FRI, AUG 17, 8 PM
Flushing Town Hall
On Friday, August 17, Chalaw Basiwali, a Native Taiwanese singer/songwriter, and Kilema, a Malagasy roots music master, will come together on stage at Flushing Town Hall to share their indigenous Austronesian music.
Born and raised in traditional Amis rural territories, Chalaw moved to Taipei to find work. After years of unstable living in the city, he returned home to a small fisherman’s village where he was raised. It’s also where he first started to play music, heavily influenced by his brother. The band he formed includes a Madagascan musician Kilema, who is a Malkasi aboriginal musician.
Together, Chalaw and Kilema perform as Basiwali and explore the commonalities between Taiwanese and Madagascan aboriginal music. Aboriginal people are found from Australia to Hawaii, and their many cultures are connected. Despite the great distance between their islands, the Malkasi tribe in Madagascar and the Amis tribe in Taiwan are both Austronesian tribes, and Pangcah (Amis) language along with Malagasy share a lot of similar vocabularies. Some words are even identical. Basiwali’s music is a unique fusion of cultures that are deeply related.
They’ve performed all over the world, including Asia, Africa and Europe. Chalaw is a humble fisherman who listens to the interactions of the land, sea and people. He uses music to record and preserve the disappearing memories of his people. Basiwali’s music is of the natural world, made with a clean acoustic guitar sound, enthusiastic drumming, and vocals that move audiences of all backgrounds.
You can see Chalaw Basiwali perform here.
Tickets for the performance are $16/$10 members. You can access details and purchase tickets at www.flushingtownhall.org or by calling (718) 463-7700 x222.
This season, Flushing Town Hall is opening its doors to teenagers–for free. Under the “Teen Access Program,” all 13- to 19-year-old boys and girls (whether a member or not) will be welcomed to attend any performance for free. The program is designed to appeal to students and help foster a greater love in the arts and culture.
Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot–located a short distance from the 7 train–at 137-35 Northern Blvd. in Flushing, Queens. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available.
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Chalaw Basiwali
FRI, AUG 17, 8 PM
$16/$10 Members & Students
A collaboration between Chalaw Basiwali, a Native Taiwanese singer/songwriter, and Kilema, a Malagasy roots music master. The two musicians share their indigenous Austronesian roots, and the collaboration is a fusion of folk music with Bossa Nova rhythms. The clean sound of the acoustic guitar and driving percussion traverse an emotional spectrum from intense, deep expression and light-hearted joy.