Paiwan Tribe also known as 排灣族 in Mandarin is a indigenous tribe in Taiwan. They make up approximately 17.8% of Taiwan’s total indigenous population and are the second largest indigenous group on Formosa (aka Taiwan). With approximately 95,000 Paiwan people, the majority of them live in the Southern part of the island. Specifically with the origin in Manzohou Township, Pintung County. An area part of the beautiful and renowned Kenting National park.
The tribe links politics, marriage, religion, and art with the family names, and clans and has a rigid societal hierarchy. Paiwan culture is deeply rooted in agriculture, with farming, hunting, and gathering forming the backbone of their economy. Staple crops like foxtail millet, upland rice, sweet potatoes, and taro are central to their diet, complemented by meat from hunting and betel nuts for social interactions and rituals.
Clothing among the Paiwan reflects their social hierarchy, with noble families distinguished by intricate patterns and totems on their garments. Traditional male attire consists of circular-collar long-sleeved shirts and kilts, while women wear circular-collar robes with panel skirts, leggings, and elaborate headwear.
The Paiwan are renowned for their artistic expressions, notably in carving, weaving, and pottery. Wooden and stone carvings often feature motifs like the hundred pace viper, reflecting their reverence for ancestral spirits. The “Three Paiwan Treasures” – pottery pots, glass beads, and bronze knives – hold significant cultural and symbolic value.
Architecture among the Paiwan is characterized by slate houses built on trapezium platforms, with noble families possessing spacious front yards and stone-stacked altars for ancestral worship.
Religiously, the Paiwan blend traditional beliefs with Christianity, with rituals conducted by shamans or priests to communicate with ancestral spirits and gods. Additionally, supernaturalism is essential to their culture. The Millet Harvest Thanksgiving Festival and the Five-Year Ritual are among their important ceremonies, emphasizing gratitude, community, and spiritual connection.
Socially, the Paiwan adhere to a first-child succession system, where the eldest inherits family property and affairs. Chiefs hold superior status, overseeing the tribe’s welfare and resources, while a hierarchy exists among nobles, officials, and commoners. Despite historical challenges and external influences, the
Despite intentional governmental interventions with their cultural traditions in the 1960s. Paiwan have preserved their cultural identity through generations, adapting to modernity while maintaining reverence for their ancestral traditions. Their resilience and cultural vibrancy continue to shape their unique place within Taiwanese society.
Splendor of Taiwan 