Taiwan Today

Pingtung County in southern Taiwan is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty and cultural attractions.

Nestled in the mountains of southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County are the picturesque townships of Sandimen and Wutai. Populated largely by members of the indigenous Paiwan and Rukai tribes, the communities are popular destinations for visitors from home and abroad on the strength of a thriving arts and crafts scene and distinctive aboriginal heritage.

One cultural and creative establishment regularly filled to the rafters with tourists is Dragonfly Beads Arts Studio in Sandimen Township. Established 35 years ago by Taruzaljum Remereman, a 62-year-old Paiwan and former teacher, the business shot to fame in 2008 following the release of Taiwan-made romantic drama “Cape No. 7.” The local box office heavyweight champion featured products created by Dragonfly’s full-time artisans, who number around 10 today.

“Bronze knives, ceramic pots and glass beads are considered the three treasures of Paiwan culture,” Remereman said. “Glass beads are particularly cherished as they’re symbols of aristocracy and essential for the rites of passage.”

Fresh Fields

Concerned by the loss of bead-makers through migration to urban centers and old age, Remereman set about breathing new life into the traditional practice while creating jobs for female members of the tribe. Part of this process saw her make arduous efforts to learn the craft from scratch and study bead patterns. “Abundant harvests, courage, eternal love, guardianship, nobility and wisdom are just some of the events, emotions and qualities represented in the multihued beads used for bracelets, necklaces and ornaments,” she said.

Promoting the beauty of Paiwan culture through creativity and innovation, as well as affording local women the opportunity to earn a living without leaving the village, gives Remereman a great sense of satisfaction. “I can’t wait to wake up in the morning as there’s so many things to do,” she said. “Glass bead art is a signature tradition of our tribal culture and I’m doing my utmost to keep it alive.”

Pacake Taugadhu, a Rukai living in neighboring Wutai, is similarly enthusiastic about art and culture preservation. He has produced many paintings and sculptures, and also published two picture books with themes inspired by memories of tribal life and tales recounted by his father and other elders.

But the biggest creative influence on Taugadhu was his participation in the reconstruction of traditional houses built from slate, shale and wood, as well as ancient trails in 2002. “I learned how to construct the houses of my ancestors and gained a deeper understanding of our cultural and religious traditions rooted in the forests, streams, mountains and wildlife,” he said.

Taugadhu’s 2013 picture book “Maca Ki Umu,” or grandfather’s eyes in the language of the Rukai, tells the story of the tribe’s love and respect for nature, as well as courage in the face of challenges and frustrations. His next offering “Lrikulau,” or clouded leopard, three years later depicts a loving relationship between a sculptor and an orphaned clouded leopard cub. Both publications were showcased at the Taiwan Pavilion during the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy in 2015 and 2017, respectively.

According to Taugadhu, his self-published picture books are written in three languages—Chinese, English and Rukai—with the goal of promoting broader awareness of indigenous culture, history and language. “I consider it my mission to preserve our tribal community’s collective memory, cultural traditions and value systems through artistic creations,” he said.

Traditional Focus

Wang Wen-zhang (王文章‬), director of the Pingtung County Cultural Center, said there are eight townships in Pingtung inhabited primarily by Paiwan and Rukai peoples. According to the latest local government statistics, the population of these communities is nearly 60,000, or 7 percent of Pingtung’s 829,939 residents.

“The traditions of aboriginals are an important part of the county’s cultural history and life,” Wang said, adding that the importance the local government places on safeguarding indigenous culture for future generations is reflected in a number of programs targeting aboriginal youths.

According to Wang, the county government is administering projects aimed at restoring and preserving traditional houses built hundreds of years ago by the Paiwan and Rukai peoples. This initiative gives young members of the tribes opportunities to learn valuable building-related skills while enhancing personal cultural awareness and identity. It also increases the number of such tourism-ready structures in Pingtung like the one in Tjuvecekadan Village of Chunri Township.

“Indigenous peoples possess cultures rich in history, knowledge, skills and environmental stewardship,” Wang said. “We’re capitalizing on these resources to promote Pingtung as a cultural destination.”

In addition to safeguarding aboriginal architecture, the county government is working with Hakka communities to conserve lifestyles, traditions and structures like those on show at Wugou in Wanluan Township. The village features some of the best-preserved Hakka courtyard residences in southern Taiwan. Comprising about a fifth of the Han population in Taiwan, the Hakka can be found in large numbers in many parts of Southeast Asia and the rest of the world. Local government statistics show that 25 percent of Pingtung’s residents are from the ethnic group.

Cultural Reboot

Another undertaking paying dividends for Pingtung on the cultural front is a large-scale repurposing program for Republic of China (Taiwan) military dependents’ villages. Many of the historic buildings, including about 70 dormitories constructed during the Japanese colonial period (1895-1945) in Chongren and Shengli villages in Pingtung City, have been granted protected status via NT$480 million (US$16 million) in funding from the Ministry of Culture. “By 2019, these structures should be born again as bookstores, cafes, guesthouses, museums and performing arts centers,” Wang said.

Similar efforts targeting 16 abandoned churches situated along County Highway 185, or the mountain highway as it is more commonly known, are moving forward at a rate of knots. Aimed at restoring the structures, revitalizing local communities and documenting obscure chapters of local history, the project is viewed with great optimism by representatives of the public and private sectors. The first facility completed is the county-level heritage-listed Yuhuan Catholic Church in Xinpi Township. Built in 1965 under the watchful eye of Dominican priest Elmar Bohmann from Germany, the distinctive stone structure with a hexagram-shaped roof said to resemble the Star of David sat abandoned for over 30 years until its reopening in April 2017.

It is hoped that the initiative will elevate more churches in Pingtung to the status of Wanjin Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Wanluan Township. The oldest of its kind in Taiwan, the facility boasts Minnan—or southern Fujian—and Western architectural styles, and is credited as making an invaluable contribution to the development of Catholicism nationwide. Founded by Dominican missionary Rev. Francisco Herce from Spain in 1870, the church was declared the Holy Cathedral of Mary by Pope John Paul II in 1984.

The basilica represents a crossover between evangelism and tourism in Pingtung via its popular Procession of the Immaculate Conception. Taking place on the second Sunday in December each year, the event combines Western religious traditions with local folk customs and is Taiwan’s largest Catholic celebration. It draws thousands of pilgrims and visitors from home and abroad, and was designated as an important folk custom in 2012 by the county government.

“These churches were established by foreign missionaries from Europe and bear testament to interactions among individuals of different ethnic groups and nationalities,” Wang said. “There are many touching stories behind them, and they are our county’s cultural assets and attractions.”

Ethnic Tapestry

Wu Ching-fa (吳錦發), director-general of the Cultural Affairs Department at Pingtung County Government, credits Pingtung’s multiethnic makeup to the county’s special geographic location. “A southerly aspect and framing between mountains, the Bashi Channel, Pacific Ocean and Taiwan Strait saw the area attract a steady stream of explorers, traders and missionaries from around the world over the past 150 years,” he said.

People of many colors and creeds have at one time or another called Pingtung home, according to Wu. “Diversity is a major contributor to our county’s cultural richness and uniqueness,” he said. “We put a premium on preserving and promoting the intangible and tangible heritages of different ethnic groups.”

This commitment is illustrated by the more than 2,000 precious aboriginal and Hakka artifacts collected by the local government with the goal of exhibiting them in a planned museum. Another example is support for ceremonies and rituals performed by different tribes, as well as activities aimed at invigorating indigenous arts and crafts.

“We’re trying to entice more locally born talents back to Pingtung and keep the county’s arts scene and economy on the development track,” Wu said. “Our culture and history are in the midst of a renaissance, and we hope to give more visitors the chance to experience a unique side of Taiwan.”

Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw