Who owns Taiwan? This subject has been in debate throughout the history of man. It has been colonized by the Dutch, the Chinese, the Spanish, and the Japanese. Control over Taiwan has changed so many times that the first inhabitants died out over ten-thousand years ago. Even today, people aren’t sure who rules the island.
Taiwan’s government is officially known as the “Republic of China” which differs from the “People’s Republic of China” on the mainland. The People’s Republic of China insists that the “Republic of China” does not exist, which is a bit like if the US claimed that the Canadian government did not exist and that the US owned Canada.
When touring Taiwan you have a couple of options: You can visit the west (the cities) or you can visit the east (the aboriginal communities). I could probably write a couple of boring paragraphs about the cities including Taipei and the second tallest building in the world (indeed my first draft of this blog included these things) but let’s move on to the aboriginals, because it’s more interesting.
Taiwan has nineteen aboriginal tribes (or abo-diginals for you Derek Zoolander fans). These make up about 2% of the population with 98% of the population being Han Chinese. It is thought that the southern tribes migrated from Malaysia and Polynesia. No one knows where the northern tribes came from but guesses include Vietnam, Mongolia, and Japan.
Our first stop on this virtual tour is Sun Moon Lake, home of the Thao. The lake is famous for its striking blue water and mountainous backdrop. Many Chinese couples choose to spend their honeymoon here. Lalu Island, in the middle of the lake, is holy ground for the Thao people. The Thao people offer tours of the lake in special canoes made from hollowing out tree trunks. Being Taiwan’s smallest tribe- the Lalu consists of only five-hundred individuals.
Our next stop is WangXiang Village, home to the Bunun Tribe. The village lies right under Yushan, the Island highest mountain and one of the highest in the world. The tribe use to consist of fierce headhunting warriors, which explains why they have survived so many invading governments. Today the tribe hunts and traps food in the mountains. The Bunun people are also known for their stylish vocal music.
Next we head over to Orchid Island, a small volcanic rock that is home to the Tao (or the Yami). The Island is famed for crystal clear water and stunning coral reefs and rock formations. Here the Tao carve giant wooden canoes and practice spearfishing.
These are just a few of the ancient cultures of Taiwan. They have lived through many ruling governments and are still living in their ancient ways. They are the survivors and no matter what government has control of Taiwan they will continue to survive.
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