Wed, Apr 07, 2010 page2

• FEATURE : Liouduei struggles to keep Hakka culture, traditions

  GENDER EQUALITY One of the old practices that local residents still observe is the ‘bai xinding,’ or praying for newborn boys, with ceremonies for girls being added

  • STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA
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  While folk customs more often than not originate from wisdom learned in daily life, Hakka festivities and celebrations in the Liou­duei (六堆) region of southern Taiwan reflect the arduous journey and the hardships suffered by the Hakka in the search for resettlement.

  The modernization of rural Taiwan has brought with it much social change and as a result, many Hakka celebrations and customs in the Liouduei region are fading, so much so that the exquisite decorations, unique music and other distinctive cultural elements may one day become the subject of studies by social anthropologists rather than a way of life for the Hakka, who first settled in Liouduei more than 200 years ago.

  FOLLOWERS

  While a decreasing number of Hakka descendants follow the old customs, some Liouduei residents still assiduously observe certain festivals and follow traditional practices.

  Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) from Jiadong Village (佳冬) in Pingtung County is one who still adheres to the custom of throwing a “traditional” party when a baby boy is born.

  He took time off from his job in Kaohsiung at the end of February for a very special Hakka celebration — that of “praying for blessings for newborn boys” (bai xinding, 拜新丁) — when his third grandson was born in Jiadong.

  “Bai xinding, which dates back to the late 17th century and is celebrated on the 11th day of the first lunar month, is one of the most important customs in Liouduei Hakka culture,” Lo said.

  For the ceremony, family members prepare Hakka rice cakes and other offerings, liquor, flowers and couplets bearing the names and address of the parents and newborn. After the ceremony, these are shared by family and neighbors.

  In the early 1950s, about 80 to 90 families held bai xinding ceremonies each year, but the changing times have led to a decline in the number of such celebrations.

  In addition, fewer and fewer babies are being born in the area, said Chang Chen-hsiang (張振香), the administrator of Liugen Village (六根村) in Pingtung County.

  In 1960, a record 105 bai xinding ceremonies were held in the two Hakka villages of Jiadong and Liugen, but by the 1970s the number had dropped to between 60 and 70, and in the 1990s it was less than 40, Chang said.

  In recent years, the two villages have held joint annual bai xinding ceremonies in an effort to keep the custom alive, given that most families may not have the time or finances to celebrate the occasion on their own, he added.

  “This year, the joint ceremony was attended by 27 families, two of whom had young boys aged three and five, and were trying to make up for missing the celebrations in previous years,” Chang said.

  FOR GIRLS

  Recognizing that gender equality has become a core value in Taiwan, in recent years the village has also held ceremonies for bai xinzhi (拜新枝, praying for blessings for newborn girls), Chang said.

  Sometimes it is necessary to adopt new values in order to maintain old customs, he added.

  Bai xinding originated at a time when childbearing carried high risks and baby boys were favored by most families.

  “But times have changed, and we must have the wisdom to adapt if we want Liouduei Hakka traditions to continue,” Chang said.
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