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Visiting Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology - Mayor Cheng: Multicultural exchange to help broaden
Release date：2016-08-01
Visiting Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology - Mayor Cheng: Multicultural exchange to help broaden our horizons
During the second day of the “Taoyuan & Kagawa Friendly Exchange Delegate,” Taoyuan City Mayor Cheng Wen-Tsan led the delegates to visit the Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology during the afternoon and was received by Director-general Kenichi Sudo, while assistant professor Hironao Kawai of the Center for Research Development provided a tour of the indigenous peoples exhibits in the museum on July 19th. Director-general Chiang Chieh-An of the Department of Hakka Affairs as well as Acting Director-general Lin Jih-Lung (Temu Nokan) of the Department of Indigenous Affairs of the Taoyuan delegate also gave presentations on the Hakka and indigenous peoples of Taiwan during the museum exchange.
Mayor Cheng pointed out that Taoyuan is a multicultural city with a population of more than 2.1 million people, of which Hakka people comprised of 800,000 individuals, making the city one of the most important centers of Hakka culture in Taiwan. Taoyuan is also home to over 68,000 indigenous peoples from all the 16 aborigine tribes of Taiwan, giving Taoyuan the largest indigenous population outside eastern Taiwan.
According to Mayor Cheng, the Qing Dynasty only divided the indigenous peoples into the Shengfan (uncivilized natives) and Shufan (civilized natives). Japanese anthropologists during the Japanese Governor Generalship such as Kanori Ino, Kokubu Naoichi, and Torii Ryuzo categorized Taiwan’s indigenous peoples into 8 separate tribes, including the Pingpu. The current system employed in Taiwan further categorized the indigenous populations into 16 tribes.
Mayor Cheng said that the indigenous peoples of Taiwan were more closely related to the peoples living in the islands of Southeast Asia. For example, the Tao people of Orchid Island (Lanyu) shared a common tongue and social structure with people who live in the Batan Archipelago of the Philippines. Taiwan currently features many aspects of Pingpu culture which was the source of many linguistic elements. Men of Han descent often call their wives “Tai-tai,” while Taiwanese people call theirs “Qian-shou” based upon Pingpu language.
Mayor Cheng then highlighted the unique features of Taiwanese Hakka culture, the most important aspect being their worship of militiamen who died fighting for their clans. Hakka architecture in Taiwan was also distinct compared to the walled villages constructed by their fellows who live in China. The agricultural traditions of 2 growing seasons per year and unique fallow period of the Taiwanese Hakka also set them apart from the Chinese Hakka.
Mayor Cheng said that the Taoyuan administration is working hard to establish a national museum for indigenous peoples as well as a Hakka Cultural and Creative Park in Taoyuan, and wishes to further improve exchange and collaboration with Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology. Exhibit exchange and multicultural exchange would help broaden the horizons.
While giving the “New Taoyuan and New Hakka presentation,” Director-general Chiang Chieh-An of the Department of Hakka Affairs expressed that over 1/3 of Taoyuan’s population is of Hakka descent who could be further divided into the Hakka peoples who live in the “mountains,” “coastline,” and “cities.” Current policy and vision could be divided into 4 parts, namely: (1) establishing a Taoyuan City Hakka Cultural and Creative Industry Center, (2) creating the romantic tea trail along Provincial Highway No.3, (3) improving international exchange and partnership for the Hakka peoples, and (4) encouraging Hakka youths to return to their home towns. The aim would be to rebuild “Hakka Lifestyle and Integrated Hakka Culture,” initiate “New Hakka Renaissance” at Taoyuan City, and market Hakka culture throughout Taiwan and the entire world.
Acting Director-general Lin Jih-Lung (Temu Nokan) of the Department of Indigenous Affairs also gave a presentation about the Taiwanese aborigines. There is currently 16 recognized tribes, of which 60,797 individuals live in urban regions while 7,904 live in aborigine settlements in Taoyuan. A total of 5 Taoyuan City Council members are of aborigine descent as well. The Department of Indigenous Affairs is also working hard to promote welfare, employment, education, culture, and commercial development for the indigenous peoples.
Director-general Kenichi Sudo of the National Museum of Ethnology of Japan expressed that he was very glad to be able to receive Mayor Cheng and his delegates from Taoyuan. The Museum will be celebrating its 40th anniversary soon, and includes a collection of about 5,600 pieces of artifacts related to Taiwanese aborigines. Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology has currently signed a few agreements with Taiwanese museums for home-coming exhibits and allow artifacts related to Taiwanese aborigines to be shown in Taiwan.
Director-general Sudo mentioned that National Museum of Ethnology of Japan has signed a number of exchange agreements with a number of museums and universities in Taiwan for non-periodic exchange programs, and will be willing to provide complete support if Taiwan establishes a national museum for the indigenous peoples.
Assistant professor Hironao Kawai of the Center for Research Development mentioned that the National Museum of Ethnology was a research museum carrying out the 3 major functions of research, education, and exhibits. The Museum employs 55 professors as well as over 100 post-doctorate or guest researchers, making it the biggest ethnological research institute in Japan.
Dr. Kawai also mentioned that the Museum frequently hosts seminars, film screenings, and music events in addition to exhibits. The Museum is also promoting a “Spotlight Taiwan Project” to introduce Taiwanese culture to the Japanese people, and partnered with Taiwan to host various cultural events. Hakka elements were introduced in 2011 in events such as academic salons, seminars, live performances, and film screenings such as the Hakka language film of 1895 which was passionately received by the Japanese people.
During the second day of the “Taoyuan & Kagawa Friendly Exchange Delegate,” Taoyuan City Mayor Cheng Wen-Tsan led the delegates to visit the Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology during the afternoon and was received by Director-general Kenichi Sudo, while assistant professor Hironao Kawai of the Center for Research Development provided a tour of the indigenous peoples exhibits in the museum on July 19th. Director-general Chiang Chieh-An of the Department of Hakka Affairs as well as Acting Director-general Lin Jih-Lung (Temu Nokan) of the Department of Indigenous Affairs of the Taoyuan delegate also gave presentations on the Hakka and indigenous peoples of Taiwan during the museum exchange.
Mayor Cheng pointed out that Taoyuan is a multicultural city with a population of more than 2.1 million people, of which Hakka people comprised of 800,000 individuals, making the city one of the most important centers of Hakka culture in Taiwan. Taoyuan is also home to over 68,000 indigenous peoples from all the 16 aborigine tribes of Taiwan, giving Taoyuan the largest indigenous population outside eastern Taiwan.
According to Mayor Cheng, the Qing Dynasty only divided the indigenous peoples into the Shengfan (uncivilized natives) and Shufan (civilized natives). Japanese anthropologists during the Japanese Governor Generalship such as Kanori Ino, Kokubu Naoichi, and Torii Ryuzo categorized Taiwan’s indigenous peoples into 8 separate tribes, including the Pingpu. The current system employed in Taiwan further categorized the indigenous populations into 16 tribes.
Mayor Cheng said that the indigenous peoples of Taiwan were more closely related to the peoples living in the islands of Southeast Asia. For example, the Tao people of Orchid Island (Lanyu) shared a common tongue and social structure with people who live in the Batan Archipelago of the Philippines. Taiwan currently features many aspects of Pingpu culture which was the source of many linguistic elements. Men of Han descent often call their wives “Tai-tai,” while Taiwanese people call theirs “Qian-shou” based upon Pingpu language.
Mayor Cheng then highlighted the unique features of Taiwanese Hakka culture, the most important aspect being their worship of militiamen who died fighting for their clans. Hakka architecture in Taiwan was also distinct compared to the walled villages constructed by their fellows who live in China. The agricultural traditions of 2 growing seasons per year and unique fallow period of the Taiwanese Hakka also set them apart from the Chinese Hakka.
Mayor Cheng said that the Taoyuan administration is working hard to establish a national museum for indigenous peoples as well as a Hakka Cultural and Creative Park in Taoyuan, and wishes to further improve exchange and collaboration with Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology. Exhibit exchange and multicultural exchange would help broaden the horizons.
While giving the “New Taoyuan and New Hakka presentation,” Director-general Chiang Chieh-An of the Department of Hakka Affairs expressed that over 1/3 of Taoyuan’s population is of Hakka descent who could be further divided into the Hakka peoples who live in the “mountains,” “coastline,” and “cities.” Current policy and vision could be divided into 4 parts, namely: (1) establishing a Taoyuan City Hakka Cultural and Creative Industry Center, (2) creating the romantic tea trail along Provincial Highway No.3, (3) improving international exchange and partnership for the Hakka peoples, and (4) encouraging Hakka youths to return to their home towns. The aim would be to rebuild “Hakka Lifestyle and Integrated Hakka Culture,” initiate “New Hakka Renaissance” at Taoyuan City, and market Hakka culture throughout Taiwan and the entire world.
Acting Director-general Lin Jih-Lung (Temu Nokan) of the Department of Indigenous Affairs also gave a presentation about the Taiwanese aborigines. There is currently 16 recognized tribes, of which 60,797 individuals live in urban regions while 7,904 live in aborigine settlements in Taoyuan. A total of 5 Taoyuan City Council members are of aborigine descent as well. The Department of Indigenous Affairs is also working hard to promote welfare, employment, education, culture, and commercial development for the indigenous peoples.
Director-general Kenichi Sudo of the National Museum of Ethnology of Japan expressed that he was very glad to be able to receive Mayor Cheng and his delegates from Taoyuan. The Museum will be celebrating its 40th anniversary soon, and includes a collection of about 5,600 pieces of artifacts related to Taiwanese aborigines. Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology has currently signed a few agreements with Taiwanese museums for home-coming exhibits and allow artifacts related to Taiwanese aborigines to be shown in Taiwan.
Director-general Sudo mentioned that National Museum of Ethnology of Japan has signed a number of exchange agreements with a number of museums and universities in Taiwan for non-periodic exchange programs, and will be willing to provide complete support if Taiwan establishes a national museum for the indigenous peoples.
Assistant professor Hironao Kawai of the Center for Research Development mentioned that the National Museum of Ethnology was a research museum carrying out the 3 major functions of research, education, and exhibits. The Museum employs 55 professors as well as over 100 post-doctorate or guest researchers, making it the biggest ethnological research institute in Japan.
Dr. Kawai also mentioned that the Museum frequently hosts seminars, film screenings, and music events in addition to exhibits. The Museum is also promoting a “Spotlight Taiwan Project” to introduce Taiwanese culture to the Japanese people, and partnered with Taiwan to host various cultural events. Hakka elements were introduced in 2011 in events such as academic salons, seminars, live performances, and film screenings such as the Hakka language film of 1895 which was passionately received by the Japanese people.