Splendor of Taiwan

The Puyuma people is an indigenous group that resides along the Southeastern plains of Taiwan. Myths of the Puyuma people’s origin have two different versions– the bamboo origin which is believed by people of the Beinan Village and the stone origin which is believed by the people of the Zhiben Village. The tribe has made a living through growing agricultural products such as crops like soybeans and wheat ; while along the way, learning and developing different farming tools and techniques introduced by its colonizers. The Puyuma People are divided into various small tribes that inhabit different areas of Taiwan’s Southeastern plains, including some that settle in Taitung city and Beinan township. Due to the nature of their geography, the Puyuma tribe has faced many encounters from various cultures and people such as the Chinese and Japanese who came to cultivate their land. However, despite encountering such a variety of people, the Puyuma tribe was still able to preserve their traditions to a great extent; those consisting of practices of magic and rituals like the “Annual Festival” which is also known as the Major Hunting Ritual, and this is their way of celebrating the New Years. Another well preserved part of the Puyuma culture is their attire. The Puyuma clothing is known for their liveliness which is best expressed by the colorful flower ornaments worn by both males and females and the vivid traditional colors of red, yellow and green which are visible on the attire from head to toe. The model of the Puyuma traditional clothing in the TECO culture center is that of the female which includes all the characteristics of the description said previously. Puyuma female attire uses black as the base color of the dress to highlight the detailed needlework, and uses white or red as the inner clothing which is worn underneath the dress; in addition, the main material used in creating these dresses is a plant called hemp. Cross stitching makes up a large part of their needle work; it is used to develop the many different colorful patterns that appear on the black base of the attire, and common patterns include black and white diamonds, squares, and flowers. The clothes are also differentiated by social status and relationships, as well as age groups, especially for men. The most dazzling clothing for males are clothes for youths while the most dazzling for females is clothing they wear when they reach marriageable age. Overall, through the brief introduction to the Puyuma Tribe of Taiwan, people can get a better understanding about their beliefs and way of life.