The Modern Soul of Traditional Atayal Indigenous Weaving
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Loading... - Rimba Ningsih
- 13 Oct 2022
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Among the 16 officially recognized indigenous peoples in Taiwan, the Atayal and Kavalan people, who were skilled at weaving, have long been known for their culturally distinct patterned clothing. Within their various tribes, women must learn to weave from their female elders in the family before they are permitted to take a husband. Women who are good at weaving also acquire social status within the tribe and earn the respect of the tribespeople. In addition, Atayal people believe that only women who weave may cross the Rainbow Bridge that leads them to their ancestors in the afterlife.
However, during the period of Japanese occupation, indigenous people were forbidden from practicing their traditional customs under the colonial assimilation policy. Many Atayal and Kavalan women were forced to give up weaving, causing the weaving culture to gradually vanish from their lives. Fortunately, in recent years, a small part of the craft of weaving that was passed down between generations of women within the tribe began to surface again through the indigenous cultural rejuvenation movement. Fascinated with weaving, Lin Mei-yu (林美玉) founded “Ferry of the Weaving Heart (織心擺渡)” after learning the weaving craft of the Atayal and Kavalan people, committing herself fully to the practice and advocacy of weaving. Taiwan Scene has invited Mei-yu to share her insights on weaving with us today.
Passing on the Traditional Weaving of Indigenous People
Neither a member of an indigenous tribe nor a textile practitioner, Mei-yu was previously a special needs teaching assistant at a village primary school in Yilan County. Looking at the traditional patterns of the indigenous people and the fabrics slowly taking shape on weaving looms around the school, the woven patterns gradually took root firmly in her mind as well.
She impulsively sought out weaving classes, and her wish was granted when she visited Hualien to take up classes on banana silk weaving from the Kavalan people, where she learned to scrape hemp to make yarn. She describes the moment she began in earnest, saying, “I felt moved like never before, like I had awakened.” Since then, Mei-yu has embarked on the road of weaving, selecting natural or organically grown materials for her work and gradually developing woven works of her own unique styles.
Deeply moved by the craft of weaving, Mei-yu further sought to learn from Atayal weaving teachers in Wulai District and Nan’ao Township. Generally speaking, the traditional Atayal weaving craft was only taught to women within the tribe, but the Atayal teachers were so moved by Mei-yu’s passion that they not only taught her the craft, but also gave her the Atayal name of “Lawa.” “Every Lawa’s craftsmanship in our tribe is really good,” said the tribeswomen, The name was both a gift and the affirmation of a lifetime. Read More…
