Over the past century, the Saisiyat (賽夏族) people of Hsinchu County have held The Ritual of the Short Black People (矮靈祭) once every two years to commemorate a mythical pygmy race of people whom they are said to have exterminated centuries ago.
The 10-day ceremony, also known as Pasta’ay, will be performed by the Saisiyat in order to express repentance, as well as to continually learn the meaning of forgiveness and peaceful reconciliation.
Although the majority of the ritual will take place in a secret location, the general public is welcome to observe during the last two days on Nov. 8 to Nov. 10. The event is a rare opportunity to witness one of the oldest and most sacred Aboriginal rituals in Taiwan.
Photo: TT
■ The Ritual of the Short Black People (矮靈祭) will take place at Da-ai Festival Ground (大隘矮靈祭場), 331-1, Wufong Township, Hsinchu County (新竹縣五峰鄉 331之1號)
■ The festival will be open to the general public starting from the morning of Nov. 8, ending with a final celebration on Nov. 10
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moving the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds before midnight last month symbolized the closest humanity has ever been to global catastrophe In this context, the legislature remains gridlocked over the general budget, mirroring tensions simmering across the globe. According to local soothsayers, this “extreme speed and violent conflict” is no coincidence as the Year of the Horse is the year of bingwu (丙午), the rare “Fire Horse Year” (火馬年) that occurs once every 60 years, a configuration carrying an energy that shapes everything from personal fortunes to international crises. “For some people, it can be a
Feb. 16 to Feb. 22 Pai Ko’s (白克) film career appeared poised to reach new heights in 1962 with the completion of the highly-anticipated, star-studded Romance of Longshan Temple (龍山寺之戀). Despite being mainly in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese), the film promoted harmony between those born in China and Taiwan, aligning with the official cultural policy at the time. However, he soon disappeared. Colleagues found out he was arrested and accused of colluding with communists. It was not his first run-in with the ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). As a university student in China, he joined the anti-Japanese Anti-Imperialism League and
Taiwan is especially vulnerable to climate change. The surrounding seas are rising at twice the global rate, extreme heat is becoming a serious problem in the country’s cities, and typhoons are growing less frequent (resulting in droughts) but more destructive. Yet young Taiwanese, according to interviewees who often discuss such issues with this demographic, seldom show signs of climate anxiety, despite their teachers being convinced that humanity has a great deal to worry about. Climate anxiety or eco-anxiety isn’t a psychological disorder recognized by diagnostic manuals, but that doesn’t make it any less real to those who have a chronic and
Just far enough out of reach to keep big crowds away, but not so far as to make a day-trip an exhausting affair, Jinhuang Hot Spring (近黃溫泉) is a nice winter escape for your next visit to Taitung County. The pools are numerous, the water is the perfect temperature and the walk in is not too challenging, though you will have to get your feet wet. The adventure starts in the county’s Jinlun Village (金崙), which is accessible by train, but you’ll want to have your own car, scooter or bicycle for this trip. If you arrive by train, walk up
RSS