Inner Mongolia（內蒙古）

(The following is about my trip to China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in July 2015).

結束了「2015年台灣原住民族與大陸少數民族發展研討會」，去了俗稱「酒吧一條街」的北京后海喝小酒唱山歌，到了天安門廣場和故宮參觀幾小時，也親眼瞧過「鳥巢」、「水立方」，之後就準備前往此行真正的目的地：內蒙古自治區。

內蒙古面積118萬平方公里，人口2,400餘萬，將近四十個台灣大，人口卻只多一點。這趟旅程只鎖定第三大都市赤峰市以及赤峰市下的三個旗及兩個區：翁牛特旗、巴林右旗、克什克騰旗（蒙族詩人席慕蓉的家鄉）、紅山區及松山區。

以上這些地方加起來還是三個台灣大，將近9萬平方公里，因此在名副其實的「大陸」該趕的路，一點也沒有少掉。

2015 Conference on the Development of Taiwan Aborigines and China's Ethnic Minorities

Presented at 2015 Conference on the Development of Taiwan Aborigines and China's Ethnic Minorities (July 4, 2015). My role was the commentator for the third session of the Forum. 

I used two concepts, 'co-management' and 'empowerment', to respond to the presentations on language revitalization and the design of ecological compensation standard and cultural-touristic zone. Whether it comes to developing indigenous languages, tourism, land or civil rights, it is my belief that indigenous peoples and minorities should have a say and a role in any decision-making process. There is no development if the people's very own voice is not heard. ILRDC, which works so closely with indigenous language teachers and villagers via a number of channels, is working towards the goals of comanagement and empowerment.  

2014 Taiwan Indigenous Language International Conference

Published in Aboriginal Educational World No. 61 (February 2015): 94-95. 

原住民族語言研究發展中心 生日快樂！

(Here I share the One-Year Anniversary Film of ILRDC. )

原住民族語言研究發展中心成立到今天（2015年6月17日）剛滿一年，製作了周年影片，訴說一些從2014年跨到2015年的故事，沒說的也還很多，片長卻已經逼近九分鐘。

語發中心目前還是計劃預算支持，沒有組織法，人事會計由承標單位管理，不算是獨立的中心。還好，今年承標的台北市立大學充分授權中心人員執行年度計畫及活動，我們才有機會學習中心獨立的樣子，邊做邊建立一些中心體制。

對我而言，今年雖然還有一半，產生年度成果的一半，我也因此延緩回到歷史研究獨行遠行的行列，但是我已經感受到這段經歷將是我人生中很重要的一環。我在這裡看見屬於台灣原住民的希望，能為這個希望付出是我的祝福與榮幸。同時，我也在這裡逐漸確認屬於自己的未來，過程不總是愉快，但能因此確認自己的方向，也是值得感恩的地方。

於公於私，我都祝福語發中心，生日快樂！Happy One-Year Old, ILRDC. 

A Study of TSM Loanwords in Sixteen Indigenous Languages in Taiwan

Presented at The 7th International Conference on Taiwanese Romanization (May 22 2015) at National Cheng Kung University.

That experience was itself quite interesting; Mandarin was nowhere allowed in the conference. Everyone else was speaking TSM, reminding each other of the evil of a state-imposed national language, while I (probably the only indigenous speaker) presented in English and conversed in TSM, which seems to be surprisingly sufficient. TSM has the largest speaker-population in Taiwan but Mandarin became the national language in the 1950s.

To be frank, indigenous peoples and Holo-lang (or Hoklo Taiwanese that speak TSM) aren't always at peace. The studies I read as well as the fieldwork I did also tell me despite of their increase, TSM loanwords are the least popular with indigenous peoples, in comparison, who also tend to deny their existence. This certainly is a point to elaborate for the publication of the same topic. Maybe in September.

I Baw (Paiwan)

（排灣族女作家伊苞和她的《老鷹再見》）

miperepereper i     kalevelevan  aza  aris
   soaring          in         sky          the  eagle
   (Verb           +        Place       +   Subject)

Translation: The eagle is soaring in the sky.

This syntax is typical for Austronesian languages such as Paiwan. Verbs are essential and always in the first place, whose meanings are determined by the focus system.

In this sentence, the unconjugated verb is 'perepere' or 'perper' (to fly) in Raleigh Ferrell's 1982 Paiwan Dictionary.  'mi' is an agent marker that attributes the movement to the subject (the eagle); therefore, 'mi-perepere' or 'mi-perper' means fly or flies. and to duplicate the verb stem by a single syllable (perepere becomes 'perepereper') makes the verb a present participle or V-ing; so, 'mi-perepere-per' means flying.

That is probably the farthermost into linguistics I can go about my mother language at the moment. Thanks to my days spent at the Indigenous Languages Research and Development Center.

But the book is actually not about Paiwan language. It is about a Paiwan woman's journey to West Tibet that seems to bring her so far away from home, yet in fact even closer to where she originally came from. It is, as I like to see myself as well, returning by leaving, settling while moving.

Untitled（情歌）

Untitled

u pacucunan sun na i zalja zalja

su calivadan aku u maqaljinavia

u pacucunan sun na i lau lau

su calivadan aku kinsaljinadupa

sikuda aya sun da supaqaljemu lja

uri kemuda a en ta u tjengelai a en tjanusun

mamau a lja vuvu a kacalisian itjen 

ari senai ta 'hoinaluwan' (x 2)

Fever

Fever (by Eddie Cooley and John Davenport) 

Never know how much I love you

Never know how much I care

When you put your arms around me

I get a fever that's so hard to bear

You give me fever when you kiss me

Fever when you hold me tight

Fever in the mornin'

Fever all through the night

Situate Home in Travels

On 4th March 2015, I was invited by Center for Indigenous Studies of National Taiwan University to talk about my own experience in indigenous international affairs and historical research. They named the session, "Crushing Waves and Chasing Dreams: International Relations from Indigenous Perspectives".

My presentation was in Mandarin, and I based it upon many of my blog articles where I discussed similar issues in depth with personal reflection. My blog is my archive.

After my presentation, the NTU professor (an anthropologist) that invited me gave me a big hug, telling me how touched she felt by my genuineness, and students flocked over to exchange opinions. A few days later, a part-time journalist who also heard the presentation that evening made an interview appointment with me, saying she wanted to know more and to write about my pursuit of historical truth. Our interview went over four hours, and I wonder if that is the reason why she seems to have a hard time to get the article out. I haven't heard from her since.

In comparison, I always find it very difficult to talk about myself or personal experience. It's not like talking about the fieldwork I did; it's  about me, the fieldworker. Such topic requires a look back on personal history, while life is going on and thoughts developing still. Besides, there is also a certain amount of bashfulness. These combined create resistance against opening oneself up in front of an audience.

Yet, an invitation accepted is a promise to fulfill. So I did my part faithfully and sincerely hope for the best.

Three Books about Historians

以下是三本有關歷史學家的書：《時代的先行者》（台北：獨立作家，2014） 、《史家的誕生》（台北：時英，2008）及Pilgrims to the past（Leiden： CNWS，1996），用國立臺灣大學原住民族研究中心的邀請當引言。

I have been invited by Center for Indigenous Studies of National Taiwan University to talk at a session called "Crushing Waves and Chasing Dreams: International Relations from Indigenous Perspectives"（破浪、築夢：原住民觀點的國際關係）.  This session will take place on 4th of March in a cafe near my alma mater.

While this invitation honors me especially by coming from a renowned anthropologist of Taiwan and the Pacific, I am also deeply bothered by the session's focus on international relations because of two reasons.

First, despite that I was (probably still am and will be too) involved with multiple events of a diplomatic nature in different capacities for the Council of Indigenous Peoples, I have never really considered myself dedicated to international relations. As I explained in another blog post, 台灣原住民族國際事務, I was merely a vessel that contributed where she saw fit.

Second, to reorient myself back to research, I resigned my work at the International Affairs Section last April to join the newly established Indigenous Languages Research and Development Center（ILRDC）. Yes, for the past few months we had international  visitors at the center and I again performed a similar role as I was doing before; nevertheless, our purpose was straightforward and targeted. We were exchanging research experience in indigenous languages.

Therefore, what can I talk about at the session? I really wonder, and I confess it has more to do with personal preference than with which story to tell.