The Dispersal of the Formosan Aborigines in Taiwan by Li Jen-kuei (2011)

When preparing for my presentation at the Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs on November 11th, I reviewed this collection of articles by Taiwanese Linguist Paul Jen-kuei Li. It first came out in 1996, was revised until September 2010 and reprinted in 2011. 

One major difference between these versions is, as the author said in his Foreword 'Rebirth through Fires', rather than taking that proto-Austronesian speakers migrated to Taiwan in separate batches, he revises himself based on new linguistic and archaeological evidences and prefers to think that they actually moved to Taiwan at the same time and gradually split up into the dozens of group that we now know of (pp. 9-10). 

Besides, rather than taking Nantou in the center of Taiwan as the place where the first split occurred according to previous judgement, the author shows by his map that proto-Austronesian speakers migrated first to Tainan on the southwest plain of Taiwan at around 5,000 BP (before present) and branched out from there in different periods. See the book cover and the map attached at the end. 

Whose Austronesian? - A Comparison Between Different Imaginations of Austronesian

2013年11月11日，外交部外交及國際事務學院正在執行2013年「太平洋島國青年領袖培訓計畫」(Pacific Islands Leadership Program With Taiwan, PILP with Taiwan) ，我受邀前去報告與南島民族有關的題目。

因為現場全是來自太平洋友邦的青年領袖，例如公務人員、博物館館長、大學講師、部落組織人員等，我特定選了比較台灣及太平洋島國的南島民族想像為主題，先報告台灣如何想像及利用南島民族，再利用互動對談，了解太平洋如何想像南島民族，並形成對話。

這篇報告也在同年11月26日在原住民政策讀書會中分享，以下的簡報檔時間為讀書會：

Masegseg Zengror Gadu (Paiwan)

Gosh! If you do not read Chinese, I hope you can still somehow picture what the book is about by its English title.

This book is written by Dr. Masegseg Zengror Gadu (Paiwan) who told me to study history in Leiden. 

In this book (2011), Dr. Gadu (meaning mountain in Paiwan) argues based on his field trips to three Paiwan villages in the north of Pintung County, Piyuma, Tavadran and Padain Kiniveqacan.

He says Paiwan tend to personify their territories by giving them names and regard them as having personality or the quality of a living being because they regard the environment as part of the body.

The 4th Forum on Formosan Literature

介紹我在2013年11月3日於第四屆臺灣原住民族文學論壇分享的報告：翻譯垂蜜鳥的訊息。

Last weekend in the 4th Forum on Formosan Literature (November 2 and 3), people were stressing the importance of translation for the sake of promoting Taiwanese indigenous writings to the world. 

Agreed. But do they realize how difficult the job is, besides that translation is never taken seriously (at least in Taiwan) because it means to reproduce much more than to produce only?

Huia Short Stories 10: Contemporary Maori Fiction (2013)

(the book)

Huia Short Stories 10 is the collection of finalists in 'Best Short Story written in te reo Maori', 'Best Short Story written in English' and 'Best Novel Extract written in English' for 2013 Pikihuia Award. Pikihuia means the feather of the sacred bird huia. The collection is always launched in the biennial Pikihuia Award, sponsored by HUIA Publishers. 

Syaman Rapongan (Tao): Part I

The latest novel (August 2012) by 'the one and only ocean literature writer among the 1.3 billion Mandarin speakers', so Syaman Rapongan always described himself when we traveled in New Zealand. At that time, I sensed his strong belief in that statement, and now after reading this latest work of his, I believe that is actually an understatement. 

Taiwanese catch up with their Maori cousins

Kisutjasutjaw（採花生）

kararirari ni ina, marakarakac i surur

iyu ilja hei i nana iki ruma valis

tjamulamulang i surur, marekutj aken a raras

iyu ilja hei i nana iki ruma valis

i vavaw aken tu tjanaq, a mirariquriquan

iyu ilja hei i nana iki ruma valis

na minquvulj a vurasi, ikanan a dukiduki 

iyu ilja hei i nana iki ruma valis

Uhalja Iyoin（報身分）

 

Uhalja I-yo i-yoin

Ti sa Payuan aken, yi cingul, yi tjagaraus

Uhalja I-yo i-yoine

 Ti sa Payuan aken, yi cingul, yi tjagaraus

 Uhalja I-yo i-yoin

Uhalja I-yo i-yoin

Kalivilje nu Payuan, ki paukuz, ki pakaiv

Uhalja I-yo i-yoine

 Kalivilje nu Payuan, ki paukuz, ki pakaiv

 Uhalja I-yo i-yoin

2013年第12屆聯合國原住民議題常設論壇（UNPFII）

(This is about the 12th United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in NYC from May 20th-31st 2013 and my return since 2008.)

距離上次參加論壇（UNPFII，2008）到現在已經4年，再回去看到熟悉的臉孔並不稀奇，因為早就知道這些夥伴都是長期經營論壇參與的國際原運人士。

他們很清楚聯合國的大門總是有國家看管，也只開放邊門給原住民進出，每年時間一到，大家還是掏盡荷包、使盡全力、絞盡腦汁地，從各自的原鄉飛往前荷蘭及英國殖民地的美國紐約，開始忙碌的行程。

他們總是馬不停蹄，奔走開會、寫聲明稿、登記在大會發言、找場地辦活動或參與別人的活動。不但要很聰明，懂得利用國際認可的人權與原權機制，懂得世界各地原民社群（包括自家的）的發展近況，才能言之有物，鏗鏘有利；還要有十八般武藝，穿著傳統服飾能吹能奏能演能唱又能跳的；更重要的，社交哈拉的功力絕對不可在話下，管它是用語言、比手畫腳或微笑，只要醒著，在聯合國場內場外就少不了要發揮。

總之，一趟大蘋果之行下來真的非常緊湊，非常耗體力、智力、心力和財力，有心人卻還是願意一年又一年這樣付出。