Ethnicity, Indigeneity, and Ecology in Taiwan

What is it about?

The article surveys how ethnic and indigenous identities are expressed in Taiwan by employing an ecological framework (broadly understood). In the case study selected, such identities are expressed through travel (to West Tibet) and the appropriation Han-Chinese literary tropes (specifically the language of "wandering" or liulang).

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Photo by Daniele Salutari on Unsplash

Photo by Daniele Salutari on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This article presents the work of Dadelavan Ibau -- a Paiwan aboriginal, Taiwan writer -- in English for the first time. It analyzes how a member of a minority ethnic group in Taiwan balances demands from indigenous and majority Han-ethnic cultural norms, particularly with respect to the environment. This represents a new, indigenous and female voice that provides a distinct perspective on how ethnic identity manifests and is managed in twenty-first century Taiwan.