America’s big media event, the Telly Awards, announced the latest annual winners’ list. This year, up to 12,000 entries from 50 U.S. states and 5 continents around the world were reviewed by more than 200 judges. “Taiwan – Mountain Beauty, Villages & Cultures – Part 2,” a popular travel program jointly produced by the Tourism Bureau, MOTC and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), won the silver prize in the TV category. In fact,t last year, the first part of the series received the gold prize. The silver prize marks another recognition from the Telly Awards.
“Taiwan – Mountain Beauty, Villages & Cultures” introduces small-town culture, natural scenery, migration history, and ecological conservation (natural habitats) at once, as if taking a unique trip. Joseph Rosendo, the director and the host, presents program content through storytelling. In Part 2, he takes the audience to visit Sanyi, a small Hakka town, to appreciate artistic wood carving, Shengxing Train Station, Shitou Mountain temples, Shenxian Valley, and Nanzhuang Osmanthus Lane. All these are popular destinations among tourists. He also munches on traditional Hakka food, tries DIY blue dye, and makes indigenous Ayatal textiles, in addition to learning about Ayatal culture and Ayatal people’s migrations in the past. Rosendo even takes part in “Pas-ta'ai,”meaning “the Ritual to the Short People,” held by indigenous Saisiat people.
Rosendo noted that he always finds pleasant surprises in Taiwan. He has been to Taiwan many times, and in each journey he has new, special discoveries. The award-winning program leads him to explore the remarkable indigenous culture and events in Taiwan. Traveling in Taiwan has been an exceptional spiritual experience.
(Data source: Tourism Bureau, Republic of China (Taiwan))