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 ...
The following story about the origins of the art of weaving is told among the Saisiat:
A long time ago, a group of Saisiats had gone into the mountains to go hunting. As they were climbing, a dragon woman, in full ceremonial dress complete with a fine headdress, rose from the depths of the sea to secretly prepare meals for them. As she was cooking, she was discovered by a member of the Saisiat group, to whom she explained that she had come at her father’s behest. Now there was a young man among that group of Saisiats, and the elders decided that they wanted him and the dragon woman to become a couple. So they married, and not long afterwards the dragon woman took her husband and close relatives, ten people in all, back to her parents’ place deep in the ocean for the obligatory visit to the in-laws. When the Saisiat saw all the multitude of things in the bride’s home, they were deeply impressed. Even the walls were adorned with dazzlingly beautiful woven carpets and embroideries. After returning to their homes in the mountains, they asked the dragon woman to teach the art of weaving to the tribe’s womenfolk, which she agreed to without hesitation. From then on, more and more of the Saisiat acquired the skill of weaving. Before long, the dragon woman had taught a whole generation of weavers, who in turn passed on their knowledge to a second generation. But as the dragon woman soon discovered, her first-generation students didn’t teach all their knowledge and skills to the next generation, and she therefore took it upon herself to instruct the junior students. She also held a weaving contest, and quite unexpectedly the junior students beat the first generation of weavers. The senior students were not happy about this outcome, and started to spread rumors and lies about the dragon woman. Things turned nasty, and fed up with the constant bickering and gossip, the dragon woman thought, “Since these ungrateful people do not welcome me anymore, I might as well go back to my mother’s place.” And so she did, leaving the Saisiat with the parting words, “After I’m gone, you will never be able to learn anything more again, even if you want to!”