Michael Rudolph

Michael Rudolph 2003:

"The Quest for Difference vs the Wish to Assimilate: Taiwan's Aborigines and their Struggle for Cultural Survival in Times of Multiculturalism"

(Abstract of paper published in: Rubinstein, Murray & Paul Katz (eds) 2003, Religion and the Formation of Taiwanese Identities. New York: St.Martins/Palgrave (ISBN: 0-312-23969-6), p. 123-156.)

1. Tian Guishi's homepage 'The Facial Tattoo of Tayal'

2. Acceptance of the cultural perspectives of elites within Aboriginal society

3. A methodological excursus

4. Multicultural Taiwan

5. Taiwanese Multiculturalism

6. The Background and Functions of the Multiculturalism of the 90s and the Role of Aborigines

7. The Strive for Authenticity

8. The Quest for 'Yuanzhumin-Subjectivity': the 'Re-emmergence' of Headhunting

9. The Reasons for the Change of Attitude towards Headhunting

10. Taiwanese subjectivity and Aborigines subjectivity: the search for new paths for the deconstruction and subversion of Han-hegemony and Han-centrism

Abstract

The advantages and disadvantages of multicultural politics for minority groups are widely discussed (Taylor 1992); so are the impacts of multiculturalism to the notion of culture: one of the most notable shifts is a growing tendency to 'stage difference and authenticity' in order to be recognized in one's 'right to be different' (Schiffauer 1997).

The claim for multiculturalism in Taiwan's political and cultural sphere since the early 90s affects Taiwan's Austronesian population and the cultures of these peoples in various ways. It can be observed that particular segments of Aboriginal society (which may differ in social strata as well as in ethnic backgrounds) often have completely different and even mutually excluding views on the question of which parts of a particular culture shall be preserved, revitalized, renewed or omitted - a divergency which fosters new contradictions between ethnic elites and the people. For instance: During the first Aboriginal Culture Congress in 1994 Taiwanese Aboriginal activists staged a symbolical 'culture headhunting raid' in order to utter their demands for cultural, educational and political autonomy more convincingly. This action was by no means praised by all members of Aboriginal society. On the other hand, activists often express their discontent about the 'lack of authenticity' in the innovational activities of Aborigines engaged in representation of 'Aboriginal culture' for tourism. This paper, partly based on field research in Taiwan from 1994-96, discusses the relation of Aboriginal culturalism to popular culture as well as the socio-cultural context in which the strive for recognition takes place (i.e., the values minority groups refer to).

My paper mostly focuses on the last point I mention in my abstract, that is 'the socio-cultural context in which the strive for recognition takes place and the values minority groups refer to'. During my stay with the Taroko in Hualian, I realized that ordinary people often have very different perceptions of their own past than the elites, who are (and may also feel) expected to expose their 'authenticity' or their 'Aboriginal subjectivity' in order to nourish and testify 'Taiwanese subjectivity'. If the latter wants to continue to serve as a crucial legitimizing factor for non-unification and non-incorporation, it has to show its maturity, which is only possible by testifying that 'multiculturalism' (which itself serves as a testification that there exists more than one homogeneous, mainland based Chinese culture on Taiwan) works.

Picture 1: Cover of the Comic `The Wushe-Incident`, written and painted by Qiu Ruolong (1990).

Picture 2: Cover of the book of Liyijing Youma (1995) `Tradition` with paintings of Qiu Ruolong.

Picture 3: Headhunting-Scene from the colletion of Atayal legends of Duo`ao and Adong (1991), painted by Qiu Ruolong.

List of Literature

ATA (Alliance of Taiwanese Aborigines), 1987, Yuanzhumin - bei yapozhe de nahan [Taiwanese Aborigines - The Cry of the Oppressed], Taiwan Yuanzhuminzu quanli cujinhui chengli sanzhounian zhuanji, Taibei 1987.

ATA/PCT (Presbyterian Church of Taiwan) 1992, Yuanzhumin xuandao weiyuanhui, 1992, Zhengqu xianfa 'Yuanzhuminzu tiaokuan' xingdong shouce [Booklet on the Strive for a 'Paragraph for Taiwanese Aborigines' in the Constitution'], (PCT) Taibei 4/1992:13).

Chang Mao-kuei, 1996b, "Political Transformation and the 'Ethnization' of Politics in Taiwan" in: Schneider, Axel u. Guenter Schubert (ed.), Taiwan an der Schwelle zum 21. Jh. - Gesellschaftlicher Wandel, Probleme und Perspektiven eines asiatischen Schwellenlandes, Mitteilungen des Instituts fuer Asienkunde Hamburg vol. 270, Hamburg 1996:135-152.

Chen Guangxing, 1994, "Diguo zhi yan: 'ci' diguo yu guozu - guojia de wenhua xiangxiang" -[The Imperialist Eye: The Cultural Imaginary of a Sub-Empire and a Nation State], in: Taiwan shehui yanjiu jikan, No 17, Taibei 7/1994:149-222.

Chen Ruiyun, 1990, Zuqun guanxi, zuqun rentong yu Taiwan Yuanzhumin jiben zhengce [Ethnic Relations, Ethnic Identity and Aboriginal Policy in Taiwan], non-published MA thesis, Zhengzhi University 1990:29-33.

Chen Shaoru, 1994, "Shilun Taiwan renleixue de Gaoshanzu yanjiu" [Preliminary Discussion of the Gaoshanzu Research in Taiwan's Cultural Anthropology], in: Shanhai wenhua zazhi, No 6, Taibei 11/1994:27-36.

Chen Zhaoying, 1995, "Lun Taiwan de bentuhua yundong: yi ge wenhuashi de kaocha" [Discussion of the Taiwanization Movement: Examination of a Cultural History], in: Zhongwai wenxue, vol.23, No 9, 2/1995:8-43.

Fanon, Frantz, 1961, Les damnées de la terre, Paris 1961.

Fu Dawei, 1993, "Bailang senlin li de wenzi lieren" [Hunters of Chinese Characters in the Forest of Han Rascals], in: Dangdai zazhi, No 83, 3/1993:28-49.

Gao Deyi, 1993, "Maixiang 'duoyuan yiti' de zuqun guanxi: Yuanzhumin jiben zhengce de huigu yu zhanwang" [Towards a 'Pluralist Entity' in Ethnic Relations: Review and Prospects of Aboriginal Policy in Taiwan], in: Zhonghua minguo Taiwan Yuanzhuminzu wenhua fazhan xiehui (ZMTYWFX), Yuanzhumin zhengce yu shehui fazhan, Taibei 1994:140-188.

Gao Deyi, 1995, "Maixiang duoyuanhua jiaoyu: Yuanzhumin jiaoyu xiangguan fagui de jiantao" [Towards a Pluralist Education: A Critical Review of the Regulations on Aboriginal Education in Taiwan], in: Yuanzhumin jiaoyu yantaohui, Hualian shifan xueyuan 1995:12-32.

Guan Hongzhi, 1987, "Minzhong de Wu Feng lun" [The Public Discourse on Wu Feng], in: Renjian 8/1987.

Hsieh Shih-chung, 1994, "Tourism, Formulation of Culture, and Ethnicity: A Study of the Daiyan Identity of the Wulai Atayal", in: Harrell, Stevan & Huang Jun-chieh (ed.), Cultural Change in Postwar Taiwan, (Westview Press), Colorado 1994:184-201.

Jiang Guanming, 1994, "Chucao xuanyan shi Yuan/Han duihua de qidian - ping 1994 Yuanzhumin wenhua huiyi" [The Headhunting Raid-Manifest is the Starting Point of a Dialogue between Taiwanese Aborigines and Han: A Comment on the Aboriginal Culture Conference in Taiwan 1994], in: Shanhai wenhua shuangyuekan, No 6, Taibei 9/1994:37-44.

Keesing, Roger M., 1989, "Creating the past. Custom and Identity in the Contemporary Pacific", in: The Contempory Pacific I (1 and 2) 1989:19-42.

Li Yiyuan et al., 1983, Shandi xingzheng zhengce zhi yanjiu yu pinggu baogaoshu [Evaluation Report on Taiwan's Aboriginal Policy], Academia Sinica, Taibei 1983.

Liu Shaohua, 1993, "Yuanzhumin wenhua yundong de lishi weizhi" [The Historical Position of the Culture Movement of Taiwanese Aborigines], in: Shanhai wenhua shuangyuekan, No 1, Taibei 11/1993:48-55.

Qiu Ruolong, 1990, Wushe shijian [The Wushe Incident], (Shibao wenhua chuban), Taibei 1990 (2nd ed. 1995).

Qiu Ruolong, 1994, "Tayazu de jingmian wenhua" [The Tattooing Culture of the Atayal], in: Tayazu renwen lishi yantaohui: Taya wenhuaji 5/1994 (quanguo wenyiji), Taiwan 1994:12.

Radtke, Frank-Olaf, 1993, Politischer und kultureller Pluralismus. Zur politischen Soziologie der 'multikulturellen Gesellschaft'" [Political and Cultural Pluralism: On the Political Sociology in a 'Multicultural Society'], in: Robertson-Wensauer, Caroline Y., Multikulturalitaet - Interkulturalitaet? Probleme und Perspektiven der multikulturellen Gesellschaft, (Nomos-Verlag) Baden-Baden 1993:89.

Rudolph, Michael, 1993, Die Prostitution der Frauen der Taiwanesischen Bergminderheiten - historische, sozio-kulturelle und kultur-psychologische Hintergruende [Taiwan's Aborigines and the Prostitution Problem - Historical, Socio-Cultural and Psycho-Cultural Backgrounds], (LIT Verlag) Hamburg/Muenster 1993.

Rudolph, Michael (Liu Zhexun), 1994, "Taiwan shehui bianqian de shaoshu minzu funue changji wenti - shehui wenhua, shehui xinli, ji lishixing de yinsu" [Social Change in Taiwan and the Prostitution Problem of Taiwan's Aboriginal Women - Socio-Cultural, Psycho-Cultural and Historical Factors], in: Taiwan Indigenous Voice Bimonthly, Nr.4, Taipei 1994.

Rudolph, Michael, 1996, "'Was heisst hier 'Taiwanesisch' - Taiwans Ureinwohner zwischen Diskriminierung und Selbstorganisation [Who has the Right to call himself 'Taiwanese'?' - Taiwan's Aborigines between Discrimination and Self-Organization]", in: Schneider, Axel u. Gunter Schubert (ed.), Taiwan an der Schwelle zum 21. Jh. - Gesellschaftlicher Wandel, Probleme und Perspektiven eines asiatischen Schwellenlandes, Mitteilungen des Instituts fuer Asienkunde Hamburg vol. 270, Hamburg 1996:285-308.

Schiffauer, Werner, 1997a, Fremde in der Stadt: Zehn Essays ueber Kultur und Differenz, (Suhrkamp) 1997.

Schiffauer, Werner, 1997b, "Kulturdynamik und Selbstinszenierung - Kulturalismus im postnationalen Zeitalter: Sich als Gruppe konstituieren und Gehoer verschaffen", in: taz 4.3.1997:14f.

Stainton, Michael, 1995, Return our Land: Counterhegemonic Presbyterian Aboriginality in Taiwan, York University Canada 1995.

Sun Dachuan, 1993, "Yuanzhumin wenxue de kunjing - huanghun huo liming" [The Dilemma of Aboriginal Literature in Taiwan - Dusk or Dawn], in: Shanhai wenhua shuangyuekan, No 1, Taibei 11/1993:97-105.

Taylor, Charles, 1992, Multiculturalism and 'The Politics of Recognition', Princeton 1992.

Walisi Yougan, 1992, Fandao chuqiao [Drawing the Savages' Knife], (Daoxiang cbs) Taibei 12/1992.

Walisi Yougan, 1994, "Yuyan, zuqun yu weilai: Taiwan Yuanzhuminzu muyu jiaoyu de ji dian sikao" [Language, Ethnic Groups and Future Prospects: Some Reflections on Vernacular Language Education of Taiwan's Aborigines], in: ZMTYWFX, Yuanzhumin zhengce yu shehui fazhan, Taibei 1994:190-221.

Walisi Yougan, 1996, "Cong xianxing de jiaoyu zhengce kan muyu jiaoyu - yi Yuanzhumin jiaoyu zhengce wei zhu" [Looking at the Vernacular Language Education Policy of Taiwan's Aborigines], in: Jiaoshou luntan zhuankan, Taibei 1996:417-431.

Watan Baser, 1987, "'Chucao huo fanhai' shi Yuanzhumin kang Han de yiju" ['Headhunting Raids' were the Method of Resistance of Taiwanese Aborigines against the Han], in: Watan Bater, 1987, "'Chucao huo fanhai' shi Yuanzhumin kang Han de yiju", in: ATA (Alliance of Taiwanese Aborigines), 1987, Yuanzhumin - bei yapozhe de nahan, Taiwan Yuanzhuminzu quanli cujinhui chengli sanzhounian zhuanji, Taibei 1987:153-160.

Wei Yijun, 1997, Ling yi ge shijie de lailin: Yuanzhumin yundong de lilun shijian [Advent of Another World: Realization of Theory in the Aboriginal Movement in Taiwan], M.A. dissertation, National Tsinghua University, Taiwan 1997.

Werner Schiffauer, 1997, "Kulturdynamik und Selbstinszenierung - Kulturalismus im postnationalen Zeitalter: Sich als Gruppe konstituieren und Gehoer verschaffen" [Dynamics of Culture and Self-Inscenation - Culturalism in the Post-National Era], in: taz 4.3.1997:14f.

Wu Tiantai, 1993, "Xiaoxue de duoyuan wenhua jiaoyu" [Multicultural Education in Taiwan's Elementary Schools], in: Zhongguo jiaoyu xuehui, Taiwan shudian 1993:375-386; also as: Wu Tiantai, 1996, "Xiaoxue duoyuanhua jiaoxue", in: Cai Zhonghan, 1996, Yuanzhumin xiandai shehui shiying (2), (Jiaoyu guangbo diantai) Taibei 1996:626-657.

Wu Yaofeng, 1994, "Yuanzhumin wenhua ziyuan zhi fajue" [The Unearthing of Aboriginal Culture Ressources in Taiwan], in: 83 niandu shandi yanxiban jiangyi, Taibei 6/1994.

Xie Shizhong, 1992a, "Guanguang huodong, wenhua chuantong de sumo, yu zuqun yishi: Wulai Daiyazu Daiyan rentong de yanjiu" [Tourism, Formulation of Culture, and Ethnicity: A Study of the Daiyan Identity of the Wulai Atayal]; in: Kaogu renleixue kan, No 48, Taibei 12/1992:113-129.

Xie Shizhong, 1992b, "Pianli qunzhong de jingying: Shilun 'Yuanzhumin' xiangzheng yu Yuanzhumin jingying xianxiang de guanxi" [Elites without People: A Preliminary Discussion of the Elites Phenomenon of Taiwanese Aborigines], in: Daoyu bianyuan, No 5, Taibei 10/1992:52-60.

Xie Shizhong, 1994, Shandi gewu zai nar shangyan" [Where shall the Songs and Dances of Taiwanese Aborigines be performed], in: Zili zaobao 19.12.1994.

Xu Muzhu et al., 1992, Shanbao fudao cuoshi jixiao zhi yantao [Discussion of the Effects of the Assisting Measures for Taiwan's Aborigines], Academia Sinica, Taibei 1992.

Yang Changzhen, 1995, "Zhuanxingqi de Taiwan zuqun zhengzhi" [Taiwan's Ethnic Policy in Transition], in: PCT Taizhong zhonghui, 1995 Taiwan xinian - qiguo xilie yantao zhuanji, Taizhong 1995:187-220.

Zhang Maogui, 1996a, "Taiwan zui cishou de zhengzhi wenti" [The Most Critical Political Problem in Taiwan], in: Cai Xun (Wealth Magazine) No 168, 3/1996:152-163.

Zhonghua minguo Taiwan Yuanzhuminzu wenhua fazhan xiehui (ZMTYWFX), Yuanzhumin zhengce yu shehui fazhan [Taiwan's Aboriginal Policy and the Development of Aboriginal Society in Taiwan], Taibei 1994.