wfn.org | Editorial: Remembering our Aborigine brethren during Lunar New Year

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

>      Taiwan Church News

>3024~3025 Edition

>February 8~21, 2010

Editorial: Remembering our Aborigine brethren during Lunar New  Year

>Translated by Lydia Ma

Lunar New Year is a time when Han people celebrate the coming of  spring and

bid farewell to another year. On this occasion, every household  spends a lot of

time doing a major clean up. The cleanup also take on a symbolic  meaning, for

we hope to sweep out the bad stuffs from yesteryears and welcome  in the good

>stuffs or fortunes of the coming year.

Aborigines in Taiwan are a diverse group encompassing various  tribes and

ethnicities. But one thing every tribe’s holidays have in  common is that they

always revolve around honoring the elderly, humbly learning from  them, and

caring for young children. Aborigine traditions teach Aborigines  to honor elderly

people, care for women and children, appreciate the environment,  and honor

God. These practices also ingrain a strong sense of attachment to  one’s

>community.

In the past, Aborigines lived in poverty and lagged behind in  modes of

transportation and medical technology. But whatever they lacked in  material

needs, they compensated by nurturing a sense of contentment and  joy in their

souls. More importantly, they would somehow find a sense of  community and

harmony with the people and environment surrounding them and this  was always

one of their strengths and rare gifts. They nurtured this quality  because they

believed harmony was an essential part of their culture and  identity.

Unfortunately, Aborigines were eventually forced to bow and  surrender to the

pressures of “civilized” society and face reality. As a  result of succumbing to

government policies and greedy corporations in the past 50 years,  Aborigines

watched helplessly as their beautiful waterfalls, thermal springs,  oceans, and

forests disappeared, filled with pollution, or  “developed” into resorts. All of these

“developments” eventually translated into severe loss of  land for Aborigines.

Today, they are confined to small strips of land and hemmed in by  various

regulations. The influx of cheap imports has also threatened their  livelihoods,

>leaving them in poverty.

In recent years, many Aborigines have lost their jobs when  factories either folded

or relocated to China one by one. Statistics reveal that about 10%  of Aborigines

are unemployed. As if losing their homes and jobs weren’t  enough, last year’s

Typhoon Morakot claimed many Aborigine lives. Reports estimate  that about

>70% of Morakot victims are Aborigines.

Every third Sunday in February is Aborigine Ministries Sunday for  all PCT

churches. As our streets fill with the sound of firecrackers  celebrating Lunar New

Year, it is our hope that Taiwanese people won’t forget their  Aborigine brethren

who are still hurting. As we gather around our dinner tables to  celebrate Lunar

New Year, let us learn from Aborigines’ spirit of community  and generosity.

Though the economy may continue to slump, let us continue to  remember and

help our brothers and sisters in Christ and minister to them to  honor and bring

fame to God and build up the lives of people around us.

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