Dew (people)

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Coordinates: 22 ° 3 ′ 15 ″  N , 121 ° 32 ′ 40 ″  E

Relief Map: Taiwan
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dew
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Taiwan
Rope with ship

The Tau (other names: Tao , Dau , Dao , Dawu , Chinese  達 悟 族  /  达 悟 族 , Pinyin Dáwù zú ) are one of the Austronesian indigenous peoples of Taiwan . The name " Yami ", which is also common , was coined during the time of the Japanese colonial government and was also the official name of the tribe. The Tau are the only Taiwanese indigenous tribe who live on one of the islands off the main island of Taiwan (the island of Lan Yu, southeast of Taiwan ). Today there is a population of about 3000–4500.

history

The Tau lived largely independently and far from foreign cultural influences until the establishment of the Japanese colonial government on Taiwan and the neighboring islands . They did not resist Japanese colonization. The Japanese carried out ethnological and anthropological studies on the islands. One of the researchers was the Japanese anthropologist Torii Ryūzō ; It was he who coined the term "Yami".

The Tau lived mainly from fishing , growing sweet potatoes and raising pot-bellied pigs .

Group of dew
The ship festival
When drying flying fish

origin

Where the dew came from and at what time they colonized Lan Yu is still a matter of dispute. Culturally and linguistically, they are counted among the Austronesians . Some scientists believe that the Yami originally came from the island of Batan , which is in the north of the Philippines . According to a legend about the origin, a huge tsunami struck the island and most of the islanders were killed. The few people who survived then were the ancestors of the Tau.

According to another legend, a god asked his two grandchildren if they wanted to live on the beautiful orchid island of Lan Yu. After the two grandchildren agreed, the god took a stone and a piece of bamboo and put one of his grandchildren in each. Then he transferred her from the sky to the island. These two grandchildren are considered to be their ancestors by the Tau. That is why they have a particularly great respect for stones and bamboo.

To date, the Yami have retained three taboos, some of which are based on the legend of origin:

  • Firstly, close relatives are not allowed to marry because the possibility of giving birth to disfigured children increases;
  • second, stones are not to be touched in the mountains;
  • thirdly, one must not cut bamboo in the mountains.

Faith and Celebrations

The Tau believe that all things in the world have souls ( pantheism ) and that rain, wind, lightning or plants and animals can transform themselves into people. That is why they have great respect for nature.

The god of dew is called Tauduto (meaning: man in heaven). They believe that someone who does evil will be punished by Tauduto. October 1st or November of each year is the day on which the Tau commemorate their ancestors and thank their God for the good harvest. At the same time, they also pray to him for peace and a good harvest in the coming year.

The Tau are known nationwide for their hand-carved boats ( Balangay ), which were traditionally used for fishing. The ceremonies in which new boats are spectacularly thrown into the air by a group of men before they are launched are now a tourist attraction.

Todays situation

The Tau are divided into six clans on the island: the Imourud (Chinese 紅 頭Hongtou ), the Iratai (漁人Yuren ), the Yayu (椰油Yeyou ), the Iraralai (郎 島Langdao ), the Irarumilk (東 清Dongqing ) and the Ivarinu (野 銀Yeyin ). Each clan has its own characteristics, for example the Irarumilk are the largest clan of the tribe, and the Ivarinu clan has most of the traditional buildings made of stone. In the community of the tribe the houses are connected to one another. That is why they have close contact with one another.

Since the 1960s, Tau's illiteracy has been exploited by the Taiwanese government by persuading the Tau to cede land to dump large amounts of radioactive waste on Lan Yu.

Few of the locals are still fishing. The original customs are now mainly staged for tourists who use the bays as bathing beaches. In addition to illiteracy, alcoholism has become an increasing problem.

literature

  • 周 宗 經 (1996). 雅美 族 的 古 謠 與 文化. Taipei, Taiwan: 常 民 文化 出版社

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d e Der Spiegel 2002
  2. Fishing Boats of Orchid Island's Tao People (Indigenous Boats Blog)