Council of Indigenous Peoples Minister Ljaucu Zingrur on Friday thanked World Indigenous Traditional Games (WITG) participants for what he called warm friendship and building links between countries, in his remarks at the closing ceremony of the Games held in Pingtung County’s Laiyi Township (來義) from Wednesday to Friday.
New Zealand topped the medal table with two gold, one silver and bronze medals to secure a NT$200,000 prize.
After receiving a trophy made of lily flowers — a symbol of Pingtung’s Paiwan community — from the minister, members of the New Zealand team performed a traditional Maori haka.
Photo: Chen Yen-ting, Taipei Times
The Atayal team won the domestic contest, earning seven gold, one silver and two bronze medals, and also being awarded NT$200,000.
“In the past few days, we have shared some wonderful and unforgettable moments here,” Ljaucu Zingrur said. “We want to express our deepest thanks to all the international teams who traveled from your countries.”
“Thank you for bringing your culture, skills and passion, also for showing respect and friendship to help make this gathering of indigenous peoples truly meaningful,” he said.
Ljaucu Zingrur also thanked Taiwan’s indigenous teams “for showing the world the beauty and strength of your cultures, and for filling the Games with culture, depth and warmth.”
“Through sports, we introduce our culture [to others], and through culture, we connect with one another,” he said. “Once again, the world witnessed the strength of indigenous peoples.”
The inaugural Games had more than 1,100 participants from 12 international teams including Canada, Guatemala, Japan, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, the Philippines, Tuvalu, and the US’ Hawaii and Guam.
The Games were held by the council, the Pingtung County Government, Taiwan Indigenous TV and the Indigenous People’s Cultural Foundation, at Laiyi High School and other locations in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County.
Participants competed in 10 categories: traditional archery, traditional music and dance, log sawing, tug of war, wrestling, net casting, canoe racing, road running, weight carrying and freediving sprint.
“We wish to see Taiwan’s and other countries’ indigenous peoples interacting and coming closer to forge links,” Pingtung County Commissioner Chou Chun-mi (周春米) said at the opening ceremony.
Taiwan had 17 teams representing the indigenous groups who are officially recognized.
However, some Pingpu rights activists said that despite their request to participate in the event, Pingpu groups in central and northern Taiwan were not allowed to participate, resulting in only the three Pingpu groups in southern Taiwan — Siraya, Makatao and Taivoan — competing, as they accused the council and organizers of negligence.
The requirements to register as indigenous Pingpu groups through a three-year application period, and evaluation and approval by appointed indigenous officials makes the process unnecessarily arduous, they said.
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