Songs of Distant Tribes by Piotr Plebaniak

You are about to receive a powerful dose of antidepressant medicine.

Seriously! Catching a smile is a proven, non-pharmaceutical way to clear your heart and soul of any bad mood or depression—whether temporary or chronic.

The human face is a phenomenally complex tool for spreading emotions. This magic of human nature will make it impossible for you to keep from smiling yourself.

And annual festivals are days to take a breather from everyday worries, connect with friends, and find dozens of reasons to smile.

This collection of portraits of Taiwanese Indigenous peoples is the result of hundreds of trips to tribes scattered all across Taiwan. That’s eight years, three motorcycles, and four camera setups. It’s well over 180,000 miles driven along winding mountain roads, along the Pacific coast at sunrise, and through the rice fields of the Rift Valley.

It means hundreds of conversations with elders, playful banter with children, and working side-by-side in fields and forests—planting and harvesting cabbage, or picking coffee and tea. The stunning, natural smiles, bursts of joy, and moments of reflection you are about to see are the result of truly embedding myself among these beautiful people living in every corner of Taiwan.

The shots that will stick with you are so rare that I would often come back from an entire day of chasing after people with no more than two or three photos. Yet there were times when, using a camera shooting 10 frames per second, I’d rack up as many as 19,000 shots in a single day.

If you’d like to buy a copy for yourself or a loved one, or support my work, please visit my homepage at plebaniak.com

Recognition and Support

My photos showcasing the beauty of Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples, along with my vision for this photo book, have resonated with many. Among those who have stepped up to support the project are three particularly prominent figures.

In September 2025, former Polish Prime Minister Hanna Suchocka joined our cause. Back in December, I was also honored to receive the backing of former Polish President Aleksander Kwaśniewski. Widely regarded as one of the most influential political leaders in modern Polish history, he served as the nation's president from 1995 to 2005.

I received equally extraordinary support from Professor Jerzy Bralczyk, arguably the most respected and beloved figure in Polish cultural life. A renowned expert in linguistics and communication, his masterful insight into human nature is something you’ll get to appreciate firsthand when you read the foreword he wrote for this book. In it, Professor Bralczyk shares fascinating insights into the world of nonverbal communication.

About the Author

I have lived in Taiwan since 2004, studying both Han Chinese and local Indigenous cultures. I write books about war, civilization, and the fascinatingly unique ways people from different cultures and environments think. Along the way, I’ve explored over 40 countries, often on a motorcycle. My ultimate road trip across the US and Canada in 2013 covered 16,000 miles in just six weeks—all on a 26-year-old Honda Rebel 250cc.

Why Did I Become a Photographer?

Remember what we said about catching positive energy and admiring the beauty of the human face? If that resonates with you—and especially if you lean toward Taoism—you’ll recognize that just as "hardness is hidden within softness" (Chinese: 剛中柔外), a profound strength is hidden within this beauty. This idea truly crystallized for me while I was translating The Thirty-Six Stratagems, a text where this exact phrase appears in the context of influencing the world.

My original intention went far deeper than simply showing the world the beauty of Taiwan’s people. This book of stunning portraits is my way of giving back to the people of this island for making it my second home. I am putting a powerful shield forged from positive energy right into their hands!

I wanted this book to be a tool for anyone who loves or cares about this island at the edge of the world. Should the time ever come when the people of Taiwan need to ask the world for support, they can share these gorgeous, laughing faces with international politicians, artists, and journalists. It is meant to be a catalyst and an inspiration for action.

With only a few symbolic exceptions, I have entirely self-funded this massive undertaking. Under normal circumstances, traditional publishers would never be willing to offset even a fraction of what I have sacrificed to bring this to life.

Piotr Plebaniak, June 2026