TAIVOAN – 大武壠族

Location of the Island of Taiwan in East Asia
( ontheworldmap.com )

Island of Taiwan & Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu Islands.
Also shown are:
Green Island (Lu Dao) & Orchid Island (Lan Yu).
( cia.gov )

Administrative Divisions of Taiwan
( nouahsark.com )

Traditional geographical distribution of Highland Peoples.
Alternate spellings or names:
Taroko (Truku, Seediq); Yami (Tao)
( wikipedia . org )

Satellite image of Taiwan showing the central mountains. Compare this image with the map (above) to appreciate the geographic distribution of the Highland Peoples.
( geology . com )

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for Taiwanese Indigenous Peoples

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THE TAIVOAN PEOPLE – 大武壠族

  • The Taivoan Indigenous People (大武壠族 Dàwǔlóng zú) are one of Taiwan’s Plains Indigenous (Pingpu) peoples. Although historically well documented, they are not currently recognized as an official Indigenous group by the Taiwanese government. Their history is closely tied to southwestern Taiwan and to broader debates over Indigenous recognition.
  • Name: Taivoan (historical spellings include Taivuan, Tevorangh, Tavocan)
    Category: Plains Indigenous People (Pingpu)
    Current legal status: Unrecognized
    Related groups: Often discussed alongside the Siraya and Makatao, with whom they share cultural and linguistic similarities—but many Taivoan activists emphasize a distinct identity.
  • Historically, Taivoan communities lived mainly in southwestern Taiwan, including:
    Tainan City
    Kaohsiung
    Eastern Chiayi
    Parts of Pingtung County (which may be of particular interest to you, given your prior focus on Pingtung)
    Many modern Taivoan descendants live in rural villages that trace their lineage to these early settlements.
  • Taivoan language: An Austronesian language, now extinct as a daily spoken language
    Known mainly through:
    17th-century Dutch missionary records
    Church catechisms and word lists
    Closely related to Siraya, but linguistic evidence suggests it was not identical
    Language revitalization efforts exist, though they rely heavily on historical reconstruction.
  • History Pre-colonial and Early Contact
    The Taivoan lived in organized villages with agriculture, hunting, and ritual life.
    Early contact with the Dutch (1624–1662) brought Christianity, Romanized writing systems, and major social changes.
    Qing and Japanese Periods
    During Qing rule, Taivoan people experienced:
    Land loss
    Intermarriage with Han settlers
    Gradual assimilation
    Under Japanese rule (1895–1945), they were classified administratively as “熟蕃” (acculturated tribes), contributing to later denial of Indigenous status.
  • Culture and Beliefs
    Spiritual Life
    Traditionally animistic, centered on ancestral spirits and village guardian deities
    Ritual specialists played key roles in ceremonies and healing
    Christian conversion occurred early, but Indigenous ritual practices persisted, often blending with Christianity
    Social Organization
    Village-based communities
    Strong emphasis on:
    Kinship
    Collective land use
    Seasonal rituals tied to agriculture
  • Modern Status and Recognition Movement
    Today, Taivoan people are generally classified by the state as Han Taiwanese
    However, many families maintain Taivoan ancestry, rituals, and village identity
    Activists seek:
    Official recognition as a distinct Indigenous people
    Restoration of land and cultural rights
    Inclusion in Indigenous education and language revitalization programs
    Recognition remains controversial, particularly due to:
    High historical assimilation
    Government reliance on rigid criteria (language continuity, census records)
  • Why the Taivoan Matter
    The Taivoan case highlights broader issues in Taiwan:
    The legacy of Plains Indigenous erasure
    Tensions between historical documentation and modern legal definitions
    The ongoing struggle to recognize Indigenous peoples who were assimilated earliest
    They are often cited as a key example of why Taiwan’s recognition system remains incomplete.
  • https://www.sinica.edu.tw/
  • https://www.cip.gov.tw/zh-tw/index.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taivoan_people
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liuchongxi?utm_source=chatgpt.com
  • https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E6%AD%A6%E5%A3%A0%E8%AA%9E?utm_source=chatgpt.com
  • https://www.taivoan.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
  • https://iwgia.org/en/taiwan?utm_source=chatgpt.com
  • https://newbloommag.net/2025/05/12/pingpu-recognition-kmt/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

  • EASY SEARCH FOR MORE LINKS ! . . . . .

  • scholar.google.com – The Taivoan People – 大武壠族 @ Google Scholar
  • youtube.com – The Taivoan People – 大武壠族 @ You Tube . com
  • images.google.com – The Taivoan People – 大武壠族 @ Google Images

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LATEST PAGE UPDATE: December 28 , 2025 .
最後一次更新時間為:  2025 / 12 / 28 .

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