“Child! As we navigate through the values set by society, we discover different paths in life, but within your heart, preserve the purest essence of culture, and continue to pass it on.”. Elders in the community once said, “we were once like ramalj, driftwood, floating on this river of culture. We thank the ramaljengmaljeng, elders, for their teachings, giving us this beautiful and unique gift so we can pass it on. And the elders also told us that in the past, in order to better interpret the songs and dances, a standardized choreography was applied with collective approval, that was the creative spirit back then. But having been passed down from generation to generation, it has now become the tradition. As time went by, it has become the new face of the “old” and “tradition”. From the original Paiwan (1 of 16 ethnic groups of indigenous in Taiwan) folk songs and chants to Enka during the Japanese ruling, on to the ballad style of Am until Sunrise, to the recently popular blues and rap music, all of which were created over a long period of time under influences of different cultures. qipu: The Way Back, the fifth piece of the “Galju” series, is about young people in the indigenous community who have long observed its development and are reinterpreting the relationship between the traditional and the contemporary. It brings the migration of young people away from the community, the changes in the times, and cultural integration to the stage. The steady singing guides the audience, the cheeky music echoes how external elements have changed the community’s environment, and traditional song and dance are presented with a contemporary flair. At the end, the members of the audience are invited to join the performers in completing the piece and be part of a new, contemporary tradition that belongs to everyone.