Despite the stunning mountainscapes that turn white in the winter, life in the remote indigenous Atayal village of Pyanan (南山) is far from idyllic — especially for Hayung’s family.
Employing mostly amateur actors, this candid drama by Atayal director Laha Mebow follows the daily lives of a three-generational household, who among other issues, are dealing with the loss of family land to their neighbors, an unplanned pregnancy and the death of the eponymous patriarch.
The well-respected Hayung laments aloud after the verdict comes down on the land: “Is there no more gaga in this village?” It’s true that gaga, a traditional system of morals and conduct, is fading along with the community’s language and culture. Instead, his eldest son Pasang (Wilang Lalin) runs for township chief to save the land, investing what’s left of the family’s limited resources to fund the campaign.
Photo courtesy of Sky Films Entertainment
The conflict between indigenous traditions and modern, mainstream society is a central theme in the movie, but the emotional, human drama that ensues as the family struggles to deal with their circumstances is what drives the plot. The cultural differences are obvious but not overstated or exoticized, it’s just part of this particular backdrop for a scenario that could happen in any Taiwanese village.
There’s no need to preach. In fact, gaga isn’t even defined in the film. But viewers will definitely understand through the dialogue and events the essence of what it represents to the Atayal.
The cultural contrasts manifest differently in each character, starting from the stern but loving grandmother (Kagaw Piling) who is rooted in the old ways yet unconditionally supports her sons’ decisions. Retired soldier Pasang works as a cultural tour guide for the village, and despite the family’s finances his 20-year-old daughter Ali is still able to go for an extended working holiday in New Zealand.
Photo courtesy of Sky Films Entertainment
Although there’s still much Atayal spoken in the household, use of it clearly decreases by generation, with younger members of the community mostly speaking Mandarin and focusing on practicing English. Ali’s boyfriend Andy (Andy Huang, 黃信赫), who makes a surprise visit from New Zealand, appears to be Han-Taiwanese (it’s never clearly stated) but doesn’t speak a lick of Mandarin, contrasting with the indigenous cultural loss. On the other hand, Enoch (Yukan Losing), Pasang’s nephew, is eager to learn the traditional ways from his elders, such as hunting, slaughtering pigs and playing the mouth-harp.
Enoch’s carefree and curious character pushes the plot forward — he’s not exactly involved in the drama, but his role is definitely memorable as he tries to understand where he belongs in a fast-changing world. Yukan Losing’s performance earned him a Golden Horse nomination for best newcomer, one of six awards the movie will be vying for at tomorrow’s award ceremony.
Wilang Lalin also deserves mention for his deft portrayal of the tragic hero Pasang, who tries to do the best he can for his loved ones despite the chaos and strife that ensues.
Life is not the easiest in Pyanan, but the subtle, self-deprecating humor and strong dynamic of a family that deeply cares for each other despite their differences, keeps the mood light-hearted.
It’s not an overt statement on indigenous rights or cultural preservation, nor is there any big revelation or overcoming-all-odds tale here; it’s just an honest, compelling look at the ups and downs of life in a tight-knit community.
Stereotypes toward indigenous people, such as poverty and alcoholism, are apparent, but Laha Mebow has said in an interview that these are real problems that many communities face. They’re shown matter-of-factly and represent just one small part of their daily lives, adding to the deeper exploration of the complexities of a long-marginalized people still grappling with their place in a society dominated by Han-Taiwanese.
Sept. 21 to Sept. 27 When the Shah of Iran became the Grand Hotel’s (圓山大飯店) first head-of-state guest in 1958, it was hardly the landmark it is known as today. A Chinese-style, two-story structure with just 36 rooms built on the former site of the Taipei Shinto Shrine, the hotel was still referred to as its original name, the Taiwan Hotel (台灣大飯店), in an official newsreel detailing Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s visit. The video lavished praise on the hotel, pointing out its “beautiful architecture and magnificent appearance” and noting that it had just been renovated. After being greeted personally by then-president
At National Cheng Kung University, researchers began with magnets from discarded electric-vehicle motors supplied by a local recycler. They dissolved a one-gram sample and tested how to separate dysprosium, a valuable rare-earth metal, from neodymium and praseodymium. A 2022 paper in Materials, by Chen Wei-sheng (陳偉聖), Jian Guo-cai (簡國財) and Lee Cheng-han (李政翰), demonstrated selective extraction. It also identified unfinished work, including multistage processing and regenerating the extraction liquid. The experiment established a technical foundation, without claiming an industrial business. The government wants to turn such expertise into a more secure source of industrial materials. Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫)
Apetition on the Web site of the National Development Council (NDC) arguing that non-citizens receiving National Health Insurance (NHI) should make up payments from their birth to their current age has reached 5,000 signatures last week, the threshold requiring a response. The comments under the petition are predictably odious, proving once again that the Venn diagram of racism and idiocy is a perfect circle. Also last week, the Ministry of the Interior proudly announced that the 400th “high-level professional” was approved for citizenship on Aug. 26. Four hundred carefully selected dual citizens! At that rate, sometime around the year 2600, Taiwan
Serving as interpreter during Culture Minister Li Yuan’s (李遠) visit to Britain offered an unusual view of cultural diplomacy — not as ceremony, but as a series of conversations capable of becoming lasting relationships. During four intensive days, from Sept. 6 to Sept. 9, the delegation moved between museums, arts centers, universities and literary organizations. The program ranged from urban planning and museum access to translation, illustration and contemporary dance. Yet one question connected these encounters: How can an initial meeting become a relationship that lasts? Li described himself as “greedy” about the possibilities. The word was characteristically humorous, but the ambition
RSS