Smangus, Not Guilty!

May, 2007
Reporter:

Pisuy．Masao (Atayal), Magaitan．Lhkatafatu (Thao)
Translator: Patagaw (Paiwan)

Jianshih, Hsinchu County

The windfall beach incident that took place in the Smangus Village aroused great concern from various circles of the society. The Hsinchu District Court adjudicated during the first instance that each tribesman receives the decision of the first instance on April 18^th, that the penalty should be six months imprisonment, with an additional suspension of two years. The tribesmen from Smangus traveled to Taipei and put forward their protest to the Forestry Bureau on April 25th, but still there was no concrete conclusion that consulted from the demonstration. In order to expunge their records and remove the terrible “stealing” conviction, the tribesmen held traditional rituals of burying a stone and setting up wooden pillars to declare the rights of their own traditional territory. The tribesmen furiously stated that the disrespectful personnel of the Forestry Bureau are no longer welcome in Smangus Village and, at the same time, the tribesmen requested the personnel and the judge must all apologize to the tribesmen publicly.

Smangus tribesmen proclaim: Not Guilty!

On April 25, the tribesmen from Smangus Village traveled to Taipei and protested to the Forestry Bureau, but were not able to resolve the situation to any conclusion. The tribesmen felt upset that the government seemed to ignore their Indigenous rights to the territory and their overall sovereignty. The tribesmen of Smangus Village decided on May 7th to follow the traditional ritual of burying a stone and setting up wooden pillars. The tribesmen buried the rock, which resembled Dabajian Mountain, the sacred mountain of the Atayal tribe, to declare the sovereignty of the village.

Lahuy Icyeh, Atayal tribesman, Spokesman of Smangus Village indicated, “This action symbolizes that the territory belongs to the village. It announces where the hunting area is. When the area is confirmed, the tribesmen of Smangus Village and other villages will follow the regulation. They will go hunting within the area. Most importantly, it sets forth the area that should be managed by the village.”

Smangus requests Forestry Bureau to apologize

The Smangus incident resulted in three Atayal tribesmen receiving a verdict of six months imprisonment, with an additional suspension of two years. The tribesmen demonstrated and brought the incident to the attention of others. All strived for justice. They also requested the Forestry Bureau and the judge who presided over the case to apologize to the village publicly in order to end these ill feelings.

“The tribesmen demanded to declare their rights to the land in our traditional way. Then we want to require that the government should declare that the village is innocent. They should no longer be able to enter the village, including the Forestry Bureau, the policeman from Hengshan Police Station, and the judge who pronounced the judgment, in addition to apologizing to the village.” Lahuy Icyeh added.

Railings set up to controlling the entrance

Living with nature, the Indigenous tribesmen understand that natural barriers cannot be protested as being against the law. They set up the railings to control other people from going into the village, especially the staff of the Forestry Bureau and the policemen.

The first thing we need to emphasize is that, in the future, whether a group or individual who wants to come to the village, they should inform us first as to what is the purpose of their visit to the village. We will note down their name and basic information. If anyone intrudes upon the village, we would use our ways to refuse their entrance.

Blood on the stone declares their determination

Smearing the stone with blood, the tribesmen made a vow to declare that injustice will not be allowed to do harm to the tribesmen in their own territory. They required the government to respect the traditional village community in accordance with the Indigenous Basic Law and the promise of the New Partnership, as well as to proclaim the innocence of the three Atayal tribesmen.

Marriage Propose to Paiwan Family

March 30th, 2007
Reporter: Aluway, Paiwan tribe
Translator: Patagaw, Paiwan tribe

If you ever joined the traditional wedding of the Paiwan tribe, you would probably be impressive by the stately process of the wedding, The Paiwan tribe are conscientious and careful about the traditional rituals of the wedding, especially the marriage with the families of equal standing.

Even if just for proposing, there are still a plenty of etiquettes to follow. In Timur, Pingtong, as known as the Sakalan village, these traditional rituals that passed down by the ancestors are seriously considered in a Paiwan tribal chief’s family.

Sharing the pork to bless the tribesmen

In the early morning, the groom’s family came to the house of Dabiliyang family for preparing the marriage proposal. Following the traditional courtesy, the groom’s family killed a pig before heading to the bride’s house and shared it with all the relatives. According to the traditions, the happy atmosphere could bless the tribesmen who received the pork and rid of the bad luck. The female in the groom’s family were busy making avai, a kind of Paiwan food. They boiled the water and used lavilu, false Physalis leaf, from the mountain to cook cinavu, Paiwan food. Every detail of the traditional courtesies must not be missed. Even the decoration should be chosen carefully.

Tribal elders reminded the traditional courtesies for the proposal

“We must cook avai, this is the traditional courtesy we should follow. This also shows our sincerity of the proposal.” The elders from the groom’s family said. During the proposal, the family also discussed and argued that, if they follow every detail traditional rituals. “We did not cook this kind of avai, but we knew the bride’s family have the custom of this. Hence we tried to cook the avai like this. We will not wait until the wedding to be corrected.”

From killing a pig, to cooking avai, each procedure was serious discussed among the elders and the elders reminded the tribesmen again and again of the tradition before work. The elders and the noblemen of the Sakalan tribe were discussing throughout the process that what the courtesies were for them to follow.

Every gift should be prepared for present the sincerity

After the whole day preparation, mountain pigs, betel nuts, rice wine, beer and avai, the elders checked every gift before loading the car. They had to make sure they hadn’t left anything behind. Otherwise the bride’s family might be dubious of their proposal.

It took a whole morning only for the preparation of the proposal. The relatives of the bride’s side waited in the house and welcomed the groom’s family to come. After arriving at the bride’s house, the groom’s family presented all the gifts in front of everyone and showed their sincerity for the marriage.

Paiwan tribe values the marriage of equal standing

The tribal elders and chiefs would participate in all the process of a traditional Paiwan marriage proposal. If for a noble family, all the nobleperson would join the process of the proposal. If both sides of the families come to the agreement, and the bride side accepts the groom’s proposal, they will have to spend more time for the upcoming wedding ceremony.

Toliang and Former Hsianglan relics have similarity

March 24^th, 2007
Reporter：烏杰, Paiwan Tribe.
Translator：Patagaw, Paiwan Tribe

Prehistory may have connection to the Indigenous culture

After The former-Hsianglan (舊香蘭) relics had come out of an excavation, a dig in Duoliang (多良)tribe, Taimali township has also been going on and yielded significant cultural relics. The archaeologists found the similarity between the former-Hsianglan relics and the Duoliang tribe relics. The investigator said the assumption of the connection between two relics was reasonable. The investigator also indicated that the relics in 多良 tribe might explain the migration of the Paiwan tribe.

Toliang and Former Hsianglan relics have similarity

In 2004, a number of animal bone and broken pottery pieces were unearthed in former-Hsianglan. The archaeologists packed the items in batches and drawing the topography of the relics. This year the archaeologists also found the relics in Duoliang tribe. The investigators presumed that the Duoliang relics was similar to former-Hsianglan relics, and was more up-to-date.

“The pieces we found in Duoliang can only be seen in former-Hsianglan. It is just the difference of the period. Some stood, some were separated, some were in a row and some were holding hands like this.” Lee Kun Hsiu (李坤修), the archaeology investigator indicated after their research.

Prehistory may have connection to the Indigenous culture

Surprisingly, the investigators found clear snake totem from the Duoliang tribe, as well as the human and the animal features on the broken pottery. Professor Lee is going to analyze if the Duoliang relics could demonstrate Indigenous living style and the migration of thousands of years ago. Professor Lee supposed that it might have conflict between the Paiwan traditional oral history and what may be discovered from the relics.

To excavate the Paiwan history from Toliang relics

Lee Kun Hsiu added that, “The current civilization of Paiwan and Rukai was expanded from the Peinan plain to the mountains. What I am going to do is to connect the routes of the migration. This was the main purpose to excavate the Duoliang relics.

Recently, the huge wave threatens the former-Hsianglan relics. The archaeologists tried to excavate more prehistoric culture that could be used to link the people of thousands of years ago to the contemporary indigenous culture. It may also be possible to find the studios where prehistoric people smelt iron, metal, or even the Paiwan glass beads. The Duoliang relics located in the mountains, the archaeologists need to find the local guide to be able to find the location. The government should pay more attention to the relics, which are remarkable assets to Taitung.