December 8, 2024

From Mountains to the Sea, Discovering the Ocean in the Highlands — We are the Bunun People by the Shore

A Rare Gem Among Indigenous Maritime PeoplesIn the heart of the island, among the peaks of Danda Mountain, once roamed a group of hunters, dark as shadows, navigating the rugged terrain with agility. These robust and stout figures excelled in the dense underbrush and possessed powerful legs, well-suited for scaling lofty ridges. Driven by the […]

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Such a Vast Expanse of Water!” — From Mountain Trails to Coastal Paths: The Journey of the Coastal Bunun Tribe with Tama Tiang on the Ancient Trails

I once heard a friend say that his three-year-old child had only ever encountered water in their home’s bathtub. One day, when his parents took him to the seaside, the child, bewildered before the vast ocean, exclaimed, “Such a huge, huge water!” For Tama* Tiang (Yang Cong-Yi), who lived in the mountains of Ren’ai Township,

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The Daily Lives and Constants of the Tribe: Health Inequalities from Past to Present

The Shan people have remained in Africa since the dawn of humanity. Over decades, anthropologists studying their culture discovered that the Shan regard sunlight as a symbol of death, while fire represents life, unity among their people, and the survival of their families. Elderly individuals, too frail to continue living with the community, are left

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Visiting the Elder Tian Lin-Zhen in Mayuan — The Old Hunter’s Bamboo Shoots — A Nostalgic Bond from Mayuan

This is the first stop of the field survey of the Coastal Bunun from the high mountain tribe—the Mayuan Tribe in Wanrong Township, Hualien County. The pioneer, Ma Dashan, is the grandfather of Xiaoma (Tiang, Director of the GaoShan Forest Tribal Ranch) from theGaoshan tribe. Due to his adventurous spirit, this group of Danshe community

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God Brought Us Together: Wang Mingyuan of the Fuxing Tribe

“This is God’s arrangement, bringing together various ethnic groups to live harmoniously.” – Wang Mingyuan Although we were conducting a field study of the Coastal Bunun tribe, we visited the Fuxing tribe of the Amis people to interview 85-year-old Wang Mingyuan, an authentic Bancha. Before this, besides Xiao Ma’s mother, most people who had interacted with Grandpa Ma Dashan or Grandma Tian Zhen-Nu in their adulthood and could still

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A Name in Migration: From Ani Savi Mangdavan to Lin Ruimei

In the 41st year of the Republic, Taiwan was navigating the post-Japanese defeat era, under new rule by the Nationalist Government. This period was marked by a collision of values and chaos for all island inhabitants. Ani Savi Mangdavan (hereafter Ani), a Bunun woman born during this tumultuous time, faced myriad challenges: loss of traditional

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Because of Loneliness, We Support Each Other—Veterans and the Bunun of the Gaoshan Tribe

“The Loneliest Veteran and the Loneliest Bunun…” This poignant remark from Xiao Ma perfectly encapsulates the complex relationship between these two distinct groups. The story begins after Japan’s defeat, when the Nationalist Government took over Taiwan. To provide jobs for demobilized soldiers through agricultural land reclamation, the government established the “Taiwan Provincial Farm.” The arrival

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