Pur-dur and Samingad scored big at the Golden Melody awards. Their fresh, new singing voices have been nurtured by the mountains and the sea, their songs gathered from the experiences of life. (Jimmy Lin)	Pur-dur and Samingad scored big at the Golden Melody awards. Their fresh, new singing voices have been nurtured by the mountains and the sea, their songs gathered from the experiences of life. (Jimmy Lin)

Over the last few years, Taiwanese pop music has become a hot phenomenon. Singing stars and starlets have come streaming out of Taiwan, to Hong Kong, to mainland China, to Southeast Asia, making the Taiwan beat the mainstay of the Chinese-language music scene. But Taiwanese pop is no longer satisfied with meeting the demands of the market. Now it is making great efforts to transcend convention and branch out with greater variety. A couple of the many new trends have especially caught the public's eye-the fact that Taiwan's indigenous people have broken into the mainstream, and the tendency for music groups to reject the standard pretty-faced idol formula for success. This year, two members of the Puyuma tribe have infused pop music with a completely new sound. Pur-dur introduced a completely new flavor to Taiwan's Golden Melody awards by taking home the awards for best male vocalist and best songwriting, and Samingad won the best new artist award. Their success also shows how much Taiwanese fans crave creativity, and treasure exotic sights and sounds.

What is so special about the songs these two people sing? What kind of environment did they grow up in? And what emotions are they trying to express through their music? How does their popularity differ from that enjoyed by earlier aboriginal Taiwanese singing stars, like Wan Sha-lang and Kao Sheng-mei, and today's reigning queen of pop A-mei? Why did they win such unanimous critical acclaim at the Golden Melody awards? And what kind of inspiration, stimulation and reflection will they bring to the world of music?

The music of Difag has wafted through the Olympic coliseum. The charisma of A-mei continues to radiate over both sides of the Taiwan Strait. And in April, the Golden Melody awards were dominated by Pur-dur, the best male vocalist, and Samingad, the best new artist. It seems that the age of indigenous people has truly arrived! In particular, the fact that Pur-dur is also a policeman has aroused an extra amount of curiosity and interest from the public. When facing a swarm of paparazzi, Pur-dur, who passionately loves his work and treasures his home life, said resignedly, "I only wanted to have an album as a keepsake!" Could it be that everyone views indigenous people in too serious a manner?