Its been nearly seven years, but finally the NT$120 million Hakka museum in Meinung township officially opened yesterday in a colorful ceremony at which President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) put in an appearance. Hakka culture, like many other minority cultures around the world, is receiving greater recognition by government agencies, and while this museum is far from the first to be devoted to Hakka culture, it is remarkable for its effort to become an integral part of the Hakka community in Meinung.
President Chen used the opening of the museum to emphasize the government's efforts to preserve Hakka culture and give it the recognition it deserves. Hakka people represent about 15 percent of Taiwan's population, and in townships such as Meinung, Hakka people make up over 90 percent of residents. The Hakka, who traditionally have emphasized education even more than most Chinese, are disproportionately represented in the upper levels of academia and government, and current legislation is being reviewed that will create a central government agency for Hakka affairs.
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
The museum, designed by the Hakka architect Hsie Ying-jun (謝英俊) is a modernized representation of a traditional tobacco smoke house. These buildings, which used to dominate the landscape in Meinung, have now largely fallen into disrepair, as the government tobacco monopoly has reduced its purchases of local product. Nevertheless, smoke houses are a potent symbol of Meinung, for it was the tobacco industry which provided the economic foundations for earlier generations of highly-educated Hakka people.
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
A number of smoke houses have been converted to recording studios, the best known of which is probably the one owned by Labor Exchange (交工樂隊), a local folk rock group.
Wang Hsiu-mei (王秀美), who has worked with the museum over the last three years in its preparation phase, said that an important aspect of the museum's concept is as a community museum. The exhibits, dedicated to all aspects of daily life in Meinung, has a slight feel of a beleaguered community protecting its identity, not that this makes the show any less interesting.
Margaret Wang (王長華), director of the Kaohsiung City Government's Cultural Bureau and head of the museum, pointed out that the Hakka of Meinung, with their almost obsessive respect for education and the written word, have maintained exhaustive records of their community, providing a uniquely solid foundation for the work of cultural preservation. Unfortunately, it is this emphasis on the written word that makes the museum hard going, and tends to emphasize its role as a cultural preservation project. But for those with the time and inclination, the combination of audiovisual elements, with extensive texts and photographic material, along with a comprehensive collection of local publications on Hakka culture, make it an invaluable resource.
The museum's association with Meinung differentiates it from other Hakka cultural centers around the island. "The Taipei and Kaohsiung Hakka cultural centers are cultural facilities forcibly grafted into an alien environment," Margaret Wang said. "Here we are an organic part of the environment."
The museum is located among uncluttered fields, and provides a focus for the scattered tourism attractions of the Meinung area, such as old smoke houses and Butterfly Valley (黃蝶翠谷). "We hope it will serve the role of an information center for the area," Margaret Wang said. Another role the museum aims to play is that of a Hakka community center, were Hakka people will have a chance to get in touch again with their culture.
Although currently operated by the Kaohsiung County Cultural Bureau, Wang said that consideration is already being given to handing the venue over to private interests in the next few years in line with a government policy of localization in which communities take on an increasing responsibility for their cultural and tourism resources.
What: Kaohsiung County Meei-nong The Hakkas Museum (高雄縣美濃客家文物館)
Where: 49-3, Minchu Rd., Meinung Township, Kaohsiung County (高雄縣美濃鎮民族路49之3號)
Open: 10am to 4pm (closed Monday and public holidays)
Free entry.
On the Net: http://www.kccc.gov.tw
Late last month Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro told the Philippine Senate that the nation has sufficient funds to evacuate the nearly 170,000 Filipino residents in Taiwan, 84 percent of whom are migrant workers, in the event of war. Agencies have been exploring evacuation scenarios since early this year, she said. She also observed that since the Philippines has only limited ships, the government is consulting security agencies for alternatives. Filipinos are a distant third in overall migrant worker population. Indonesia has over 248,000 workers, followed by roughly 240,000 Vietnamese. It should be noted that there are another 170,000
Hannah Liao (廖宸萱) recalls the harassment she experienced on dating apps, an experience that left her frightened and disgusted. “I’ve tried some voice-based dating apps,” the 30-year-old says. “Right away, some guys would say things like, ‘Wanna talk dirty?’ or ‘Wanna suck my d**k?’” she says. Liao’s story is not unique. Ministry of Health and Welfare statistics show a more than 50 percent rise in sexual assault cases related to online encounters over the past five years. In 2023 alone, women comprised 7,698 of the 9,413 reported victims. Faced with a dating landscape that can feel more predatory than promising, many in
“This is one of those rare bits of TikTok fitness advice with a lot of truth behind it,” says Bethan Crouse, performance nutritionist at Loughborough University. “Sometimes it’s taken a bit too literally, though! You see people chugging protein drinks as they’re scanning out of their gym.” Crouse recommends the athletes she works with consume 20-30g of protein within 30-60 minutes of finishing a resistance training session. “The act of exercising our muscles increases the breakdown of muscle proteins,” she says. “In order to restore, or hopefully improve them — and get gains such as increased muscle mass or strength —
“Far from being a rock or island … it turns out that the best metaphor to describe the human body is ‘sponge.’ We’re permeable,” write Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie in their book Slow Death By Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things. While the permeability of our cells is key to being alive, it also means we absorb more potentially harmful substances than we realize. Studies have found a number of chemical residues in human breast milk, urine and water systems. Many of them are endocrine disruptors, which can interfere with the body’s natural hormones. “They can mimic, block
RSS