In central Taiwan, one all-women marching band is sending off the deceased with the hit songs of yesteryear. The Da Zhong Women's Band is part of a funeral tradition that dates back generations.
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00:00There's no sports victory, no grand opening.
00:08Today, like most days they work, the Dazhong women's band is playing a funeral.
00:30Brass, drums, miniskirts and twirling batons may seem out of place at a somber ceremony.
00:45But as joyful celebrations of life gain popularity at funerals in the West, Taiwan's spin on
00:51sending off the deceased is already a tradition.
00:55Band leader Xu Yazi married into it.
01:24The work has its demands.
01:26Band members are no strangers to the wee hours.
01:29Preparations sometimes beginning well before dawn.
01:46Despite the rigors of playing in a funeral marching band, band commander Huang Shiyu doesn't
01:52like to complain.
02:15With one of the lowest birth rates in the world, Taiwan is set to become a super-aged
02:21society in 2025, meaning more than 20% of the population will be aged 65 or older.
02:28Demand for flashy funerals may rise with the aging populace.
02:32Band leader Xu hopes young musicians will continue the tradition.
03:02If you happen to live to a ripe old age in central Taiwan, your next of kin may someday
03:11call upon the Dazhong women's band to march you away to a different beat.
03:20Dolphine Chen and Jonathan Kaplan for Taiwan Plus.