) 3. Maresaur (Celebration Chant) 4. Emayaayam (Chant for Celebrating the Completion of Weeding) 5. Irairaw (Chant for the Great Hunting Ritual)