Saturday, December 30, 2017

Art Gallery - Taiwan Aborigine Art @ Formosan Aboriginal Village Sun Moon Lake (九族文化村)

You are at - Jotaro's Blog / Footsteps-Cycling Taiwan 2017 / Art Gallery Taiwan Art / Taiwan Aborigine Art @ Formosan Aboriginal Village Sun Moon Lake
                    Footsteps - Jotaro's Travels                        
Taiwan Aborigine Art @ Formosan Aboriginal Village Sun Moon Lake (九族文化村)
Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan  - October 2017
Gable wall mural with three totem poles.
These are artwork that I saw at the Formosan Aboriginal Village at Sun Moon Lake while on a cycling tour of Taiwan. The country has many aborigine tribes, the pieces (mostly sculptures by the artists of the Thao tribe from this locality) are done in tribal style, some stylized and others in detail.
These photos here gives a representation of what I saw; nothing beats going there to see them for yourselves.



Entrance archway standing on two totem poles.
Oh... those two are my cycling buddies.


Let's start of with some simple yet colorful things like these aborigine canoes painted in red and white with tribal motifs.


A close up of the canoe's fronts show the details of the simple but nice tribal motifs.


A couple of short totems, with heads of a man and woman sitting on owls.


Colorful technicolor owls. The tribes treat owls as sacred spirits, seeing them as an omen of good luck and as a wise protecting spirit.

Now we come to more serious and very well executed artwork:
Aboriginal Hero - bronze statue by Lin Cheng-Jen Bronze.


An Abundant Harvest - Stone Statue by Wang Shiow-Ge.


Way Home - Bronze Statue by Kou Yun-Jung.


Hunting - Bronze statue by Yu Teng-Chun.


Hair Dance - Marble statue by Hsu Li-Hsien.


Going Home - Marble statue by Yeh Sen-Kung.


Weeping Boy - Bronze Statue.


Fighting - Bronze statue by Yeh Luen Yen.

Mountain - Bronze statue by Hsu Wei-Chung.


Silver Helmet - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (2009).
The traditional silver helmet is only worn on festive occasions, such as the launching of a new boat or the completion of a new house. When the flying fish season starts, the men wave the silver helmet by the seat to welcome the fish schools and pray for bountiful catches.


Drinking Together - Stone Statues by Kepekepe (2008).
The linked cup is a wine vessel unique to the Pawan tribe used during special festivals and wedding celebrations. Drinking through linked cups is intended to demonstrate harmony and infinity. The linked cups can consist of one, two or up to three cups.


Baleng Marries The Snake - Stone Statue Karavayan Pali (2009).
Legend has it that a Rukai girl fell in love with a young man from another tribe. Though she discovered that he was in fact on of the Snake People in human form, she chose to follow her heart. Wearing a crown of flowers, she said goodbye to her family and disappeared into the lake. Later on, lilies bloomed around the lake and the tribe believed that they represent Baleng's purity.


Side view of "Baleng Marries The Snake", showing the snake on her back.


Cloud Leopard Brave - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (2007).
The Cloud Leopard or "Ligolau" is the symbol of Rukai braves. Great warriors are called the ligolau as a title of respect, and the cloud leopard motif often appears with brave warriors in carved totems.


Pasibutbut DanceStone Statues by Karavayan Pali (2011).
In order to implore an abundant millet harvest, the Bunun clansmen form a circle and sing the "abundant millet harvest song" reverently in a chorus before the seeding ritual known as "minpinan". The wonderful diplophonia and harmony please the deity. It is believed that the better the harmony the more the millet harvest.


 A Lazybones Changes Into A Monkey - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (2011).
Yungai is an Atayal word for monkey which means "human conversion. Once there was a very lazy man who was always avoiding work in field. One day as he was digging for sweet potatoes, he inserted a broken hoe handle into his buttock just for the fun of it. As a result, he turned into a monkey.


The Last Head Hunter - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (1987)
Most of the indigenous tribes in Taiwan had a head hunting tradition. Apart from revenge or fame, it was intended to please the gods, drive away plagues, pray for a good harvest, and to gain strength. For some tribes, it's a way of winning tribal affirmation and demonstrating personal courage.


Nose Flutes - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (2009).
The nose flute is said to have been crafted by the Paiwan Tribe in an effort to imitate the voice of their ancestral spirit, the Hundred-pace Viper. In earlier times, only the aristocracy  or champions were allowed to play the nose pipes. It is now played by the tribe for expressing their feelings.


Family Burden - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (2008).
By tradtion, indigenous woman are responsible for all kinds of domestic chores. These inlcude cooking, looking after the children, weaving and sewing.


Fighting the Bear.


Deity Hamo - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali  (2011).
The Thao believe that deity Hamo is the most authoritative god who ruled heaven and the earth. The deity has huge eyes, wears bear skin and a body that grows. One day he walks into the wood and knocked a maple tree. The seeds from the fallen fruit turned into human beings who became their ancestors.


 Legend Of The Flood - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (2008).
Legend has it that the ancestors of the Amis tribe took refuge in a wooden mortar during a great flood. The mortar floated across the seas to what is today Fengbin where they established the Amis tribe.


Rukai Brave - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (2007).
The Rukai society is based on a clearly defined hierarchy. Social status may be inherited and also earned. These can be seen in their headdress or decorations.


Sun Hunter - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (2009).
Legends say that there were once two suns in the sky. The heat was unbearable until the ancestor of the Bunun tribe climbed to the top of Mount Jade and blinded one of the suns, so it is now the cool moon.


The Melody of the Pestle - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (2009).
The Thao New Year occurs between early August by the Lunar Calendar and the Mid-Autumn Festival. At the end of July the people of the tribe gather in the chieftain home for New Year's Eve and announce the start of the New Year with the thumping of the pestles.


Banana Cloth Weaving - Stone Sculpture by Kepekepe (2008).
The Kavalan tribe is skilled at weaving cloth out of banana trees. To collect the fibers, the Kavalan make an offering of wine to the god then scrape away the fibers while the bark is still half dry. Banana cloth is very thin and very comfortable to wear during summer.


Legend of Baishih - Stone Sculpture by Karavayan Pali (2010)
Legend has it that on Mt. Baishih in the Central Range there is a great tree called the Pusu Qhuni. The tree is half wood and half stone; and one day it gave birth to those who became the ancestors of the Seediq tribe. The tribe believes that the tree possesses sacred powers and all hunters must pay their respects her when they pass by to pray for a good hunt.


Wrestling Braves - Stone Statue by Karavayan Pali (2009).
Wrestling is one of the traditional forms of martial training for men of the tribe. It not only represents strength and heritage but also fertility and bountiful harvests.


Wooden Totem With Taiwanese Tribal Figures.


Wooden Totem With Taiwanese Tribal Figures and Eagles.


Cloud Leopard stone statue.


Snake Offering Urn.


Tribal Education.


Taiwanese Tribal Totem.


Taiwanese Tribal Totem use as leg of an archway.

Formosan Aboriginal Village (九族文化村)
Address: 555, Taiwan, Nantou County, Yuchi Township, 大林村金天巷45號.
Website: www.nine.com.tw
Hours:
Weekdays: 09:30-17:00 /  Weekends: 09:30- 17:30
(Opens everyday, hours may be extended during cherry blossom festival in February)




Related / Similar Blogs :

Art Gallery of NSW - Australian Aborigine Art




You may also like :

















You are at - Jotaro's Blog / Footsteps-Cycling Taiwan 2017 / Art Gallery Taiwan Art / Taiwan Aborigine Art @ Formosan Aboriginal Village Sun Moon Lake
(comments most welcomed below. if you like this pls share via Facebook or Twitter)