Umass Zingrur of the Paiwan tribe, famed for its bead art and skill in stone- and woodcarving, is known among his fellow tribesmen as “the father of glass beads” for his efforts in rediscovering the techniques of bead-making.
Born in 1946 to a family of artisans in Sandimen Township in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County, Umass Zingrur developed a passion for woodcarving at a young age. A trip to Taipei in 1972 to visit antique shop owner and collector of aboriginal artifacts Chang Mu-yang, however, changed the direction of his life.
“I originally planned to create a series of Paiwan knife-related products and wanted Chang to be my agent in Taipei,” Umass Zingrur said. “But I decided to explore the world of glass beads after he showed me a display of bead ornaments of all colors and told me that of the three Paiwan treasures—bronze knives, ceramic pots and glass beads—the last is most valuable, has the deepest cultural meanings and could most readily be developed.”
According to Umass Zingrur, the beads demonstrate a family’s wealth and status. Despite this important social role, little is known about their origins. Legend has it that they “were gifts from God to the ancestors and were passed down for generations.” Not even the tribal elders Umass Zingrur called on could tell him what exactly the beads were made of or how were they produced.
“So at first, I secretly examined the beads my mother treasured. Since they were not transparent, I thought they were ceramic and began making my own pottery beads.”
The glaze on his beads, however, did not resemble that on traditional beads, he recounted. Having heard that Hsinchu was famous for its glass production, he next went to the now defunct Hsinchu Glass Co. to see if anyone could tell him about techniques for producing glass beads.
“The technicians knew nothing about the requisite skills, but they introduced me to local factories that manufacture glass animal figurines,” Umass Zingrur said. “It was at these industrial units that I learned for the first time that glass can come in different colors. Instantly, I knew it was the material I had been looking for.”
Having found the correct material, he set about obtaining the equipment he would need. As there was no one he could ask, he accumulated knowledge of how to make the beads bit by bit through trial and error, eventually figuring out the best size torch to use, the proper fire intensity and procedures for removing wires from cooled beads.
After five years of hard work, including field trips to research bead patterns and stories, Umass Zingrur finally succeeded in making glass beads in the traditional style. He began marketing his products in 1976, boosting employment opportunities for fellow tribesmen in Sandimen.
“Some people began opening glass bead studios, while others incorporated the beads into their weaving, and even choreographed the tale of the beads into their dances,” he said. “Still others, like my two sons, began to base their art projects on the stories.”
For his efforts, Umass Zingrur was honored as one of the ROC’s 10 outstanding youths in 1984. He became the first aboriginal to be presented the Global Chinese Culture and Arts Award by the ROC Senior Jaycees Club in 2008.
The beads have more than 30 patterns, the artist said, each with a unique meaning and background. “The Paiwan do not employ writing, so each design represents one aspect of our view of aesthetics, ethics, life and the universe.”
Warrior beads, or “mananigai,” are the most commonly seen. “Chieftains present this type of bead as a show of gratitude to those who make special contributions in hunting or war,” Umass Zingrur said. The hundred-pacer snake, which is believed to be a tribal guardian, provides the pattern for warrior beads, he added.
“Puka,” or agility beads, take their pattern from the swallowtail butterfly. “This species is very speedy and nimble,” he said, explaining that “puka are usually awarded to people who are zealous and arrive first at the scene of an emergency.”
Nobility beads, “mulimulitan,” are an indispensable part of the dowry for aristocratic weddings, Umass Zingrur said. According to legend, their pattern comes from the rainbow created when sunlight seeps through the windows of a Paiwan slate house and hits the steam from the morning meal. The rainbow indicates greetings between heaven and earth and the continuation of life.
“Luse-na-adau,” or sun beads, represent promises between people. The Paiwan believe that long ago a chieftain living deep in the mountains was very troubled by the difficulty of communicating with the outside world.
“Sometimes tribal couriers could not be found to deliver messages because they were out hunting or visiting friends in other villages,” Umass Zingrur explained.
“One day, an immortal representing the sun appeared before the chief, and they agreed that if something happened to the chief, a halo would appear around the sun. Whenever tribesmen saw the solar halo, they would know something had occurred and they should return to the village as soon as possible. Messengers were no longer needed.”
Although the glass beads and ornaments have gained popularity in recent times and helped improve Paiwan livelihoods, especially since the emergence of Taiwan’s cultural and creative industry in the 1990s, problems still remain with marketing, according to Umass Zingrur.
“In the past, we indigenous people traded for goods instead of purchasing them,” he said. “We didn’t have any business thinking.”
Although there are many websites selling glass bead products, most of them lack efficient management, he continued. But his research showed that Internet marketing is the best method as it is not limited by space and information can be updated at any time.
“Therefore, I have invested NT$80,000 (US$2,712) in recruiting a professional team of five, who know languages such as English, Japanese and Taiwanese, to assist in setting up and managing a website with images and videos, keeping visitors abreast of our latest creations.
“The website will sell products made by my fellow tribesmen with no charge to them,” he said, stressing that this is the only way to help those lacking marketing knowledge promote their works.
The site, called “Golden Mouse,” will be online after the Lunar New Year. Umass Zingrur hopes that, as the name implies, his people will be able to make a fortune as netizens discover the wonders of Paiwan glass beads. (THN)
Write to Grace Kuo at mlkuo@mofa.gov.tw