Taiwan's Migrant Workers Find Comfort, Community in Music

Migrant workers from the Philippines and Indonesia performed at a solidarity concert in support of migrant fishers.

Transcript

00:00Spreading peace and love with music, the six-piece gu hit band, whose members are Filipino migrant

00:20workers, rev up the crowd at this event in the southern port city of Kaohsiung.

00:24The audience, many of them fellow migrant workers from the Philippines and Indonesia,

00:29are gathered here in support of migrant fishers.

00:32The band hopes that their grooves will bring joy to their community, despite the many struggles

00:36they face.

00:38Music gives us freedom to speak our feelings, what's deep inside us, and music can give

00:48us peace of mind.

00:49We're so stressful at work, so that's why music is very important to us.

00:57Most of Taiwan's 750,000 migrant workers are from Southeast Asia, working essential

01:02jobs in the country's manufacturing, agricultural and fishing industries, and taking care of

01:07its elderly population, only to face long working hours and low wages.

01:12Many also deal with abuse and discrimination.

01:15But here at this concert, these migrant performers say they want to celebrate the diversity they

01:19bring to Taiwan.

01:20We come to Taiwan not only for work, but also for the things we like.

01:27We can continue to pursue our dreams, and the people of Taiwan are very supportive of

01:35us.

01:36But some say the government needs to do more to make life easier for these essential workers,

01:41who are trying to support their families back home.

01:43The organizers of the event specifically called attention to the plight of migrant fishers,

01:48who often spend months out at sea, unable to contact family or access help.

01:53Being a fisherman is not easy at all.

01:55I would like to have some contact with families, with NGOs, with maybe a government agency.

02:03When they would like to report anything, different NGOs are urging Taiwan governments, also the

02:13ship owners to continue to install Wi-Fi on board for fishers.

02:22Despite the daily frustrations they face in Taiwan, music has given these migrant workers

02:26a rare outlet, allowing them to come together and let their talents and dreams shine.

02:32Kama Sri and Tiffany Wong in Kaohsiung for Taiwan Plus.