Preparing the auditorium for the show.
A year 2000 census, numbered the Saisiyat (賽夏) (or "true people") at 5,311, slightly over 1% of Taiwan's total indigenous population. The Saisiyat inhabit an area overlapping Hsinchu and Miaoli counties. They are divided into the Northern Branch (Wufong in the mountainous Hsinchu area) and the Southern Branch (Nanya and Shitan in the highlands of Miaoli), each with its own dialect.
The Saisiyat were long threatened by their aggressive Atayal neighbors, and their culture has been strongly influenced by the Atayal. The early Saisiyat practiced crop rotation, slash-and-burn mountain cultivation, hunting, and river fishing. Later, they turned to settled agriculture and forestry.
Settled adjacent to the fertile western plains, the Saisiyat were among the first to be acculturated by the Han Chinese and adopted Chinese surnames that were transliterations of such Saisiyat totemic surnames as bee, spider, and crab. The basic structural unit of Saisiyat society is the totemic clan linked by geographical and family ties. Three or four households of the same clan name or totem constitute a settlement and clan worship group. Several neighboring settlements might unite to form a village with shared farmland, fishing zones, and mutual assistance units.
The Saisiyat habit of tattooing disappeared long ago. However, the Saisiyat in Miaoli County continue to observe a unique rite, the Ceremony of the Dwarfs, or Pastaai. Oral History recounts that the Saisiyat lived near the Ta-ai people - three-foot tall, dark-skinned ("short people" or dwarves). The Ta-ai gave the Saisiyat seeds and taught them the knowledge of agriculture, how to hold ceremonies and offer sacrifices to gods or ancestors, along with the ways of singing and dancing. The Saisiyat regarded the Ta-ai as their benefactors. Whenever rituals and ceremonies were held, the Saisiyat always invited the Ta-ai to be their guests, and they enjoyed drinking and having fun together.
One night, during the ritual for a plentiful harvest, some Ta-ai men teased some Saisiyat girls. The Saisiyat took revenge by slashing a bridge made from the "mountain loquat tree" that the Ta-ai crossed on the way to their village. As the bridge was cut, all the Ta-ai on the bridge fell to the river below and drowned, except for two Ta-ai people. The two survivors compiled their memories and teachings for the Saisiyat into the "Song of the Short People", and taught it to the Saisiyat. They wanted the Saisiyat to remember and learn their lessons. The Saisiyat had to hold the "Ritual of the Short People" on a strict schedule. After passing on this knowledge, the two Ta-ai people walked away along the river towards the east. They tore the palm leaves and issued a warning that if the Saisiyat did not follow the teachings, the result would be crop failure and extinction of their tribe. The Saisiyat hoped for the Ta-ai's protection and blessings for their peace and plentiful harvest, so they held the "Ritual of the Short People" every year at the same time. Not only was this to offer condolences for the Ta-ai, but also to pray for their blessings. During the Japanese occupation of Taiwan the ritual was changed to be observed biannually.
The "Pitaza" (Seeding Ceremony) is held in April, starting after midnight, the officiating master must go out alone to pluck one blade of grass on designated land. The ritual of pitaza is to pray for a good harvest for the upcoming year. Only the Saisiyat living by Lake Siangtienhu preserve this ritual. "Pas-vake" (Ancestor Spirits Ceremony) is for paying respects to the ancestors. It is conducted by two elders at no fixed schedule. An offering of pork and pastry is brought to the grounds behind a house. The offering is divided into two parts, one is offered eastward for the good spirits, and the other offered westward for the spirits of those who died from accidents. Another purpose of Pas-vake is to recognize members of a family, as a person will be recognized as part of the family through this ritual.
Atayal weaving and Kimi Sibal sings his song of the lost tatooed Atayal elders
Fashion show of innovative aborigine design
After the performance we visit the offices of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and their museum. Charles Billie will travel with is to visit the Seminole Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki ("a place to learn.") Museum in the Everglades, Sawgrass Mills - Florida's largest shopping mall and the Dangon Boat festival in Miami.
Saisiyat dance