Taiwan promotes indigenous culture in China

Want China Times, Chen Chia-lun and Staff Reporter 2014-07-07

Indigenous people perform during a Harvest Festival in Kaohsiung.
(Photo/Liu Yo-ting)

Taiwan's Council of Indigenous People (CIP) has urged Chinese travel agencies to clearly distinguish between tourist performances done by indigenous people and their private lives so that their privacy will not be invaded, reports our sister newspaper China Times.

Members of the CIP made the appeal to travel agencies in Beijing during a trip in China to promote travel in Taiwan.

Chen Cheng-chia, a CIP deputy minister, said that in the past Chinese tourists would only attend indigenous performances in Taiwan's major cities instead of visiting the source of their culture. Chen said there are 16 indigenous tribes in Taiwan, and their culture is the gem of cross-strait tourism. Traditional aboriginal ceremonies attract large amounts of visitors each year.

Chang Chen-yue, an indigenous Taiwanese rock musician, recently wrote on his Facebook page, "If you respect indigenous people, don't believe in governmental promotions. The Harvest Festivals are very important parts of our tradition. How could it become a tourist event?"

A member of the CIP delegation to Beijing said people need not worry too much about what Chang said, because aboriginal performers do make a difference between what is performance, and what is the real ceremony that they organize to thank divinities for their harvest. According to that member, the 12 tourist villages are experienced in what they are doing, and tourists are not likely to disturb much of their private lives.