This study aims to examine the influence of school music education on Tsou non-ritual songs and dances, illustrating teachers’ roles and perspectives in cultural transmission and curriculum practice. Tsou is a minority ethnic group in Taiwan. Many scholarly studies examined their abundant ritual songs (e.g., Chien 1989). This study focuses on daily non-ritual songs and dances. Indigenous cultures have been included in the regular curriculum since the 1990s. Along with mainstream education, their culture may undergo transformation, simplification, or even reinterpretation in the teaching process.Previous studies (Wu 2008, Ming and Wu 2009, etc.) facilitated quantified study, while this study adopts a qualitative case study approach. To be more specific, this study focuses on two music teachers, one Tsou cultural teacher and the other a non-Tsou music teacher. Research data were collected through semi-structured interviews, curriculum document analysis, and researcher observation. Thematic analysis was employed to categorize and interpret findings from cultural significance, curriculum practice, and teaching challenges.The results reveal three key findings. First, the Tsou cultural teacher emphasized cultural authenticity and community connections. Students’ ethnic identity will be enhanced through cultural practices like songs and dances. Second, the non-Tsou music teacher tended to treat these indigenous forms primarily as musical learning materials, mostly emphasizing rhythm and melody. Cultural context is rarely included. Third, both teachers highlighted institutionalized curriculum structures and limited teaching time as barriers to fully presenting Tsou non-ritual songs and dances in schools, often necessitating a balance between cultural preservation and educational appropriateness.In sum, this study suggests that while school music education provides a venue for the performance and learning of Tsou non-ritual songs and dances, it may also lead to cultural transformation. It is recommended that future curriculum development encourage collaboration between Indigenous cultural teachers and general music teachers to balance cultural depth with pedagogical needs, thereby offering insights for the ongoing development of Indigenous music education.