Aboriginal activists criticized the Jhenmen Temple in Tainan for performing a ceremony in which its spirit mediums were purportedly possessed by Siraya ancestral spirits, saying the temple’s rites inaccurately portrayed Siraya customs and appropriated Aboriginal culture.
The ceremony was meant to honor Siraya Aborigines slain by Koxinga (鄭成功), with temple manager Lin Chun-ming (林忠民) saying last week that Koxinga told him in a dream to organize it.
However, the reconciliatory gesture had apparently gone awry, as members of Tainan’s Aboriginal community on Tuesday decried the ceremony, saying the temple used the wrong vestments, religious paraphernalia and rites for the ceremony, and the temple’s representation of Siraya ancestral spirits was insulting.
It was not the place of the temple’s mediums to receive Siraya ancestral spirits or to reconcile with Koxinga on their behalf, and the mediums acted in an adoring and servile manner to the statue of Koxinga at the temple, the group said.
Although the temple billed the event as an apology to Aborigines, it was hard to tell “who was apologizing to whom” from the conduct of the rituals, it said.
Tainan Association for the Development of Siraya Tribes director-general Tuan Hung-kun (段洪坤) said his organization had endorsed the event, but the association had recommended that the temple follow Taoist ceremonies of the Han people and refrain from representing Siraya ancestral spirits or rituals.
“Unfortunately, the temple’s managers had turned the event into a farce,” Tuan said.
Aboriginal community leaders called on the politicians to avoid turning Koxinga-related religious ceremonies into public events, saying that such events are acceptable as the private religious practice of Koxinga’s descendants and temples dedicated to Han ancestor-worship, but turning them into public commemorations would be hurtful to Siraya sensibilities.
Lin said his intention was to help Taiwanese solidarity, adding that he recognizes that there could be room for improvement.
Meanwhile, Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德), who was attending an event marking Koxinga’s birthday at the Koxinga Ancestral Shrine on Tuesday, said that some conflict is inevitable in Taiwan’s pluralistic society, and different ethnic and cultural groups should be respectful when interacting with each other.
Although the temple had shown goodwill, it does not necessarily have to be the organization acting in this role, Lai said, adding that he thinks Koxinga’s descendents should consider initiating a dialogue with Aborigines in Tainan to facilitate mutual understanding.
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