Both with about 500 members based in Central Mountain Range districts of Kaohsiung City, the Hla’alua and Kanakanavu were previously considered subdivisions of the Tsou people. After careful examination of discrepancies in customs and language, the two were recognized as separate.
“Taiwan is a multiethnic society, and the government is committed to upholding cultural diversity following the implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Status Act in 2001,” Jiang said.
“Hla’alua, Kanakanavu and Tsou have their own distinct traditions of history, language, music and ritual. We respect the subjectivity of each aboriginal group in Taiwan and its will to independent identification.”
Honoring different ethnicities with proper nomenclature and identification demonstrates the value the nation places on human rights, the premier added. The Cabinet will coordinate efforts by related agencies to assist the preservation of the tribes’ unique culture and languages.
Recognition is expected to provide the two tribes with a considerable boost in preserving their endangered way of life. (YHC-SDH)
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