A pestle used for pounding rice pounds out a resonant rhythm, and the "cracked drum"--originally a weaving instrument used by the Atayal people--issues forth a clear, crisp sound. The sounds of these everyday objects turned musical instruments, along with the weaving songs passed down by the elders, bring out the residents of mountainous Jueiyan Village for a morning of dancing.
Traditionally, the Atayal had no formal wedding ceremony--they just gathered friends to celebrate and act as witnesses. On this morning of a ground-breaking ceremony for a village relocation project, they have borrowed a portion of an Atayal girls' coming-of-age ceremony related to marriage. The dancers, full of anticipation, prepare to welcome the spirits of their ancestors to the ceremony and guide them to their new home.