瑪蓋丹 MAGAITAN

瑪蓋丹 Magaitan | la mathuaw maqitan apiakuzan (What Happened to the Beauty?)

Magaitan, a name signifying "Beauty," is a Thao singer-songwriter from Zintun (Sun Moon Lake) with a lineage tied to the tribe's ancestral leadership. In 2009, UNESCO classified the Thao language as "Critically Endangered." Bearing the weight of cultural heritage, Magaitan has dedicated over thirty years to composing in his mother tongue. This album marks Taiwan's first contemporary music production entirely in the Thao language—not merely as a personal artistic expression, but as a resilient manifesto for the survival of his people.

The core of the visual narrative lies at the intersection of mythology and modern civilization. According to Thao legend, their ancestors discovered Sun Moon Lake by following the tracks of a sacred White Deer. However, the arrival of the first asphalt road in 1989 became a fateful turning point. While symbolizing "progress," this road essentially sealed the tribe's paths of survival, leading to a shrinking homeland and fading traditions.

In this design, I juxtaposed the sacred White Deer with the cold, rigid texture of asphalt and imagery of a crumbling home. This stark visual contrast precisely echoes the album's title: "What Happened to the Beauty?" It serves as both a lament for a tranquil past and a powerful declaration to protect their land and culture.