Almost Baguio, but Not Quite: the Aboriginals of Taiwan

Taiwan (ROC, Republic of China) is an island nation of 23 million people. Although its national language is Mandarin, about 70% speak Taiwanese Hokkien, the language prevalent in Fujian, a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait.

Most of Fujian is administered by the People's Republic of China (PRC). However, the archipelagos of Kinmen, Matsu, and Liuchu are under the control of the Republic of China. Thus, there are two provinces (in the sense of government organizations): the Fujian Province administered by the People's Republic of China and the Fujian Province of the Republic of China (ROC). (Wikipedia)

Following the Chinese civil war, the nationalists transferred their government to Taiwan when the Communist Party of China took full control of mainland China and founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949.

Many, including myself, are surprised to know that 2% of the 23M population, or about 500,000 are Taiwanese aboriginals, those whose ethnicity is other than Chinese. They were the main inhabitants of the island of Taiwan until the 17th century, when ethnic Chinese started immigrating to it.

Taiwanese aboriginals are Austronesian peoples, with linguistic and genetic ties to other Austronesian ethnic groups, such as peoples of the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar, Polynesia, and Oceania (Wikipedia).

I was astonished when I first saw them, thinking they were Pinoys. They distinctively looked like the Igorots of Mountain Province and Baguio, down to the way they dress or build their houses up in the highlands. Today it is estimated that there are still about 14 tribes of these aboriginals.

To visit the Taiwanese aboriginals, it is best to take a guided tour to Wulai, an upland area a mere 1 hour’s drive from Taipei city center. As you go, the scene dramatically changes. From the hustle and bustle of a highly urbanized city of about 18*C at midday, your status is transformed into the cool, tranquil atmosphere of the highlands, as the road steadily rises to higher elevations, bringing the temperature down to about 14*C.

The experience is very much like going to the uplands of the Philippines. Perhaps not via Baguio, which is now highly urbanized, extremely crowded and 6 hours drive from Manila. I would compare it more to taking a trip to Banawe via Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya, then upwards to Sagada, said to be one of the oldest civilizations in the Ph.

The upland scenes of the Ph and Taiwan are curiously very similar, down to the indigenous people’s facial features, their facilities, wood carvings, tribal dances and ceremonies. Except that the roads and infrastructures going up there are much better in Taiwan. The way Taiwan promote their culture is so professional. For example, native hotels have magnificent theaters for the performing arts where the highlight of the show is a play on the history and culture of the Taiwanese aboriginals.

When you get the opportunity to watch this show, it will take you to a journey back in time. So focus, hang loose and PARTICIPATE. You will not regret doing so. Enjoy!