For Lab Kill Lab’s Phytopia Station, Dondon Hounwn led a team of artists - Ibau, Shan Shan Chen, Aka Chang and Tzuan Wu to the Dowmung forest. Forest wandering, they seeked using different tools, media, and languages (culture and body) to present the Hagay legend. Hoping to encounter Hagay, a legend passed down in the tribe, they consider a refreshed interpretation, expanding it into an epic forest tale. Dondon Hounwn raised his hands, praying, “Return to the place closest to our home, beloved spirit of our roots / the upper realm / spirit of our ancestors! Please guide us back to that beautiful land. The smoke from burning straw is the path and connection for all spirits descending to the mortal realm. Light the tobacco as a sacred offering and a force to purify the space. Tie together the Miscanthus to ward off unclean spirits. Offer betel nuts to the spirits of our ancestors. Wear the brocade of pearls and fruits, dance! The sound will dispel calamities; the body in the posture of farming and hunting, connecting the earth between the mountains and the spirit world. Give us guidance to the ancient path, to the realm of Hagay tales.”

After returning from the mountain, Dondon Hounwn and the team co-presented an imaginative and meaningful HAGAY legend. This launch of HAGAY DREAMING performance was staged on December 20, 2020 at C-LAB’s Library building and Future Vision Lab.

LAB KILL LAB (2020) is conceived and planned by Shu Lea Cheang. Working with the concept of lab, 7 days of work camps and 5 thematic work stations - (1) PHYTOPIA (2) WATERIA (3) FORKING PIRAGENE (4) RICE ACADEMY RICE BUG REVOLT (5) TECHNOIA, LAB KILL LAB brings together artists and local activists, cultural workers, science and agricultural bio labs to explore together and work in collaboration.