About
In Taiwan, music has never been just entertainment — it is a rallying cry, a language of the land and a voice of the people.
Rally For Taiwan celebrates how music has shaped the island’s journey toward democracy. Since the end of martial law in the late 1980s, music has served as a powerful tool for activism and self-expression, featuring in protests and political rallies. From adapted campaign songs to performances by bands like TUDI-VOICE and Fire EX., music embodies the collective memory of Taiwan’s civil society, highlighting demands for justice and identity. Similar cultural movements exist globally, such as the Freedom Songs in the U.S. civil rights movement and Struggle Music in South Africa. Taiwan’s multilingual and multicultural soundscape —encompassing Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka and Indigenous languages —makes its music unique. Rally For Taiwan is more than a performance; it stands as a living testament to the struggles for democracy and invites everyone to join the chorus for change.
About TUDI-VOICE
Sounds coming from the very roots of rural Taiwan. With the yueqin and the guitar, we turn all that has nurtured our growth into songs that tell the story of this land, of Taiwan.
Starting with Taiwanese folk music, we pass through the tragedies of history and the scars of each era. We sing the ever-present scenery of this land and call out our hopes for the future. Each song takes us on a philosophical journey through Taiwan’s current social landscape. The Taiwanese language is at the forefront of this show, encompassing traditional and evolving elements of traditional Chinese opera, folk music, and rock, presenting the diversity of Taiwan’s culture. Since the founding of the band in 2006, TUDI-VOICE has been using music to voice concerns for the agricultural and lower social class of Taiwan. By adopting Taiwanese folk and the spirit of rock as the foundation of its composition, the band has created a Taiwanese country folk rock that is truly one of a kind. Strong in its faith and love for the land of Taiwan, TUDI-VOICE pours its energy into creating music that shares insight on topics relating to civilization and development. From countrysides to cities, from indigenous tribes to fishing villages, the voice of TUDI-VOICE continues to walk the roads of Taiwan, in search for its roots.
About Traego
Some describe Traego’s live shows as a cathartic, emotionally charged party — a space where chaos meets comfort. Their walls of frenzied guitar, fast-paced rhythms and explosive stage presence are about releasing energy and giving it back to the crowd. From rage to resilience, despair to self-deprecation, their music reflects the spirit embedded in their name — traego, or “pitiful filth,” which represents our cynical punk rock spirit and demonstrates the world’s prevarication using our most sincere words.
Even if life doesn’t go our way, even if we are the so-called dirt of society, we still show up and play our part. Traego’s performances transcend linguistic boundaries. Singing in their mother tongue — Hakka — they scream against injustice, inequality and the world’s absurdity, transforming frustration into fuel, and marginalization into raw power.
About Lihaw Lihang
Lihaw Lihang is a Truku Indigenous singer-songwriter, mountain guide and community worker from Hualien County, Taiwan. Raised in the cultural embrace of his tribal community, he was profoundly shaped by the ancestral wisdom and teachings of the mountains, cultivating a life philosophy rooted in close connection with nature.
While studying in northern Taiwan, he performed for over a decade as a resident singer at folk music venues, where he gained rich musical experience and a keen sense of social observation. Upon returning to his homeland, he devoted himself to serving his community, primarily supporting marginalized Indigenous youth and strengthening their cultural ties. His music draws from personal journeys and collective memory, blending traditional Truku chants with contemporary pop elements. He composes primarily in his mother tongue, Truku and has received multiple awards at the Taiwan Indigenous Music Awards.
Through initiatives like Climb 100 Peaks, Sing 100 Songs and international performances, Lihaw Lihang not only shares his personal stories through song but also voices the cultural dignity and deep connection to the land held by his people. He is widely recognized as a vital voice in Taiwan’s contemporary Indigenous music and artistic practice.
This performance features selections from his debut album, Riding the Wind, and his upcoming 2025 release, Alang mu Kbayang — Mother’s Kbayang. Lihaw conveys a heartfelt longing for his mother and a profound connection to ancestral land. His songs recall childhood memories of growing up in the mountains as a young hunter, the wonders of the natural world and the beauty of Truku traditions. At the same time, they draw attention to the challenges and realities faced by Indigenous communities today.
With every note, Lihaw sings of love for the earth and calls for its care. His voice carries hope and courage — urging us all to move forward with resilience. This performance is a song of remembrance for mothers and fathers, and a tribute to every soul walking the path home.
