The Amis are a matrilineal society, meaning that lineage, property, and household identity pass through the female line. Their social organisation is strikingly egalitarian compared with many other indigenous groups. The Harvest Festival (Ilisin), held in July and August in different Amis communities, is their most important ceremony, involving elaborate song and dance traditions that are among the most beautiful in Taiwan. It was recordings of Amis vocal music — specifically, a polyphonic chant by the singer Difang Duana and his wife Igay — that were famously (and controversially, without initial consent) sampled in Enigma’s 1994 recording “Return to Innocence”. The incident became a watershed moment for discussions of indigenous intellectual property rights.

Amis music, food, and culture are most accessible in and around Hualien on the east coast. The Amis Folk Centre in Hualien City offers cultural performances, though travellers who make the effort to attend community-organised events rather than tourist performances will find the experience considerably more authentic.