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| Story: Kao Chin Su Mei |
Washing away vanity
She used to be a singer and actress, winning international acclaim in the film The Wedding Banquet (喜宴), in which she portrayed a tough woman from China who tried marrying a gay Taiwanese man in Manhattan to get a green card. Now she is the female Atayal warrior, wearing the tradition sleeveless garments of her people, questioning Premier with a stern face and powerful voice.
She is legislator May Chin (Kao Chin Su Mei, 高金素梅), Atayal name Giwas Ali. In all the various public roles she's played, Chin always leaves an impression.
"In that past, I never had a strong awareness of my Atayal identity. Not many people knew of my aboriginal background," Chin recalled. According to Chin, her aboriginal awareness began the moment before her mother passed away.
"My mom said to me 'take me to my hometown' before she closed her eyes. I was shocked and had goosebumps all over my body. I'd never thought to ask where I came from, where my home was. At that time, 'home' was a very vague idea," she said. [more...]
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| Aborigine Arts: Clothing |
Atayal Tribe Traditional Atayal clothing was mostly made of hemp cloth The women commonly wore sleeveless robes over their homespun hemp garments. One type of robe was as long as an overcoat and extended down to the knees, while another extended to the abdomen. These robes were made from two pieces of cloth sewed together, one piece becoming the back and the other becoming the front. Two belts with buttons were fastened to the breast. Their finery consisted of a piece of white cloth decorated on the front and the back with geometric patterns. [more...]
Bunun Tribe
The Bunun women wrapped a red or black kerchief around their heads, and wore a long garment with narrow sleeves and a long skirt. Wavy hems were sewn onto the shoulders and sleeves. On the lower part of their body the women wore aprons and pants extending down to their knees. [more...] |
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| Taiwan's Aborigines |
There are two main ethnic groups in Taiwan - indigenous people (Aborigines) and later immigrants. The great majority of the immigrants are ethnic Han (the majority ethnicity of China). Han people began to migrate to Taiwan in large numbers around the middle of the 17th Century. According to archaeological and anthropological research, Taiwan's Aborigines have been living on the island for thousands of years.
In Taiwan, "Aborigines" is an umbrella term that includes "highland" tribes, namely the Atayal, Bunun, Tsou, Rukai, Paiwan, Yami, Saisiyat, Amis, Puyuma, and Thao, and "lowland" tribes including the Kavalan , Sakizaya, Ketagalan, Taokas, Siraya, Pazeh etc. The first thirteen tribes in the list are recognized by the present-day Taiwanese authorities.
Taiwan's aboriginal people now number around 460,000, accounting for 2% of Taiwan's total population.
- 13 Aboriginal tribes
- The past
- The present
- The future
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