TRIBES

1)Men and Women's Clothes

The clothing of Taiwan's indigenous people represents the prominent features of each tribe. It symbolizes cultural ideas and beliefs with vivid colors and diverse styles. Every indigenous tribe has its own unique clothing style and characteristics. Creatively, Paiwan, Rukai and Bunun peoples use dark blue or black cloth to present their lively and varied designs. Amis, Tsou, Saisiya, and Atayal peoples are apt to use blood red and azure (sky blue) to express their reverence and love for Nature. And the Yami (Tao) people living on Lanyu Island are the only indigenous tribe to weave cloth using palm fiber. For textile production, all indigenous groups used a squared cloth system. This means they used a horizontal loom with a strap to weave exquisite and beautiful cloth, and then sewed pieces of cloth together to make an integrated garment. A considerable amount of pendants are used by all the indigenous people in Taiwan to make attractive clothing. Shells, buttons, lazurite beads and so forth are added not only for decoration, but also as symbols of status and wealth. The clothing carries a traditional aesthetic meaning. All the colors, patterns and designs signify artistic property and social significance. Trade with the Han had an overwhelming impact on the clothing of Taiwan's indigenous people. The materials and styles have gradually changed. Before the Japanese colonial period, most clothing was made of linen. Later, imported cotton cloth and printed calico were greatly used. Recently, chemical fibers have been replacing the original textile. Clothes that were traditionally separate pieces have changed into light and convenient suits. All these changes have been made to accommodate time and environmental constrictions. However, the clothing of Taiwan's indigenous people has not vanished due to the influences of Han culture and modernization. Thanks to excellent preservation of festivities and customs, traditional clothing can be passed on to the next generation and carry new cultural significance. In certain festivities or ceremonies, indigenous people fully express their ethnic identity by continuing to wear their traditional clothing.

a)

Former name：Men's top

Chinese name：男子長袖短上衣

English name：Male Long sleeve Jacket

Rukai name：IBIBOGO

Theme and keyword：Tribe：Rukai Tribe

Description：Application：Daily menswear. Content Description: Rukai menswear is similar to female garments. All the patterns and weaves are alike. Only the sewing style alters between the sexes. Men's trousers can be categorized into open-seat pants and culottes, which usually were worn with exquisite long-sleeved tops.

b)

Former name：Women's top

Theme and keyword：Tribe：Rukai Tribe

Description：Application：Daily female garment

c)

Former name：Women's top
Chinese name：女子長衣

English name：Female Garment

Rukai name：DALABU

· Theme and keyword：Tribe：Rukai Tribe

· Description：Application：Daily female garment. Content Description: Rukai female garments are more exquisite than menswear. Those wearing a whole suit were considered elegant and graceful. Figures, lilies, Hundred-pace Snakes, and pottery pots are the themes of tokens woven on clothes. Tokens are woven according to owner's status and position. Garments of married, single, and elderly women are slightly different. Generally speaking, single women's clothing is more colorful and intricate. The color of middle-aged women's clothing is comparatively plain, and elderly women wore mostly black or blue.

2) Ceremonial wear

a) Ceremony dress of Saisiat People

This double-breasted, long sleeveless top is worn during ceremonies. The white color of the upper part of the clothes signifies a principle of a life of kind-heartedness and innocence. The basic red tone of the middle and lower parts symbolizes a high spirit and a happy life. Inside the red stripes are intermingling diamond, triangle and sauwastika shapes in red, black, and white. One can trace back the design of the patterns to the chants sung during Pas-ta’ai. The black rim of the patterns decorated means a person should always be conscientious.

3) Headdresses

a) Headdress from the Tsou tribe

This object was probably used in the 1930s. It is an ensemble with silver chains and pendants. On the decorative border of its square silver foil, the patterns of lunaria annua and picturesque patterns were engraved. Piercing and hanging are the basic skills employed on this handwork. The seams in the two sides were pierced through by red cotton cloth, as the bands of this object. To wear it, one should put the scarf on his head, and then decorate his forehead with silver chains. Finally he can fix the piece by pulling the two strings back and tying them together behind the head. This type of forehead accessory is very likely to be obtained through transactions with Han people.

b) Headdress of Amis People

The headdress was weaved in a simple fashion, featuring spiral patterns and joint seaming techniques. On the front, there are two wild boar teeth. The top of the headdress is circled with bent bamboo slices that are wound around with red floss. Sixteen feathers of pheasants are stuck in around the top. The tip of every feather was inserted with balls of yarn made of white young pheasant feathers. The back of the headdress was decorated by teeth in a fan shape row. In addition, five feathers were arranged upright, fastened and wound with red floss.

c) Headress of Puyuma People

This hat features a round shaped rattan-textured cross section. The weaving work starts with spiral patterns that reach near the edge, which was fixed on the hat body with rattan bark, linen threads, and rattan hoops entwining the basket. The rattan hoops in the front of the hat are two fewer than those in the sides. In addition, two rubber circles were set on the top of the hat.

4) Bracelets

The aboriginal people in Taiwan have a great affection for body decorations, whether they are men or women. Decorations of the upper body include head accessories, earrings, necklaces, breast ornaments, armlets, bracelets, rings, etc. The materials used primarily contain jades, shells, animal teeth and bones, hide (or fur), precious metals (silver and bronze), buttons, coins, glass beads, and flowers and plants. These accessories fully represent the aesthetics and the value of these tribal cultures. The Atayal Tribe, who are renowned for the excellence in beadwork, manufacture delicate shell beads with tridacna (fluted giant clam). These shell beads are not only decorated on long garments, but made into necklaces, both of which are ideal for dowry and transaction media. There are also various styles of earrings. People of the Ami Tribe make earrings, necklaces and breast ornaments by grinding shells. Both males and females of this tribe think highly of crest and head accessories, while males of the Tsou Tribe are experts in tanning leather into clothes which they wear. They also wear armlets made of teeth from wild boars and human hair, as well as earrings of ground shells. Hanging down from their leather hats are long feathers of pheasants. In the Paiwan and the Rukai Tribes, ornaments are, more often than not, worn by the nobles. Glass beads and cowrie-beaded strings are in particular restricted to the usage of their nobles only. Moreover, the patterns of their clothes are extremely intricate and exquisite. Feathers of eagles appear to be generally decorated on their head accessories worn by both males and females. The head accessories belonging to those among the chieftain rank are decorated with feathers of male eagles, symbolizing the highest glory. Some tribal habitants in Butsul Paiwan and Rukai Tribe wear lilies to represent the virtues of chastity and prowess of hunting. The Tao Tribe (also called the Yami Tribe) living on the Orchid Island make delicate ornaments with their own hands, among which there exists explicit distinctness between those of males and females. When it is time for them to dress up, Tao males wear silver helmets, breast ornaments dangling a slice of golden foil and silver bracelets, while the females wear hair accessories decorated with buttons, strings of agate beads, or necklaces made of nautilus.

a)

Former title: Bracelet

Title in English: bracelet

Title in vernacular: yoyora

· Subject, keywords: tribe of possession: the Ami Tribe

· Description: usage: people of the Ami Tribe normally wear two or three bracelets, however some of them wear six or eight up to the most. Wearing more bracelets suggests the more wealth the owner possesses. The males of the Ami Tribe prefer bright-colored bracelets, so its females compete with one another by wearing them as such. Moreover, the ornaments worn around wrists mean to be inherited from mothers to daughters, so they should be identified as both personal belongings and family treasures.

· Portrayal: the body decoration items of the Ami Tribe can be approximately divided into seven major categories: head accessories, earrings, necklaces, breast ornaments, bracelets, waist ornaments and anklets. Waist ornaments include bangles and armlets, with the former used by the males and the latter by the females. In the Ami Tribe tradition, only adults are allowed to wear accessories. The number of items and the extent of the preciousness of them indicate the wealth and the social status of the owner. Materials like bones and teeth used to make accessories symbolize the brevity the wearer, meanwhile they enhance better visual effect and convey the implication of glory. Materials and styles of accessories provide positive proof of the external contact that the Ami Tribe used to keep with the outsiders. We have been notified of the impact that the Netherlanders, the Hans, and the Japanese had on the decoration items used in the Ami Tribe thanks to the import of new materials and decoration items.

· Material: iron

· Manufacturing skills: founding, grinding

b)

Former title: Bracelet

Title in English: silver bracelet

Title in vernacular: pacinoken

· Subject, keywords: tribe of possession: The Yami Tribe

· Description: usage: pacinoken is unisex and can be worn by males and females in the Yami Tribe in the occasions of important festivals or ceremonies.

· Portrayal: this accessory is worn when people of the Ami spend the days of essential festivals and ceremonies. Or when celebrating a giant fish were caught.

· Material: thin, metallic slice

· Manufacturing skill: forging, flatting, cutting

c)

Former title: Bracelet

Formal Title: Silver bracelet

Title in English: Silver bracelet

Title in vernacular: kaljate

· Subject, keywords: tribe of possession: The Paiwan Tribe

· Description: Use for decoration

· Portrayal: silver bracelets are generally worn by females but observed only during the time of grand feasts. In order for the convenience of chores, the bracelets are kept well in the jewelry caskets.