Progressive policymaking is safeguarding the rights and promoting the culture of Taiwan’s Hakka people.
With the highest percentage of Hakka residents of any region in Taiwan, the northern county of Hsinchu is a bastion of the ethnic group’s architecture, culture and language. This is most evident in rural townships such as Guanxi, noted for its century-old courtyard houses, stone bridges and temples as well as the widespread use of the Hakka tongue.
The wealth of well-preserved tangible and intangible assets in these areas is the result of dedicated efforts by civic associations and government agencies at all levels. Helping spearhead community initiatives in Guanxi is native son Marty Luo (羅功奇). He chairs a local cultural organization that carries out promotional projects commissioned by the county government, the Cabinet-level Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) and the Ministry of Culture. His group also publishes a quarterly newsletter highlighting the town’s history and industries, and arranges dance and music performances, ecological tours, photo exhibitions and tour guide training classes. “Community engagement has given me a deeper appreciation of my birthplace and Hakka culture in general,” the 47-year-old said. “It’s enriched my life in so many ways.”
Established in 1886, Yimin Temple is a Hakka religious center in Toufen Township of northern Taiwan’s Miaoli County. (Photo by Chen Mei-ling)
Luo never imagined that he would end up dedicating so much of his time to spotlighting Guanxi. As a young man, he followed the majority of his contemporaries in leaving the town to pursue study and work opportunities. When he returned in 2003 to take over his family’s restaurant, he had renewed appreciation for the local environment and lifestyle. “Every day, I can enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful scenery of the mountains, rice paddies and streams,” he said. “It’s a sharp contrast to city life with its crowds, traffic, noise and stress.”
According to Luo, as one of the small number of his peers with the chance to move home given the limited employment options in Guanxi, he feels a sense of responsibility to help support the government’s economic and cultural revitalization programs. “The HAC is working hard to showcase Hakka heritage through providing funding for the arts and media and promoting language instruction in schools,” he said. “I believe that these efforts, combined with our community-level projects, will ensure the preservation of our way of life.”
An outdoor concert is staged in the Hakka community of Guanxi in northern Taiwan’s Hsinchu County. (Photo courtesy of Marty Luo)
Ethnic Empowerment
Taiwan is a melting pot of various ethnic groups, including Holo, Hakka, indigenous peoples and new immigrants from around the world. The Hakka are the second largest after the Holo, comprising 19.3 percent of the nation’s population of 23.5 million, HAC statistics show. Originating in China, they first settled in Taiwan some four centuries ago, and can also be found in locations across Southeast Asia. This long history of migration is reflected in their name, which translates literally as “guest people.”
In recent decades, the government has taken significant steps to safeguard Hakka rights and interests through establishing legal protections and promoting their arts, festivals and industries. These measures are primarily centered on fostering economic development in Hakka areas and revitalizing the language.
Chen Pang (陳板), a Hakka cultural scholar and community leader, said that this progressive approach is the result of a movement beginning in the 1980s aimed at boosting the visibility of the once-marginalized group. “For Hakka people, the 1988 Return Our Mother Tongue march was a landmark event that brought widespread attention to our cause,” he added.
Visitors tour a courtyard house in Guanxi. The town is noted for its traditional Hakka architecture and way of life. (Photo courtesy of Marty Luo)
Staged in Taipei City, the rally called for language classes in schools as well as Hakka radio and television programs. Attracting about 10,000 participants, the demonstration helped spur changes in policymaking. Restrictions on the use of the language in education and the media—enacted during the 38-year martial law period ending in 1987—were relaxed. Early cultural promotion policies were adopted over the subsequent decade as Taiwan embraced democracy and pluralism. Major milestones followed soon after, including the establishment of the Council for Hakka Affairs, now the HAC, in 2001, as well as the launch of publicly funded Hakka TV in 2003.
Chen pointed to the promulgation of the Hakka Basic Act in 2010 as the culmination of decadeslong efforts to safeguard the rights of the minority group. The legislation stipulates that cities, districts and townships in which Hakka residents account for one-third or more of the population should receive increased cultural preservation and economic development support. About 70 regions across Taiwan meet this requirement at present. “The act enshrines into law comprehensive protections for Hakka culture, identity, industries and language,” Chen said.
Language Preservation
According to HAC Minister Lee Yung-te (李永得), the issue of greatest concern is the decline in use of the Hakka language. “The Hakka people feel a collective anxiety about the loss of our mother tongue,” he said. “An ethnic group disappears when its language disappears.”
Co-produced by the Cabinet-level Hakka Affairs Council and Taipei National University of the Arts, the musical “Hope to Light” tells the story of three generations of Hakka women in southern Taiwan. (Photo courtesy of Hakka Affairs Council)
To meet this challenge, the government amended the Hakka Basic Act last year to establish Hakka as a national language, require government offices in Hakka areas to offer services in the language, and outline support measures for classes in schools. “These changes deliver practical benefits to learning Hakka by creating jobs for fluent speakers at state and educational institutions,” Lee said.
Language promotion aside, the HAC implements numerous programs to highlight Hakka culture. These include the 12 Hakka Festivals, an annual campaign spotlighting folk activities nationwide, ranging from the Marine Hakka Culture Festival in northern Taiwan’s Taoyuan City to the Hakka Wedding and Banquet event in the southern metropolis of Kaohsiung. The project is targeted at bolstering local tourism and enhancing public understanding and appreciation of Hakka traditions.
The HAC also oversees the popular Hakka Tung Blossom Festival. Launched in 2002, it has grown from a one-day to monthlong celebration centered on the white tung flowers, a prominent symbol of Hakka culture. Held when they bloom between mid-April and late May, the event draws millions of visitors to Hakka communities and features activities ranging from live music and performances to walking tours.
Cyclists from home and abroad compete along Taiwan Romantic Route 3 during the third stage of the Tour de Taiwan, the nation’s premier professional cycling event, March 19. (Photo courtesy of Chinese Taipei Cycling Association)
Route Forward
At the forefront of the government’s cultural and economic revitalization initiatives is Taiwan Romantic Route 3. This flagship development project aims to turn a 150-kilometer stretch of Provincial Highway No. 3 into a tourism region by emphasizing the ecology, lifestyle and industries of 16 Hakka districts and townships across four cities and counties in northern and central Taiwan.
Lee said that the program is targeted at breathing new life into rural towns. “Through upgrading their cultural landscapes, local economies, and living and scenic environments, we want to attract tourists as well as encourage young people to return home and spearhead community rejuvenation.”
To promote the project overseas, the HAC co-produced the TV series “Hakka Renaissance: Taiwan Romantic Route 3.” Comprising three episodes, “Ancestral Treasures,” “Food Adventure in Hakka Communities” and “Hakka Lifestyle,” the show premiered Nov. 4 on National Geographic and aired in about 40 countries and territories across East and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Oceania.
Tuniu Hakka Cultural Hall in Shigang District of central Taiwan’s Taichung City is an exemplar of the ethnic group’s architecture. The site houses an exhibition on Hakka history, culture and religious beliefs. (Photo courtesy of Hakka Affairs Council)
For its publicity campaign, the HAC also collaborated with the nation’s cycling association and three local governments to stage a leg of this year’s Tour de Taiwan, part of the Union Cycliste Internationale Asia Tour, along the travel route. Nearly 120 competitors from 30 countries and territories participated in the event, which was livestreamed in 20 languages.
The strength of the government’s commitment to enhancing international awareness of Hakka culture was on full display in Brussels March 7 last year when the iconic Manneken Pis statue was decked out in Hakka attire. Students from Neipu Elementary School in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County traveled to Belgium’s capital for the occasion, where they delighted crowds by performing songs and dances beside the artwork while sporting Hakka clothing and oil paper umbrellas.
According to Lee, such efforts deepen recognition of the nation’s diverse and inclusive society. “With their unique customs and traditions, the Hakka are an indispensable part of the country’s rich cultural tapestry,” he said. “It’s gratifying to know that more and more Hakka people in Taiwan are identifying with their ethnic background and taking action to preserve their heritage.”
Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw