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Difang and Igay Duana

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Difang and Igay Duana
BornDifang: (1921-03-20)March 20, 1921
Igay: (1922-08-09)August 9, 1922
DiedDifang: March 29, 2002(2002-03-29) (aged 81)
Igay: May 16, 2002(2002-05-16) (aged 79)
Occupation(s)Farmers
Musicians

Difang Duana (March 20, 1921 – March 29, 2002) and Igay Duana (August 9, 1922 – May 16, 2002), Chinese names Kuo Ying-nan (郭英男) and Kuo Hsiu-chu (郭秀珠), were Amis husband and wife farmers from Taiwan who became known as a folk music duo who specialized in traditional Amis chants. Their most recognized work is a performance of a traditional Amis Palang song, alternately called "Weeding and Paddyfield Song No. 1", "Elders' Drinking Song", and "Jubilant Drinking Song", or Sapiliepah a Radiw in the Amis language. The song was recorded by a French government project and EMI, and was subsequently sampled by the musical project Enigma for their international hit single "Return to Innocence". Accusations of unintentional usage without permission were settled out of court.

Early life

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Kuo Ying-nan was born in 1921 in the Taitung Falangaw Tribe, a member of the "Revival" groups (latihmok) in the Amis age hierarchy.[1] He was a highly respected elder known for his gifted, sonorous vocal and lead singing techniques, often listed by ethnomusicologists as an important informant.[2] In 1988, the Maison des cultures du monde [fr] in Paris hosted the "Asia-Pacific Indigenous Dance and Music Festival", in which the Paiwan tribe from Sandimen of Pingtung County, the Bunun tribe from Wulushan of Yanping Township of Taitung County, and Kuo Ying-nan with his wife participated, under the arrangements of Hsu Tsang-Houei, Tsai Li-hua, and Hsu Ying-chou.[3] The performances of the festival were recorded in the album Polyphonies vocales des aborigènes de Taïwan produced by the Maison des cultures du monde in Paris.[4]

Musical career

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In 1988, Difang and Igay traveled to France to sing on tour organized by ethnomusicologist Hsu Tsang-Houei, during which they and around 30 other aboriginal Taiwanese artists were paid $15 a day. Their performances were recorded by the Maison des Cultures du Monde ("Institute for World Cultures"), part of the French Ministère de L'éducation Nationale ("National Education Ministry"), and put onto an "anonymous" compilation of "Taiwanese aboriginal songs" to be used for educational purposes. Six years later, Michael Cretu, the creative mind behind the Ibiza-based Romanian/German musical project Enigma, believing the recording to be in the public domain,[5] sampled the recording on his song "Return to Innocence". After Taiwanese press agencies identified the Duanas' performance, the couple were offered a contract with Magic Stone, a subsidiary of the Taiwanese indie label, Rock Records; their music achieved little exposure outside of Taiwan.

In 1998, the Duanas filed suit against Cretu and EMI for violation of copyright. The suit was settled out of court in July 1999 for an undisclosed amount.[6] The couple reportedly used some of the money to set up a scholarship fund for Amis children. Magic Stone's attorney also won a suit against the French government, but the government insisted on giving the money to a folk art foundation in trust, and not to the Duanas. In response to the lawsuits, Robin Lee, director of Taiwan's Association of Recording Copyright Owners, claimed that since performers of traditional folk music aren't authors, they have no copyright. Lee was wrong because the standard practice is to list the music as traditional (no copyright), but the arrangement of it as copyrighted.[7] The Duanas have been credited on all subsequent releases of the song.

In 1993, the German band "Enigma" sampled a portion of a song called “Song of Joy” (palafang)[i] recorded by Kuo Ying-nan in France, and mixed it into their song "Return to Innocence", which was then selected as the theme song for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.[8] However, Kuo Ying-nan had not authorized them to sample his song; and with the event underway, a controversy surrounding indigenous culture and copyright soon emerged. Ethnomusicologist Ming Li- Kuo also pointed out the conflict between the copyright system and oral tradition culture and even the inheritance of culture, as well as the potential impact on cultural development.[9] Afterward, Enigma and Kuo Ying-nan reached a settlement through mediation by the Magic Stone Record Company.[10] In addition, Enigma's music manager at Virgin Music Germany stated that Enigma's founder, Michael Cretu, had no intention of violating anyone's copyright.[11] Kuo Ying-nan commented that as long as people knew that this song was from the Amis of Taiwan and was sung by his wife and himself, then the two of them would accept it in good part.[12]

In 1998, Kuo recorded his debut album Circle of Life in Taiwan with the assistance of Belgian music producer Dan Lacksman.[13] It included his best-known song "Song of Joy" (palafang).[3] The album sold well in Taiwan, and ranked 15th place in the IFPI.[14] At the end of 1999, Kuo released his second album Across the Yellow Earth, which the next year won him the Best Ethnic Music Album at the 11th Golden Melody Awards, and Kuo was also nominated for Best Male Singer.[15][16]

The media attention garnered by the Duanas' legal case piqued public interest in their music. Dan Lacksman of Deep Forest, in collaboration with Magic Stone Records and the Duanas, produced the ethnic electronica album, Circle of Life. The album was released in 1998 under the artist name Difang, though both Difang and Igay perform on the record. A second album, Across the Yellow Earth, was released in 2001.

Death

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Difang died on March 29, 2002, from sepsis.[17] He had struggled with diabetes for many years, and his health deteriorated significantly after he was bitten by a venomous centipede in October of the previous year.[17] Igay died shortly thereafter, on May 16, 2002, after a lengthy battle with breast cancer. She had been initially diagnosed on July 8, 1996.

Discography

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  • Uncredited ("anonymous") recording in Polyphonies vocales des aborigènes de Taïwan, Ministère de l'éducation nationale, 1988
  • "Return to Innocence", EMI Records, 1993
  • Circle of Life, Magic Stone Records, 1998 (reached No. 1 in Japan and Taiwan)
  • Across the Yellow Earth, Magic Stone Records, 2001

References

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  1. ^ 孫, 俊彥 (2001). 阿美族馬蘭地區複音歌謠研究 (in Chinese). 東吳大學音樂學系. p. 298.
  2. ^ "音樂人口述歷史－郭英男". 臺灣流行音樂資料庫. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  3. ^ a b 廖明潔 (January 8, 2021). "奧運宣傳曲侵權風波，誤打誤撞推動全世界聽到台灣阿美族的郭英男與馬蘭吟唱隊天籟歌聲". 放言科技傳媒.
  4. ^ 簡上仁 (2016). "【專文】美麗純真的台東歌聲". 民報文化雜誌雙月刊. 15 (11).
  5. ^ RTI Article (archived), EnigmaLair, Geocities.com
  6. ^ Guy, Nancy. "Trafficking Taiwan Aboriginal Voices", Handle with Care: Ownership and Control of Ethnographic Materials, ed. Jaarsma, S.R. University of Pittsburgh Press (2002): 195–206.
  7. ^ René T. A. Lysloff; Leslie C. Gay, Jr. (October 29, 2003). Music and Technoculture. Wesleyan University Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-8195-6514-3.
  8. ^ "Remembrance of Amis Singer Kuo Ying-Nan". 台灣茶黨BBS. March 29, 2002. Archived from the original on September 1, 2011.
  9. ^ 明立國 (July 23, 1966). "〈奧運宣傳曲的「謎」失〉". 《中國時報人間副刊》. 中國時報.
  10. ^ Huang, Sandy (March 30, 2002). "Amis singer Difang passes away". The Taipei Times.
  11. ^ "RTI Article". Geocities.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2009.
  12. ^ Esarey, Ashley. "An Ami Couple Seeks Recognition for Their Music". 台灣觀光月刊. Archived from the original on February 6, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
  13. ^ 曾詩穎 (November 2007). "Circle of life 生命之環-Difang郭英男和馬蘭吟唱隊". 臺灣原住民族圖書資訊中心. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  14. ^ "郭英男逝世原住民痛失「天籟」" [Amis singer Kuo Ying-Nan passes away]. 陳建年資訊網. March 30, 2002. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013.
  15. ^ "原住民之光". 臺東縣政府原住民族行政處. June 12, 2021.
  16. ^ "第十一屆金曲獎入圍名單". 文化部影視及流行音樂產業局. April 27, 2004.
  17. ^ a b Huang, Sandy (March 30, 2002). "Amis singer Difang passes away". Taipei Times. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  1. ^ 明立國. Palafang was originally translated[according to whom?] as “Elders Drinking Song”; but "Song of Joy" is more accurate as it is meant to be sung on joyful and festive occasions and has nothing to do with drinking.
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