An online workshop titled “Taiwanese Indigenous Culture” was organised by the Department of Soft Skills Competency (DSSC) of Kampar Campus on 13 June 2020 via Microsoft Teams.

The workshop was attended by UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong, esteemed speaker from National Pingtung University of Taiwan Prof Dr Lo Yong-Ching, DSSC Kampar Head Hee Chwen Yee, DSSC lecturer Sheela Yeoh, students and staff. The virtual tour saw a total of 207 student participants.

The online workshop aimed to provide an opportunity for students to expand their cultural learning during the COVID-19 pandemic using technology. Before kick-starting the virtual tour, Sheela briefly introduced the background of Prof Lo and the online workshop “Taiwanese Indigenous Culture”.

The introduction was followed by a welcome speech by Prof Choong. He expressed thanks to Prof Lo and said, “DSSC had been working with our partner universities every trimester for the past few years to conduct study tour programmes for UTAR students. The programme provides an opportunity for students to expand their learning experience in overseas and enhance their communication skills and cultural learning. The pandemic has brought many effects to the learning environment, hence studying abroad would be more difficult these days. I believe this Virtual Tour to Pingtung Art Museum would provide a great opportunity for the students to experience the world outside.”

The virtual tour to Pingtung Art Museum was directed by Prof Lo. According to Prof Lo, the Pingtung Art Museum holds a local art exhibition from 17 April 2020 to 5 August 2020. The exhibition titled “Futurist Wave - Contemporary Art from Greater Sandimen” showcases the artworks of twenty-three contemporary artists from the Sandimen Township.  Sandimen Township is one of the eight indigenous townships in Pingtung County. It is an indigenous township that mainly consists of Paiwan people with a substantial Rukai minority.

Through the virtual tour, participants had the chance to “walk along” with Prof Lo to the art museum while listening to his explanation on selected artworks. Prof Lo gave a tour to exhibition room 101, exhibition room 102, exhibition room 201 and exhibition room 202.

The exhibits in exhibition room 101 consisted of traditional wood carvings and paintings. The drawing techniques of the carvings and paintings were derived from the traditional norms of the tribes. The artists absorbed the traditional norms and transformed them into a new form of contemporary arts. Exhibition room 101 featured craftworks of artists like Sakuliu Pavavaljung, Arulhadenge Valialane, Arase Salrebelrebe, Pakidafi Rusanokan, Lidaku Mabaliu and Sakale Savalju, who reinterpreted the classical cosmology of the tribes into a futurist vision.

“Some of the craft works in this room (exhibition room 101) show the hierarchical system of Paiwan people in Taiwan. During the ancient time, there was a group of artists who did craftworks only for the ruling family. Hence, all these craftworks contain symbols of Paiwan’s Ruling Family. The common symbols used to represent the Ruling Family are the sun, eagle and snake,” explained by Prof Lo.

In exhibition room 201, Prof Lo introduced a series of “Selfie-paintings” drawn by a talented female artist called Aruwai Matilin (马郁芳). Aruwai Matilin is a Paiwan whose ancestors came from the mountain. All the paintings of “selfie-generation” were made up of different pieces of mountain pictures taken from different angles. The idea of the painting came from the concept of her own identity – she has double identities, one as part of the “selfie-generation” and also as a Paiwan whose ancestors came from the mountains. These “Selfie-paintings” have enabled Aruwai Matilin to fuse the tradition with cutting-edge fashion.

The virtual tour adjourned with a group photo between the tour guide and the participants.

Prof Dr Lo Yong-Ching is an assistant professor of B. A. (Bachelor of Arts) Program of Studies of Health and Leisure and Culture Industries for Indigenous in National Pingtung University, Taiwan. He graduated with a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology at Leiden University, Netherlands. His research expertise includes cultural anthropology, indigenous cultural property rights, indigenous ecology, conservation area policy, indigenous religion and indigenous mapping.