wfn.org | TCN: PCT and Aboriginal leaders embrace Siraya as a Taiwanese Aboriginal tribe

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>2996 Edition

>July 27~August 2, 2009

PCT and Aboriginal leaders embrace Siraya as a Taiwanese  Aboriginal tribe

>Reported by Chen Yi-hsuan and Chiou Kuo-rong

>Written by Lydia Ma

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT),  along with

14 Aboriginal representatives from different tribes, welcomed  Siraya tribe to

become a member of Taiwan’s Aboriginal family by officially  recognizing Siraya

>as a genuine Aboriginal tribe.

In recent years, Siraya people have been seeking official status  to become the

15th nationally recognized Aboriginal tribe, but their requests  have repeatedly

been turned down by the Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP). One  of the

reasons the CIP cited for turning down Siraya tribe’s  requests was that it must

respect the views of other Aborigines and seek their acceptance  before

declaring themselves to be an Aboriginal tribe.

In spite of the CIP’s reluctance, more than 500 Aboriginal  churches belonging to

the PCT led the way in recognizing Siraya tribe on July 22 by  holding a press

conference and officially acknowledging Siraya people as Taiwanese

Aboriginals. During the press conference, PCT General Assembly  Moderator

Leonard Lin declared, “the PCT is now officially recognizing  Siraya people as

>Taiwanese Aboriginals.”

About 30 Aboriginal representatives from all 14 officially  recognized Aboriginal

tribes gathered in Tainan County to take part in this press  conference sponsored

by Tainan County Government. Representatives used their own  tribe’s unique

music and dance to celebrate this occasion and express solidarity  with Siraya

people and hope that the tribe will be recognized by the national  government

>soon.

Tainan County Mayor Su Huan-jhih said during the press conference  that PCT

played a crucial role in Taiwan’s democratization and it is  very significant to have

the PCT’s support as Siraya and other Pingpu Aborigines seek  official status.

He hoped the PCT will continue to use its God-given strength to  uphold justice

>and support Siraya people.

Leonard Lin said no one could deny Siraya people were masters of  Taiwan and

wished them well. He also prayed for truth, faith, and love to  prevail and for God

>to give strength to Siraya people.

Lin and Paiwan Presbytery Moderator Lumeg gave a Paiwan-style  porcelain teapot set to Mayor Su, who gave gifts representative of  Tainan area in return.

Aboriginal leaders also exchanged gifts with Siraya leaders to  symbolize their

friendship. Taroko leaders presented a set of bow and arrow, Bunun  leaders

presented rainbow-colored baskets, Siraya leaders gave garlands  and dried

fruits, and leaders also toasted each other and sang songs after  the gift

>exchange.

Former PCT General Secretary C.M. Kao and his wife were also  present during

the press conference. As a descendant of the Hoanya tribe that  lived in the

lowlands and therefore considered a Pingpu Aborigine, Kao also has  a son-in-

law who ministers at a Paiwan Aboriginal church. Kao said that  Taiwanese

Aborigines are not only masters of Taiwan but also national  treasures.

Furthermore, archeologists have discovered that Aborigines have  resided in this

land for more than 7,000 years. Embracing Siraya people as  Aborigines is

God’s grace and must be achieved with everyone’s  efforts, he said.

Siraya people have tried since 1993 to obtain official recognition  from the

national government and critics argue that the government denial  of their request

is aimed at denying them, and other Pingpu Aborigines, eventual  government

funding of various descriptions that comes with an official  Aboriginal status.

Hence, official recognition from the PCT will serve as a  much-needed

encouragement in the tough days ahead as they continue their  campaign.

According to Siraya Culture Association, Pingpu tribes lost their  official

Aboriginal status after they failed to register themselves as  Aborigines with the

government in the 1950s and 1960s, though Pingpu held official  Aboriginal

status under the Japanese colonial government. The association  claims that an

administrative error does not change the fact that Siraya and  other Pingpu

>Aborigines are Aboriginal people.

In related news, the Kahabu Aboriginal tribe in Puli have been  researching their

roots and documenting their findings by making a DVD and  distributing it to

people free of charge. According to Kahabu Association, members  from the

Kahabu tribe, just like the Siraya tribe, have petitioned the  government to

recognize them as an official Aboriginal tribe.

Kahabu people have also ventured deep into the mountains to search  places

where their ancestors used to live and made documentaries of their  findings.

Their efforts were fueled by their determination to provide  convincing proof to the

government and the rest of Taiwan that they are genuinely native  people.

According to Kahabu Association, Kahabu Aborigines used to be in  the

frontlines protecting Han Chinese people in Taiwanese history.  Filming this

documentary will help Kehabu people review their own history and  allow other

Aborigines to know Kehabu tribe’s history. More importantly,  Han Chinese

people must remember that Kehabu Aborigines acted as their shields  and

protectors in the past and return the favor now by supporting  Kehabu people’s

petition to be recognized as a Taiwanese Aboriginal tribe.

According to findings, Kehabu people’s ancestors lived in  forests and were

neighbors of the ferocious Sediq tribe. They were talented,  courageous, and

possessed skills that could intimidate most people. Their talent  and abilities

inspired Han Chinese people to use them as shields or bodyguards  against

other Aboriginal tribes living in the mountains.

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