Life, with Indigenous Peoples

Moving beyond just preserving traditions, indigenous peoples are adding modern life elements into old ways and creating a new path for culture representation....

Food is not just what we eat to fill our stomach. Rather, it is a path that links one’s cultural identity and life memories. Through food and cooking, we not only carry on the spirit of traditions, but also construct our own culinary culture.

At noon, as the bell rang at Lanyu°¶s Yayu Elementary School, the schoolchildren walked out of classrooms one after another and lined up in the hallway for the school lunch. On the cart were fried rice, scrambled eggs, stirred-fried bok choy, and radish soup. But there were no fish and taro, the traditional staple foods of the Tao people native to the island. ...

Chocolate Shrimp, Aaron Kitchen's signature appetizer, features shrimp sautéed with garlic and bits of chili until aromatic, cooked with high heat in Kahlú?a then drizzled with house special chocolate sauce...... Unlike your average restaurant, customers at Aaron Kitchen can see Chef Sung Chin-Lung and his two assistants busily working about in the kitchen through a large glass window. On the wall there are two Chinese characters "persevere" written in a childlike hand and framed in a wooden frame.

“We can only harvest millet once every year. We hang them on the kitchen ceiling where smoke from the cooking stove smokes them daily to keep away bugs and humidity during rainy seasons.” Ciang, a sixty-four years old Bunun man in a traditional vest, shared the life wisdom of his ancestors with visitors. The word “Kaiana” comes from the Bunun language, which means “to hang”. The Workroom adopted this name to symbolize the sight of kitchens with bunches of millet hanging from their ceilings after each year’s harvest.

Skirts swaying in rhythm, suits sleek and clean cut, in a bold and brand-new style, indigenous designer clothes are writing a new chapter in fashion.

Tefi Takano draws infinite inspirations of colors from the lush green kalotungang (Mt. Kingkong), the blue Pacific Ocean, and the coastal rice terrace lining between the mountains and the ocean. One professional model after another strut down the catwalk in front of the Dongli Train Station during the autumn harvest season, with the golden waves of rice in Yuli Township, Hualien County as backdrop...

Unlike what people usually expect of indigenous fashion designers, there is not a trace of indigenous pattern found on Juan Chin-Chun. “I have never worn traditional indigenous clothing before, and I will probably still find it awkward,” Juan Chin-Chun said after some thought. ...

Colors blue, red and white woven into gorgeous patterns. V-neck sleeveless long gown, enchantingly beautiful and elegant. The somewhat western modern design is, surprisingly, a rare indigenous wedding dress. Musasu, a creative Atayal studio is the magical hand behind the twist to the traditional gown. ...

Piled log wall buildings, Bamboo buildings, Bamboo and wood buildings, Stone slab houses, Underground Houses...

The term “vernacular architecture” is used to describe architecture built with local knowledge and materials. The most common example would be indigenous architecture which coexists with nature organically. This type of architecture can vary in shape and size according to local climate, sunshine, wind direction, flora and fauna, and local indigenous beliefs and social structure. ...

On August 8, 2009, Typhoon Morakot devastated Southern Taiwan, with up to 70% of the affected households being indigenous people. The typhoon not only caused the largest composite disaster that Taiwan has suffered in the last century, but also brought about a series of irreversible impacts on the lives of indigenous communities thanks to the permanent housing policy that was immediately launched after the disaster. ...