Understanding Taiwan’s Identity and Aboriginal People

My time in Taipei was an action packed and educational adventure. CIEE brought us to many different places throughout Taiwan like the National Palace Museum, Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines, Jiufen, the Golden Waterfall, a pineapple cake workshop, Yilan, and more. I will never forget my experiences and the wonderful people I met. 

The trip to Yilan with CIEE was an enriching experience. Nestled in the winding mountains, the Atayal tribe welcomed us to their land. With soaring waters below and lush rolling fields, their land brought a sense of peace to our group. They provided traditional clothing and headgear for us to wear. The woven colors blue, yellow, red, and black represent the power of the culture. The checkered prints represent the eyes and spirits of their ancestors. While the horizontal lines represent the rainbow bridge, which leads to the dead where the ancestor's spirits live. They granted us a glimpse into their daily life and traditions through song and dance. It was incredibly beautiful to see their preservation of their culture through their language, music, and traditions. With interlinked hands and smiling faces, we all danced to song called “We are all family.” They were extremely kind and treated us like family, allowing us to play with their youngest child of three years old. We traveled to a local kitchen and ate a traditional Taiwanese lunch comprised of fish, rice, millet wine, beef, vegetables, and more. During lunch, we met local travelers who were traveling all around Taiwan, but claimed Yilan was their favorite place they saw. Afterwards, the Atayal family brought us to a nearby cave and explained the importance of the wood and natural resources there. We learned that wood is a very valuable resource for them, and they often trade with it. Later, when we were preparing the sticky rice for mochi, they used wood delicately crafted into a basin for cooking and a mallet. The grandfather told me that the basin and mallet are very precious to them and old. They also taught us how to fill rice in bamboo and cook bamboo sticky rice, which was extremely delicious. My favorite part was shooting at targets with the bow and arrow. Several members of the family showed us different ways to stand and shoot. By the end of the lesson, we all improved and enjoyed learning a new skill. This opportunity is one that many people do not get to experience. I was amazed to learn about a new culture and understand the identity of one of the first groups in Taiwan. 

I was extremely grateful to be able to immerse myself in the culture through language, the topics we learned in class, and the different excursions. We learned about Taiwan’s rich history, artworks throughout the different periods, Taiwan’s customs, origins of the language, and the political environment today. I am amazed by the orderliness and safeness of the country. The freedom this program gave us to explore on our own on weekends was impactful. I explored Kaohsiung, Tamsui, various night markets, and TSMC Innovation Museum. I am looking forward to returning and becoming involved in Taiwan life through working, volunteering, and traveling to new areas.