Amis people

Last updated

Amis
Pangcah
Muqami
Indigenous group dancers at Amis Music Festival 2016 IMF0936.jpg
Total population
200,604 (2014)
Regions with significant populations
Taiwan
Languages
Amis, Mandarin
Religion
Animism, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Sakizaya, Taiwanese Aborigines

The Amis (Amis : Amis, Ami, Pangcah; Paiwan : Muqami), also known as the Pangcah (which means 'people' and 'kinsmen'), are an indigenous Austronesian ethnic group native to Taiwan. They speak the Amis language (Caciyaw no Pangcah; Minuqamian), an Austronesian language, and are one of the sixteen officially recognized Taiwanese indigenous peoples. The traditional territory of the Amis includes the long, narrow valley between the Central Mountains and the Coastal Mountains (Huadong Valley), the Pacific coastal plain eastern to the Coastal Mountains and the Hengchun Peninsula.

Contents

In 2014, the Amis numbered 200,604. [1] This was approximately 37.1% of Taiwan's total indigenous population, making them the largest indigenous group. [2] The Amis are primarily fishermen due to their coastal location. They traditionally had a matrilineal kinship system, by which inheritance and property pass through the maternal line, and children are considered born to the mother's people. [3]

Traditional Amis villages were relatively large for Taiwanese indigenous communities, typically holding between 500 and 1,000 people. In today's Taiwan, the Amis also comprise the majority of "urban indigenous people" and have developed many urban communities all around the island. In recent decades, Amis have also married exogamously to the Han as well as other indigenous peoples. [4]

Identity and classification

Amis Folk Center 2010 07 14710 5388 Amis Folk Center Roofs in Chenggong Township Straw roofs Cobblestones Taiwan.JPG
Amis Folk Center

The Amis people refer to themselves by two different ethnonyms. While those living in the East Rift Valley and Hualien County generally identify as Pangcah, which means "human" or "people of our kind," Amis living in coastal Taitung County employ the term Amis. Perhaps because of the official name, in 21st-century Taiwan, the term Amis is much more frequently used. This name comes from the word 'amis, meaning "north." There is still no consensus in the academic circle as to how "'Amis" came to be used to address the Pangcah. It may originally have been a term used by the Puyuma to refer to the Pangcah, who lived to the north of them. Another theory is that those who lived in the Taitung Plain called themselves "'Amis" because their ancestors had come from the north. This later explanation is recorded in the Banzoku Chōsa Hōkokusho, [5] indicating this term may have originated from a group classified by anthropologists as Falangaw Amis, the Amis group occupying territory from today's Chengkung to the Taitung Plain. Their closest genetic relatives appear to be the native Filipino people. [6] [7]

According to Taiwanese Aboriginal History: Amis, the Amis are classified into five groups:

Such classification, however widely accepted, is based simply on the geographical distribution and ethnic migration. It does not correspond to observed differences in culture, language, and physiques.

The People's Republic of China (PRC), which claims Taiwan as part of its own territory, considers all of the Amis as part of a Gaoshan ethnic group, one of the 56 ethnic groups of the PRC.

Genetics

A genetic study showed that Austronesian speakers such as the Ami and Atayal of Taiwan, and Kankanaey of Philippines have significant ancestry (67% to 74%) related to Neolithic Fujian source. That Neolithic Fujian source is also estimated to contribute between 35% to 40% of Han Chinese ancestry in Guangdong and Fujian [8] .

Culture

Traditions

Harvest Festival Taiwan aborigine amis dance.jpg
Harvest Festival

Family affairs, including finance of the family, are decided by the female householder, in the Amis tradition. The most important traditional ceremony is the Harvest Festival. The Amis Harvest Festival is held to express the people's thanks and appreciation to the gods, and to pray for harvest in the next coming year. It takes place every July to September. [9]

Clothing

Traditional Amis clothes were made with cloth knitted with bark and banana threads with bamboo needles, and used wear-resistant linens and pelts. This evolved during the 20th Century with the arrival of cotton, acquired by the Amis through barter, which progressively phased out the use of traditional material in favor of cotton. There are two clothing styles: Hualien and Taitung. Both use a head scarf, chest covering and a skirt. Chiefs and priests, on the other hand, wear robes and rattan headgear, to distinguish themselves. They also have an ‘alufo’ (“lover’s bag”), made with betel nut by their mother or their lover, which is both used in everyday life and during rituals. It is traditionally used to carry betel nut, limestone, betel and smoking pipes.

Traditionally black, Amis clothing has evolved during the 20th century to using more and more red, “for its perceived festiveness and compatibility with ethno-tourism”. [10] The coloring of necklaces distinguishes different Amis communities. Floral headdresses are also often used during special occasions, such as the harvest.

Representation in media

The musical project Enigma used an Amis chant in their song "Return to Innocence", on their second album, The Cross of Changes (1993). This song was used as the theme song of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The main chorus was sung by Difang and Igay Duana, who were part of a Taiwanese aboriginal cultural performance group.

Maison des Cultures du Monde had earlier recorded the singing of this group while on tour, and released a CD. This song was subsequently used by Enigma (although they did not note the ethnic origin of the song and the singers). The recording studio and the Taiwanese group filed a suit for copyright infringement, which was later settled by Enigma out of court. Ami singing is known for its complex contrapuntal polyphony.

Notable Amis people

Amis singer Tank 2008 Nike+ Human Race in Taipei TANK Lu.jpg
Amis singer Tank
Amis weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun. Kuo Hsing-Chun 20170907.jpg
Amis weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taiwanese indigenous peoples</span> Ethnic group

Taiwanese indigenous peoples, also known as Formosans, Native Taiwanese or Austronesian Taiwanese, and formerly as Taiwanese aborigines, Takasago people or Gaoshan people, are the indigenous peoples of Taiwan, with the nationally recognized subgroups numbering about 600,303 or 3% of the island's population. This total is increased to more than 800,000 if the indigenous peoples of the plains in Taiwan are included, pending future official recognition. When including those of mixed ancestry, such a number is possibly more than a million. Academic research suggests that their ancestors have been living on Taiwan for approximately 15,000 years. A wide body of evidence suggests that the Taiwanese indigenous peoples had maintained regular trade networks with numerous regional cultures of Southeast Asia before the Han Chinese colonists began settling on the island from the 17th century, at the behest of the Dutch colonial administration and later by successive governments towards the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Taiwan</span>

The music of Taiwan reflects the diverse culture of Taiwanese people. Taiwan has undergone several economic, social, and political changes through its cultural history, and Taiwanese music reflects those issues in its way. The music of the country has adopted a mixed style. As a country rich in Chinese folk culture and with many indigenous tribes with their own distinct artistic identity, various folk music styles are appreciated in Taiwan. In addition, people in Taiwan highly appreciate various style of Western classical music and pop music. Taiwan is a major Mandopop hub.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taitung County</span> County in Taiwan

Taitung County is the third largest county in Taiwan, located primarily on the island's southeastern coast and also including Green Island, Orchid Island and Lesser Orchid Island. The seat is located in Taitung City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kavalan people</span> Indigenous ethnic group of Taiwan

The Kavalan or Kuvalan are an indigenous people of Taiwan. Most of them moved to the coastal area of Hualien County and Taitung County in the 19th century due to encroachment by Han settlers. Their language is also known as Kavalan. Currently, the largest settlement of Kavalan is Xinshe Village in Fengbin Township, Hualien County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atayal people</span> Indigenous Taiwanese people

The Atayal, also known as the Tayal and the Tayan, are a Taiwanese indigenous people. The Atayal people number around 90,000, approximately 15.9% of Taiwan's total indigenous population, making them the third-largest indigenous group. The preferred endonym is "Tayal", although the Taiwanese government officially recognizes them as "Atayal".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puyuma people</span> Ethnic group

The Puyuma, also known as the Pinuyumayan, Peinan or Beinan, are one of the indigenous groups of the Taiwanese aborigines. The people are generally divided into the Chihpen and Nanwang groups, both resident in Taitung County on the east coast of Taiwan.

Taiwanese people are the citizens and nationals of the Republic of China (ROC) and those who reside in an overseas diaspora from the entire Taiwan Area. The term also refers to natives or inhabitants of the island of Taiwan and its associated islands. The term generally applies to inhabitants on the island of Taiwan who share a common culture, ancestry and speak Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, or indigenous Taiwanese languages as a mother tongue. After the ROC government's retreat to Taiwan in 1949, the actual-controlled territories of the government were limited to the main island of Taiwan and Penghu, whose administration were transferred from Japan in 1945, along with a few outlying islands in Fujian Province which include Kinmen and Matsu Islands. Nowadays, Taiwanese people as a demonym may broadly refer to the indigenous peoples of Kinmen and Matsu as they share the same national identity with people of Taiwan. However, the islanders of Kinmen and the Matsu may not consider the "Taiwanese" label to be accurate as they were traditionally a part of Fujian and not Taiwan, maintaining a distinctive identity from that of the Taiwanese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amis language</span> East Formosan language of Taiwan

Amis is a Formosan language of the Amis, an indigenous people living along the east coast of Taiwan. Currently the largest of the Formosan languages, it is spoken from Hualien in the north to Taitung in the south, with another population in the Hengchun Peninsula near the southern end of the island, though the northern varieties are considered to be separate languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sakizaya people</span> Indigenous ethnic group of Taiwan

The Sakizaya are Taiwanese indigenous peoples with a population of approximately 1,000. They primarily live in Hualien, where their culture is centered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fengbin</span> Place in Taiwan, Taiwan

Fengbin Township is a rural township located in Hualien County, Taiwan, bordering Taitung County. The Pacific Ocean lies to the east and the Hai'an Range to the west.

Articles related to Taiwan include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guangfu, Hualien</span> Rural township in Hualien County, Taiwan

Guangfu Township is a rural township located in mid Huatung Valley between Central Mountain Range and coastal Range of Hualien County, Taiwan. The indigenous Amis people make up about half of the population. The main economical activity is agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hualien City</span> County-administered city in Taiwan Province, Taiwan

Hualien City is a county-administered city and the county seat of Hualien County, Taiwan. It is located on the east coast of Taiwan on the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of 99,458 inhabitants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suming</span> Musical artist

Suming Rupi is a Taiwanese Indigenous musician, singer, songwriter and actor. He is a member of the "Lacienci" (拉千禧) age set of 'Atolan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sakizaya language</span> East Formosan language of eastern Taiwan

Sakizaya is a Formosan language closely related to Amis. One of the large family of Austronesian languages, it is spoken by the Sakizaya people, who are concentrated on the eastern Pacific coast of Taiwan. Since 2007 they have been recognized by the Taiwan government as one of the sixteen distinct indigenous groups on the island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plains Indigenous peoples</span> Indigenous people of Taiwan

Plains indigenous peoples, also known as Pingpu people and previously as plain aborigines, are Taiwanese indigenous peoples originally residing in lowland regions, as opposed to Highland indigenous peoples. Plains indigenous peoples consist of anywhere from eight to twelve individual groups, or tribes, rather than being a single ethnic group. They are part of the Austronesian family. Beginning in the 17th century, plains indigenous peoples have been heavily influenced by external forces from Dutch, Spanish, and Han Chinese colonization of Taiwan. This ethnic group has since been extensively assimilated with Han Chinese language and culture; they have lost their cultural identity, and it is almost impossible without careful inspection to distinguish plains indigenous peoples from Taiwanese Han people.

The Amis people of Taiwan celebrate many small and larger harvest festivals and ceremonies through the year.

Events from the year 1982 in Taiwan, Republic of China. This year is numbered Minguo 71 according to the official Republic of China calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sirayaic languages</span> One of the sub-branches of the Formosan languages

Sirayaic languages is one of the sub-branches of the Formosan branch, under the Austronesian languages family. Both Blust (1999) and Li (2010) considers Proto-Siraya belongs to East Formosan languages, along with Kavalanic and Amis languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taitung Miramar Resort</span> Resort in Taitung County, Taiwan

Taitung Miramar Resort is a BOT development on Shanyuan (杉原灣)/Fudafudak in Beinan Township, Taitung County, Taiwan. In 2004, a contract was signed by Miramar Resort Taitung Ltd and the Taitung County Government under then County Magistrate Hsu Ching-yuan. It was supported by three subsequently elected magistrates. Although still standing, Miramar was unable to open due to Supreme Court rulings relating to the legality of its construction.

References

  1. Chia-chen, Hsieh; Wu, Jeffrey (15 February 2015). "Amis Remains Taiwan's Biggest Aboriginal Tribe at 37.1% of total". FocusTaiwan.tw. The Central News Agency. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  2. "Table 28: Indigenous Population Distribution in Taiwan-Fukien Area", National Statistics, Republic of China, Taiwan: Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan (DGBAS), archived from the original on 12 March 2007, retrieved 30 August 2006.
  3. "Ami". Ethnologue.
  4. Olson, James Stuart (1998). An Ethnohistorical Dictionary of China. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN   9780313288531.
  5. "Survey Reports on the Savages", Banzoku Chōsa Hōkokusho蕃族調査報告書, vol. 8, Taihoku (Taipei), 1913–1918, p. 4{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link).
  6. Trejaut, Jean A; Kivisild, Toomas; Loo, Jun Hun; Lee, Chien Liang; He, Chun Lin; Hsu, Chia Jung; Li, Zheng Yuan; Lin, Marie (2005). "Traces of Archaic Mitochondrial Lineages Persist in Austronesian-Speaking Formosan Populations". PLOS Biology. 3 (8): e247. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0030247 . ISSN   1545-7885. PMC   1166350 . PMID   15984912.
  7. Capelli, Cristian; Wilson, James F.; Richards, Martin; Stumpf, Michael P.H.; Gratrix, Fiona; Oppenheimer, Stephen; Underhill, Peter; Pascali, Vincenzo L.; Ko, Tsang-Ming; Goldstein, David B. (2001). "A Predominantly Indigenous Paternal Heritage for the Austronesian-Speaking Peoples of Insular Southeast Asia and Oceania". The American Journal of Human Genetics. 68 (2): 432–443. doi: 10.1086/318205 . PMC   1235276 . PMID   11170891..
  8. Huang, Xiufeng; Xia, Zi-Yang; Bin, Xiaoyun; He, Guanglin; Guo, Jianxin; Adnan, Atif; Yin, Lianfei; Huang, Youyi; Zhao, Jing; Yang, Yidong; Ma, Fuwei; Li, Yingxiang; Hu, Rong; Yang, Tianle; Wei, Lan-Hai (30 June 2022). "Genomic Insights Into the Demographic History of the Southern Chinese". Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 10. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2022.853391 . ISSN   2296-701X.
  9. "Amis Harvest Festival Held in East Taiwan". The China Post. 28 July 2005. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  10. "Traditional Amis clothing restored through workshop - Taipei Times". www.taipeitimes.com. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  11. "Li Tai-hsiang, Composer of Olive Tree and Other Hits, Dies at Age 72". Straits Times . 3 January 2014. Archived from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.

Further reading