Taiwan arts

Taiwan has eleven indigenous groups, namely the Amis(阿美族), Atayal(泰雅), Bunun(布農), Kavalan(噶瑪蘭族), Paiwan(排灣), Puyuma(卑南族), Rukai(魯凱族), Saisiyat(賽夏), Thao(邵族), Tsou(鄒) and Yami. Each has their own unique art and culture.
The Paiwan and Rukai peoples of southern Taiwan, for example, are especially known for their woodcarvings of stylized human figures, geometric patterns, and images of the hundred-pacer snake. The Yami of Orchid Island are best known for their sturdy, hand-built boats made without nails or glue; and the Atayal tribe was also known for using facial tattooing and teeth filing as rituals of initiation. The Atayal women use simple back-strap looms to create rectilinear patterns of squares diamonds and triangles.
Dance and music are among the richest legacies of Taiwan's indigenous peoples. Group dances that are performed at a wide variety of ceremonies and rituals consist mostly of simple but harmonious walking and foot-stomping movements. They are usually performed in unison and accompanied by melodic choruses. Indigenous musical instruments include drums, simple stringed instruments, woodwind instruments (such as flutes), and other percussion instruments (rattles, wooden mortars and pestles).
Taiwan arts consist of Taiwan folk arts, puppetry, painting, sculpture, ceramics, seal carving, music, drama, dance, cinema, indigenous literature, and literature in Taiwan. Most are from the indigenous groups with some influenced by foreign culture.
Taiwan is raising its cultural identity from the predominating western culture. Despite the important position of traditional Chinese music in Taiwan, Western classical music predominates. Many young classical musicians, having succeeded in international circles, have now returned to Taiwan as either visiting musicians or regular members of orchestras and chamber groups.