Taiwan Indigenous News
Tuesday, 25 October 2005
Female head of the national park system seeks to improve parks
... She said she could sense the wisdom of the mountain forests as passed down throughout the ages by Taiwan's indigenous peoples. The ...
Hsieh reveals moves to help indigenous students
... crystal display television to the students at an elementary school in Taitung County and announced more measures to help Taiwan's indigenous children secure ...
Tribe wants official recognition
... "Taiwan's indigenous tribes are all unique minorities in this country, but we are all the original residents of the island. Every ...
Among Puyuma Men, the chiefs and shamans wear the most elaborate attire. Their ceremonial dress includes feathered headdresses as well as embroidered shoulder bands and headbands. By contrast, the average tribesperson’s ordinary outfit consists of a black skirt, a shirt made from coarse cloth and a simple head kerchief—much simpler, yet elegant and dignified.
Generally speaking, the garments of youths and unmarried young men are more colorful and conspicuous than those of older married men. Not only are their clothes more richly embroidered, but the youngsters may also carry decorative knives and wear silver stomachers and antique bead necklaces.
The following is an overview of the most important items of young men’s attire:
After reaching manhood, Puyuma men wear some additional adornments and finery, including a pair of knives that are embellished with elaborate carvings. Of course these knives are not just part of the formal attire, but also serve as weapons for self-defense. Also, when two males swear brotherhood, they will seal their friendship by presenting each other with a pair of beautiful knives.
The traditional female dress consists of a head kerchief, a top with narrow sleeves, a long skirt with embroidered hems and leggings that reach up to the knees. The top is usually kept in black and white, but some variety is added with an intricately embroidered bib (which is very similar to Han Chinese bibs in cut and style). The long skirt is also adorned with colorful designs.
The dress of Puyuma female shamans features a special red band or sash of interwoven fabric that is worn obliquely over the right shoulder and is adorned with colored tassels at one end. The accoutrements of adolescent girls include head garlands, necklaces and long waist girdles.
Among the female members of the tribe, the most attractive garments are worn by young women eligible for marriage. Today, this is even truer than in the past, since an even wider choice of exquisite materials, designs and colors is now available.
A complete set of garments and adornments for an unmarried girl would include, in addition to the basic outfit described above, extremely colorful silk ribbons that are flung over the right shoulder and swing rhythmically through the air when the girls dance—a sight of extraordinary beauty. The Puyuma call these shoulder ribbons “Logolokapan”. They may only be worn by unmarried women, and their dazzling splendor reflects the Puyumas’ notion that a girl of seventeen or eighteen is like a blossoming flower, a being at the very zenith of her loveliness. Indeed, there are few sights that can rival the charm of a young Puyuma woman in her full attire—silk ribbons, head garland, necklaces, bib, skirt, leggings and all.