Taiwan Indigenous News
Friday, 20 February 2009
TB Treatment Delays In Taiwan
It should also be noted that the mortality rate and incidence of TB are much greater in aboriginal communities in Taiwan than in non-aboriginal areas. ...
Taiwan's indigenous population up 2.05 percent
MOI officials said the increase was about six times that of the 0.34 percent rate of growth of Taiwan's overall population. Taiwan's indigenous people were ...
Not the same old song and dance
He aims to present a more authentic picture of Aboriginal performing arts and culture. “I want our customers to see the performances in their most original ...
President pushes to boost tourism in Taiwan's indigenous areas
8 (CNA) Concerned over the development of tourism in Taiwan's indigenous areas, President Ma Ying-jeou asked government agencies Sunday to work with travel ...
Paiwan society is organized around the relationship between aristocratic rulers and tenant farmers in their service. An important position within the hierarchy is granted to the shamans or medicine men who are in charge of ceremonies and rites. The Paiwan believe that the earth they live on and the structure of tribal organization have to be carefully maintained and protected through an intricate system of rituals. The ritual knowledge possessed and passed on by the shamans comprises virtually all facets of human thought and experience: cosmological views, historical accounts, and explanations of human life and values are all developed to a relatively high degree. And out of these are born many arts and handicrafts, such as carving, embroidery, clothes-making and oral traditions. The latter include prayers, myths, legends, songs and ballads, which in their own subtle way reflect the Paiwans’ notions about the meaning of the universe, history and human life. Since the shamans are the true keepers of all these traditions, it is no exaggeration to say that they are both the “priests” and “intellectuals” of Paiwan society.
The tribe’s nobles are more than just the political leaders. They are also models in matters of style and artistic taste, and this means that spiritual maturity and personal charisma are also important factors in this rather rigid system of hereditary power.
The Maleveq (“Five-Year Worship”) is a very important ritual for the Paiwan. Every household must worship the ancestors and gods and pray for their blessings. The men will ram bamboo poles into the ground in the front yard. The women will make rice cakes which are offered to the ancestors, also in the front yard. These are ritual acts designed to win the benevolence of the ancestors and implore them to grant good luck and prosperity to the tribe.
The following activities are part of the Maleveq:
Maleveq celebrates the alliance between man and the gods and spirits. But to prevent evil spirits from entering the ceremonial site, the female shamans will chant incantations on all the roads leading in and out of the village. In addition, small tents are erected as resting places for the evil spirits in the hope of keeping them away. The Paiwan worship the Sun God, and the ceremonial rules require that all the higher classes participate in the ritual. The chief and the nobles, the male and female shamans and the officiating priest all gather in front of the altar, facing in the direction of Mount Tawu, and call out to the spirits to come and join them in the celebration. Afterwards, everybody returns home to worship their clan’s ancestors.
In the Kunaljau community, the tribespeople will dance around the altar in a large circle, singing for the ancestors’ spirits at the same time. Another activity that is part of the “entertaining the spirits” ritual is a special dance. The dancers assume a single file formation and move along in a vivid imitation of the slow, squirming crawl of a hundred-pace snake. As all participants become completely immersed in the motion of the dance, they are showered with the blessings of the gods.
On the day following the Maleveq, the female shaman performs a rite to see off the evil spirits. Every family prepares offerings which are brought to the altar entrance. The shaman keeps reciting incantations that tell the ancestors’ spirits to carefully leave along the signposted route, where only the good spirits linger. The village’s strong young men bring special offerings to placate the evil spirits. Along the road, they yell and shout to send the demons off, away from the village. Then they all return together to the altar, where the female shaman will cleanse their bodies with burning bundles of kindling.
The fact that it is only held once every five years lends additional importance to the Maleveq. Another indicator of the solemnity of the occasion is that the chief’s entire clan is obliged to participate throughout all the ceremonies. One of the ceremonies is the “spearing of the bliss balls”, a particular highlight of the festivities. All the aristocrat families send their bravest warriors to climb the bliss ball scaffold. In their hands they hold 30m long bamboo poles that represent their respective clans. Then the officiating shaman throws the rattan-made bliss balls high up into the air, and every young warrior, acting for his entire clan, tries his utmost to spear them with his long pole.
But only very few of them are lucky enough to succeed, and this is always seen as a sign of a particular blessing from the gods. As soon as the spearing of the bliss balls is over, the participants cut down the poles and run as fast as they can to the chief’s house. The first to arrive there is treated as a hero. This ancient ritual competition between the tribe’s young men is also a reminder that victory comes to the swift-footed.
It is said that the “spearing of the bliss balls” is one of the ways in which the Paiwan aristocracy trains its young warriors. Originally, then, the making of balls from tree bark or rattan was purely done to allow young men to practice their stabbing and piercing skills with a spear. When the Maleveq celebrations are over, all the bamboo poles and rattan balls are collected and destroyed.
After the evil spirits have been sent off, the next three or four days are devoted to boisterous nightlong celebrations. The elders of the tribe will chant ancient ceremonial songs about the joy of being connected to one’s ancestors, and the happiness of parents living together with their obedient children. The singing only stops after five days, when all the benevolent gods and ancestors have been seen off.