| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立屏東教育大學 === 體育學系 === 100 === The aim of this research is to study the cultural meaning of Paiwan tribe’s millet harvest festival, and to study the effect of social changes on this bodily practice in the Paiwan tribe of the Sandimen Township. This research uses ethnographic research methods; data are collected through observations during participation and through in-depth interviews. The results are described below.
1. Cultural connotations in the rituals of Paiwan tribe’s millet harvest festival of Sandimen Township
a. Paiwan people believe their ancestors have the spiritual power to ensure abundant grain harvest and to protect their descendants.
b. The millet harvest festival is a religious practice: For Paiwan people, millet is at the heart of farming rituals. Paiwan people believe that spirits reside inside the millet.
c. The word for tribal chief, heir (which is the eldest son), and millet seed is the same in Paiwan dialect: vusam. Heir is the concept of millet seed projected onto the tribal organization, and the core of the tribe is the chief. Commoners, the warrior class, the noble class and the chief form the everlasting embodiment of the eternal Nature.
2. The body culture of Paiwan’s millet harvest festival of Sandimen Township has been weakened due to several reasons: the aboriginal policy during the Japanese occupation, the introduction of extraneous religions that changed the traditional beliefs, and the national education system that eroded the Paiwan sense of cultural identity. The change in Paiwan lifestyle and social changes caused the traditional tribal system to gradually lose their influence.
3. The preservation and promotion of the Paiwan millet harvest festival of Sandimen Township rely on the effective cooperation of the local government, school education, tribal civil groups and tribal members.
Lastly, four recommendations were made: the government should promote the Aboriginal Day, the tribal revitalization education in school should include body culture in the school-based curriculum, more emphasis should be put on the ancient society – family - seed vusam.
|
|---|
