Becoming a Caucau : A Process of the Cultural Revitalization in Kaviyangan

• Main Authors: Yeh, Yu-Jen, 葉于甄
• Other Authors: Chien, Mei-Ling
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2019
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/j83a67

碩士 === 國立交通大學 === 人文社會學系族群與文化碩士班 === 107 === This study explores the manner in which Paiwan people (aborigines in Taiwan) revive the traditional culture during the modern period in Taiwan, and describes the series of actions taken by them to re-establish the traditional culture through ethnography as well as their cultural exchanges with different Paiwanese tribes located in the east and southwest of Taiwan to enhance their ethnic identity. The research was carried out on the kaviyangan tribe, which is located in Taiwu township, Pingtung County. Since 2005, the community has promoted the development of the tribal industry. However, the person in charge of this promotion of community has found that the most urgent need for the tribe is to revive the culture of the tribe. Since 2007, the tribe has been gradually searching for the true essence of their tribe. This study points out that, in the process of revitalizing the traditional culture, the priority for kaviyangan tribe is to bring people back. Therefore, the tribe resorts to reviving the traditional Paiwan’s “Youth age-group” as a starting point for cultural revitalization. The tribe helps the youth to connect with the ancient traditions and upcoming future by conducting cultural events. At the same time, through cultural exchanges with other tribes, the tribe can build links with other social groups with common goals. During the exchanges with other tribes, the kaviyangan tribe immersed into its imagination about Paiwan and additionally discovered the similarities and differences between itself and the other tribes. The differences deepen kaviyangan’s cultural self-identity and attention; the tribe communicates its own culture and establishes its value of kaviyangan people through concrete actions. During the cultural revitalization of the kaviyangan tribe, "connection" is a very important element that will recompose and reorganize the broken lifestyle and the cultural remnants, providing us with a clue to interpret the tradition when we think about the culture as the core value for this tribe and the connection also resonates with the kaviyangan tribe itself. Meanwhile, the research reveals that the culture of contemporary aborigines is changing, resilient, and soft when they are faced with the disturbing modern times.