As the annual Yimin Cultural Festival (
It is a tradition of the Hakka Yimin festival, a tribute to warriors who died fighting to protect their land, to kill divine pigs to worship the Yimin god. Usually there is a "divine pig contest" to choose the biggest pig.
The President Pig was said to have been "adopted" by President Chen Shui-bian (
The pig was supposed to participate in the contest this year, but the plan was canceled due to strong opposition from animal right activists.
Being kept out of the contest will not however save the President Pig; DPP Hsinchu chapter director Lin Wei-chou (
Hsinchu's Hakka community, however, is less than pleased with what it regards as ignorant interference by outsiders in its culture and traditions.
"This year, with the support of the president, we prepared a divine pig to worship the Yimin God. It is a way to show our respect to our ancestors and to pray for peace and prosperity for our country," said Cheng Hsi-Nin (
"But recently some propagandists have made the activity look complicated and political, and I am feeling great pain over this. Believers of the Yimin God from difference places have shown their dissatisfaction over the propagandists' action as well," Cheng said.
Meanwhile, President Chen reaffirmed his commitment Saturday to promoting Hakka culture as part of his administration's efforts to boost cultural diversity in Taiwan.
Chen made the reaffirmation while attending the inaugural ceremony for a Hakka cultural festival in Taoyuan County's Pingchen township.
Chen said the inauguration of an all-Hakka television channel and a graduate institute of Hakka culture and social customs at National Central University earlier this year indicates his administration's determination to promote Hakka culture.
"And our promotional campaign will not stop there. We'll make continued efforts to help local people understand the essence of Hakka culture," Chen said.
Chen said he believed the success of the Pingchen Hakka cultural festival would inspire other townships to sponsor similar activities to showcase their own unique cultural heritage.
The festival features a wide variety of programs, including singing, dancing and theatrical performances as well as a Hakka food fair.
Many senior officials, including Council for Hakka Affairs Yeh Chu-lan (
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