Part one of our four-part guide to Taiwan's remarkable indigenous peoples
Indigenous Taiwanese belong to the Austronesian language family, the most widely spread group of linguistically related populations in the world. Austronesia, the territories populated by the Austronesian-speaking peoples, reaches as far as Madagascar in the west and Easter Island in the east. Taiwan is among the northernmost of the Austronesian territories while New Zealand marks the southernmost boundary. Academia commonly recognizes that the first wave of Austronesian peoples came to Taiwan around 6,500 years ago.
Statistics show that there are around 533,601 indigenous people in Taiwan, or 2.28 percent of the total population. Nearly half of them live in cities rather than rural areas. According to the Council of Indigenous Peoples, there are currently 14 recognized tribes in Taiwan — the Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Yami, Thao, Tsou, Truku, Sakizaya and Seediq — who speak a wide array of Austronesian languages. The Amis, Paiwan and Atayal are the three biggest indigenous tribes by population, making up around 71 percent of the total indigenous population.
Amis
The Amis also identify themselves as "pangcah," which means "people," or "fellow tribespeople." (Amis, on the other hand, means "north.") Singing is in the blood of the Amis people. Songs and dances are not only integral parts of Amis rituals and celebrations, but are also used by hosts to welcome visiting family and friends. The Amis people often sing to themselves while doing household chores. Therefore, it is not surprising that Amis songs have become an influential force in Taiwan's music scene.
In the traditional Amis matrilineal society, the male must move into his wife's household after marriage. Major family affairs are decided by the matriarchs of the households. In recent history, however, Amis society has been influenced by Han Chinese culture and has become less matrilineal in nature. Male chiefs (called "Kakitaan") and elders are the political leaders in Amis society.
Paiwan
The Paiwan live in the areas on both sides of the southern Central Mountains. The Paiwan are divided into two subgroups, the Raval and the Butsul, based on blood relations, territory, culture and the self-determination of the Paiwan people. The craftsmanship of the Paiwan is arguably the most outstanding among Taiwan's indigenous tribes thanks to a clear-cut hierarchical social structural that allows the upper class the time to pursue artistic excellence. The clan is the integral independent unit in Paiwan society. The five-year festival, an ancestor worship ceremony held once every five years, is the largest and most symbolically rich ritual in Paiwan culture. The highlight of the festival is the "spearing of the ball," during which participants try to pierce a ball thrown by a priest for blessings such as health, a rich harvest and happiness.
~宏浩翻譯引用~
資料來源：http://www.chinapost.com.tw/guidepost/topics/default.asp?id=4211&next=1&sub=6
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