Taiwan’s Islands - Taiwan - page 662

The first Taiwanese artist to study in Japan was Huang Tu-shui (1895-1930) whose re-
lief masterwork called 'Water Buffalo' can be seen in Taipei's Zhongshan Hall.
Indigenous Arts & Crafts
The indigenous people of Taiwan have their own distinct art traditions, many of which
are alive and well these days.
Woodcarving
The Tao of Lanyu Island are famous for their handmade canoes, built without nails or
glue. The striking canoes have carved relief designs embellished with human and sun
motifs painted in white, red and black.
The Paiwan and Rukai also excel at woodcarving, and building homes and utensils
that feature elaborate carvings of humans, snakes and fantastical creatures. Along the
east coast the Amis use driftwood for sculptures of humans and animals and fantastic ab-
stract pieces. You can check out part of the scene at the Dulan Sugar Factory ( Click
here ) .
Dance & Music
Vocal music is one way aborigines preserve their history and legends, passing down
songs from one generation to the next. This music has become popular in recent years
and music stores in Taiwan's larger cities carry recordings.
Aboriginal dances, accompanied by singing and musical instruments, are usually
centred on festivals, which may celebrate coming-of-age rituals, harvests or hunting
skills. These days, it's relatively easy to watch a genuine performance of traditional
dance in the summer along the east coast.
Though rarely performed now, the Bunun Pasibutbut, a song with a complex eight-
part harmony, was once considered impossible for a 'primitive' hunter gatherer society to
have created.
The Atayal and Seediq are well known for their weaving which uses hand-planted ramie.
The bright 'traditional' colours were actually introduced in the 1920s.