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 ...
Although the myths and legends of the Tsou come in a wide variety of versions, the basic spirit and ideas are always the same.
Origin Myth No. 1: Born of a Tree
Long ago, in the mists of time, the Great God Hamo came down to Earth. With his godly strength, he shook a large tree so that the leaves came drifting down. As they hit the ground, they turned into people: the ancestors of the Tsou and the Maya tribes. Then the Great God Hamo shook the tree again, and again the leaves turned into people as they reached the ground: these were the ancestors of the Han Chinese.
Origin Myth No. 2: Created by the God Nivenu
Long ago, in the mists of time, the God Nivenu descended upon the summit of Mount Jade, where he set to work making the first people on Earth. These were the earliest ancestors of the Tsou.
Origin Myth No. 3: Grown of Seeds from Heaven
Long ago, in the mists of time, the Great God Hamo descended upon Tfuya, where he sowed “people seeds”. When the first shoots started to break through the soil, they became the forebears of today’s human beings. That’s why one of the Tsous’ words for “people” is “Tsumufeidodjoya”, which means “grown out of the earth”. The myth further tells that the Great God Hamo planted these seeds only once. From then on, the people who had grown out of the soil mated with each other and had numerous offspring, prospering to this day.
Origin Myth No. 4: Figures of Straw
Long ago, in the mists of time, one of the Gods came down to the grassy plains and settled down to live there. One day, he made two figures out of straw, and they turned into two living people, a man and a woman. The two were the first ancestors of the Tsou, and they had many children who founded all the Tsou settlements.
Origin Myth No. 5:
Long ago, in the mists of time, there was the Goddess Uimunu, the most capable and gifted of all the Gods. Out of clay, she formed a man and a woman, and breathed life into them. She told them, “Now go and live good lives, and have many children and grandchildren.” The man and the woman were the first forebears of the Tsou.
In times of old, a giant eel was wreaking havoc in the river flowing by the Tapangu settlement. Its body was so gigantic that it completely blocked the river’s flow and created a terrible flood that inundated all the surrounding lands. The people had no other choice but to flee up Mount Jade. But then a giant crab appeared and seized the eel with its huge pincers. Trying to escape the crab’s grip, the eel squirmed and thrashed wildly. Its mouth went wide open in the effort, and it swallowed all the floodwaters. So the land reemerged, and the people returned to their normal lives.