MYTHOLOGIES OF THE SEEDIQ TRIBE
We live in a world that is full of diversities that make it beautiful. The human race has witnessed massive changes from ancestral times to the current date. The advances of science and technology, the Industrial Revolution, and the Renaissance have compelled many ruling powers to expand their territory for commerce and set up colonies there. These colonial rulers often set themselves apart from the indigenous people of their colonies and tried to diminish their culture. Human history is full of examples of the struggles between indigenous peoples and colonial powers. The Seediq, one of the aboriginal tribes of Taiwan, has such a history of fighting for their rights and culture against the Japanese colonial power. Today the Seediq tribe’s population is only 20,000 to 25,000 and their language is classified as critically endangered. The name Seediq means “person” in general, but it is also used in their language. Seediq is part of the Austronesian language family. The language consists of three major dialects, Turku, Toda and Tgdaya. Counting these together there are 25,000 people who speak the Seediq language. Each dialect group refers to itself by the name of its dialect. The indigenous Seediq tribe has an amazing history. The tribe fought against Taiwan’s Japanese colonizers and made them accept indigenous people’s rights.
Human history is full of examples of the struggles between indigenous peoples and colonial powers. The Seediq tribe, one of the aboriginal tribes of Taiwan, has a similar history of fighting for their rights against the Japanese colonial power that occupied the island from 1895 to 1945. Today the Seediq tribe population is limited to only 8994 and their language is classified as a critically endangered language. The term “Seediq” refers to both the people and their language. The Seediq language is a part of the Austronesian language family and it is made up of three major dialects: “Truku”, “Toda” and “Tgdaya”. The Truku dialect is also shared by the Truku (or Taroko) tribes. Before the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1895, the Seediq people lived in the mountains of Wushe where they lived a life of independence and isolation from the outside world. The Seediq people were known for their unique facial tattoos and features.
On 9 September 2011, Wei’s Seediq Bale opened in Taiwan to record-breaking opening-day profits. The film focuses on the Wushe Incident, an uprising of the Seediq aboriginal people against Japanese rule that began in October 1930. Covering an overlooked piece of Taiwanese history, eighty years after the uprising, the story of the defeated continues to be told — it is the first major Taiwanese film to focus on the aboriginal people. Wei’s film tells the story of Taiwan’s native Seediq people during the Japanese rule of Taiwan, from 1895 to 1945. For twenty years, resentment simmered between the Seediq and the Japanese overlords as the Seediq suffered from labour exploitation and the eradication of their cultural practices and identity. The resentment exploded in the Wushe Incident, a brutal uprising of the Seediq against their Japanese overlords in 1930. In October 1930, the Seediq attacked and brutally slaughtered scores of Japanese men, women, and children. In retaliation, between October and December, hundreds of the Seediq rebels were massacred. But what appears to be a moment of posthumous triumph for Taiwan’s aboriginal peoples becomes far more complicated when one looks at the details. 98% of Taiwan’s population is Han Chinese; only 2% are aboriginal. Some critics have noted the nationalist undertones of the film and have asked: Why is Taiwan’s Han population — with its own history of marginalising the native — so fascinated by this film? The enormously positive reception of the film in Taiwan suggests that Seediq Bale is no longer only about the Seediq people. Instead, it has merged with hypersensitive questions of Taiwanese identity and nationalism that have dominated Taiwanese politics and cross-straits relations between mainland China and Taiwan at least since 1949.
The Seediq were officially recognized as Taiwan’s 14th indigenous group on 23 April 2008. Though recognized relatively late, there are records of the Seediq from the Qing dynasty. During the Japanese rule of Taiwan, anthropologists found that the Seediq and Taiya people share cultural similarities; in particular, the importance of face tattoos and the “chucao” tradition of headhunting. The more heads collected, the more recognized power in the tribe. Although their languages are not similar, the Seediq are also closely related to the Truku (Atayal) people. Both tribes have the same origin and culture, but separated early on due to different lifestyles. During the Japanese rule of Taiwan, the anthropologist Kanori INOU (伊能 嘉矩) recognized all the indigenous tribes around Puli (埔里) as Taiya people, including the Seediq. This is because he was unable to visit all the tribes in Puli mountain area and was not able to observe the differences between the Taiya and Seediq. Even though Seediq people were not initially recognized, later anthropologists believe that the Seediq are different enough from the Taiya to be classified as a separate indigenous group.
We are Seediq is an upcoming experimental exhibition made in collaboration with the Seediq indigenous people of Taiwan. Seediq means human and is the name of both the language and the people whose story goes back a long way; a story that is being told this year at the Museum of Ethnography. During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945), the Seediq were categorized as Atayal, another indigenous group in Taiwan, despite having their own language and identity. It was not until 2008 that the Seediq were nationally recognised as a distinct group. We Are Seediq is developed through a co-creative method where our Seediq partners have been invited to tell their own story. Through a research collaboration between the Seediq and the Museums of World Culture, objects that were collected in Seediq communities in the early 20th century but categorized as Atayal have been identified as originating from the Seediq.
Alang Tongan in Ren’ai Township is not the only indigenous village in Nantou County inviting visitors to experience traditional tribal culture. Another village that has been successful in providing a comprehensive environment for tourists wishing to get to know indigenous culture amidst breathtaking scenery is Kalibuan (Wangxiang in Mandarin) in Xinyi Township. Located off Provincial Highway 21, close to the hot-spring village of Dongpu, this Bunun tribe settlement is known for being the only indigenous village in Taiwan from where you can clearly see the main peak of Mt. Jade, the island’s highest mountain. Like many indigenous communities in Taiwan, Kalibuan has seen members of its younger generation leaving for the cities in search for job opportunities and a more modern life. In the early 2000s the village started an initiative to make it more attractive to visitors and thus create more employment opportunities for those who wish to stay at home or even come back from the cities. The village’s co-op has over the years systematically created new tourism facilities and services, including a visitor center, homestay accommodations, guided tours, and cultural programs.
Seediq People, a tribe from the Puli mountain area, was officially recognized as Taiwan’s 14th indigenous tribal group on April 23, 2008. Seediq people are made up of three recognized sub-groups: the Tgdaya , the Toda , and the Truku. The Seediq traditionally have called the border area home that lies between the counties of Nantou and Hualien. This is a fantastic area to explore. Until their recognition in 2008, they were considered a branch of the Atayal Tribe. Because of what some believed to be major linguistic and lifestyle differences, they were given complete Tribal recognition in 2008. The Seediq males are famous for their hunting skills and the Seediq women are famous for their fantastic weaving skills. Since the men were skilled as headhunters, these sills were applied to other types of hunting skills. Today, we find that the men are avid hunters. They are very adept in keeping food on the table. The weaving skills of the women produce some of the best aboriginal crafts in Taiwan. These ancient weaving skills are being kept alive today. The older women of the tribe are skilled weavers. They are handing down the skills to younger women. Their work is magnificent! When in the area look for their work. Though a small tribe, they are world renown for their weaving! Many gift stores carry hand woven garments made by these skilled women. Don’t forget to look for their handiwork to give as gifts, or to take home. It is fantastic!
Seediq is a member the Atayalic of the Formosan language family. It is spoken in central and eastern Taiwan, mainly in inland areas of Hualien county (花蓮縣), and in Nantou county (南投縣) and Yunlin county (雲林縣). The most spoken dialect of Seediq is Truku (太魯閣 Tàilǔgé), which had about 20,000 speakers in 2008. Taroko Gorge is also named after this dialect. Other dialects of Seediq are Toda (Tuuda), which has about 2,500 speakers, and Tgdaya (Tkdaya, Paran), which has about 2,500 speakers. The Seediq language was official recognised by the government in Taiwan in 2008. Since then the Seediq people have been working to preserve and revitalise their language and culture. A way of writing Seediq with the Latin alphabet was developed as well, and Seediq has been taught in some schools since 2001.
SAMPLE TEXT
Smkuxul ku musa muuyas ka yaku. Slluhe jiyuga, muuyas, muuyas uyas ma kmeeki. Mqaras ku klaali ka yaku. Meniq ku sapah, tama bubu mu, ma qbsuran mu rseno, swai mu mqedil, smkuxul mbahang uyas mu ma, qmita keeki mu kana dheya.
Human history is full of examples of the struggles between indigenous peoples and colonial powers. The Seediq tribe (賽德克族), one of the aboriginal tribes of Taiwan, has a similar history of fighting for their rights against the Japanese colonial power that occupied the island from 1895 to 1945. Today the Seediq tribe only has a population of 8,994 and its language is classified as a critically endangered language. The term “Seediq” refers to both the people and their language. The Seediq language is a part of the Austronesian language family and it is made up of three major dialects: Truku, Toda, and Tgdaya. The Truku dialect is also shared by the Truku (or Taroko) tribes. Before the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1895, the Seediq people lived in the mountains of Wushe (霧社) where they lived a life of independence and isolation from the outside world. The Seediq people were known for their unique facial tattoos and features.
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