Rutgers TASA

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s_22: Hello Everyone! I’m Justin, and today I want you all to learn more about a tribe I’m presenting - the people of Hla'alua! Also called the Saaroan people, this tribe was recognized by the Taiwanese government back in 2014. They live in Gaozhong Village, Taoyuan Village in Taoyuan District, and Maya Village in Namaxia District, Kaohsiung City.

With fewer than 10 native speakers and an ethnic population of 400 people, the Hla'alua Language is considered to be critically endangered. Even among native speakers of the language, Mandarin or Bunun is the primary language spoken in daily life.

The Hla’alua people are good at hunting and tanning and have developed leather crafts and leather products, with leather clothes and leather headgear as standard men’s clothing. Traditional men’s clothing includes shirts, headgear, and trousers made of goat or muntjac leather, while women braid their hair with traditional headscarves and wear the cock’s feather as headwear.
Farming is an important economic activity of the Hla’alua people. The Miatungusu (Holy Shell Ritual) is a major ritual held every two or three years after crop harvest (rice and millet). Worshiping the Takiarʉ (Shell, Shell God) is part of the ritual. It is said that it is a unique ritual of the Vilanganʉ Community. After Japanese colonization, only one takiarʉ was held in 1951. Although the ritual was restored in 1993, it has been changed. The ritual master must come from a family with ritual-hosting history. The ritual is hosted by the Chief himself or his family member.

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geronimo: Hey guys! It's Reuben and today I’ll be talking about the Tao Tribe! Also known as the Yami tribe, this indigenous group lives off the southeast coast of Taiwan, on the beautiful Orchid Island. This tribe is the most unique since their native language is not similar to any of the tribes on the island. Their language is a member of the Batanic languages, a group of languages spoken in locations south of Taiwan, such as the Ivatan of the Philippines. Fun fact: the word “tao” also means “people” in Tagalog, the main language of the Philippines. With these similarities, it was believed that the Tao tribe originated in the Batanes Archipelago and migrated to Orchid Island. However, a recent genetic study showed that they are actually genetically similar to the indigenous people of Taiwan. This suggests that though they did not originate elsewhere, there are clear signs of intermingling between the Tao tribe and the Batanes islands.

The Tao tribe is also the only indigenous group that has a heavy maritime culture. Their year is divided into three fishing seasons revolving around the flying fish. The rayon from February to May is when men catch the fish for ceremonies; teyteyka from June to October which marks the end of when flying fish is caught on the surface; and amyan from November to January, the period where they wait for the fish to return. Another crucial part of Tao culture is the construction of their fishing boats. They are covered in carved patterns and painted in traditional red, white and black paint. When the boat is completed, the owner hosts a large launching ceremony filled with many rituals, ending the event once it is deemed that the boat can stay afloat.

The reason why the Tao are so different from any other Taiwanese tribe is because of the history of Orchid Island. During Japan’s rule over Taiwan from 1895 to 1945, they kept the island off-limits to outsiders. This isolation kept the Tao tribe away from modernization and preserved the tribe’s culture.

THAT EVENT WAS AMAZING!! 😤👍 Thank you to everyone who attended our High-Speed Railroad event and learned more about Taiwan and its beauty! 🚄💨 If you want to check out more photos from the event, click on the link in our bio! 😉

Big shoutouts to our cultural chairs and for spearheading this event, you guys absolutely killed it and we’re so thankful for your hard work! 🤩🎉

Hope you all had a good time! See you guys soon! 🐶

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: Hiii, it’s Mia 🙂 I’m here to introduce you guys to one of the Taiwanese indigenous tribes, Paiwan. The Paiwan people are separated into two subgroups, Ravar and Vuculj, which have different lineages, customs, and ethnicities. The tribe speaks the Paiwan language and is located around the southern chain of the Central Mountain Range across Pingtung and Taitung. Today, the Paiwan tribe has a population of about 102,730 people, making them the second most populous tribe in Taiwan.

The clothing of the Paiwan people often symbolizes their social status. Special patterns like faces, figures, and hundred pace snakes are worn by the chief or nobles to signify their superiority. Commoners with honorable achievements are given the privilege to tattoo their bodies or hands.

Incorporating culture and legend, the art of Paiwan is very distinctive. Pottery, glass beads, and bronze knives are called the “Three Paiwan Treasures,” and they symbolize different things in the Paiwan culture. According to Paiwan folklore, Paiwan ancestors were born from pottery pots, making it a symbol of the origin. Based on the patterns on these pots, they can be male, female, or male-female. Glass beads symbolize gifts from the gods because, according to the legend, Paiwan ancestors made glass beads with the beautiful eyes of dragonflies. Lastly, the bronze knife is a symbol of authority and power.

Two of the Paiwan tribe’s most unique ceremonies are Masalut and Maleveq. The Masalut is an annual ceremony that celebrates the harvest of rice and millet. Maleveq, on the other hand, is celebrated by the Vuculj subgroup every five years to commemorate their ancestors or gods.