Taiwan Aboriginal Projects 臺灣原住民14族
![Seediq, Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Culture Park Seediq Taiwan Aboriginal Tribe](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/01_Seediq_賽德克族_Aboriginal_Tribe_Taiwan.jpg)
Seediq Taiwan Aboriginal Tribe
I have photographed Aboriginal festivals, everyday Aboriginal village life and shot many assignments on Aboriginal art and artists. I will showcase some of the photos here and link to some assignments and projects. The above photograph is from a recent project photographing all fourteen of Taiwan’s Aboriginal tribes. Other than some reference books my wife owns, I rarely see all 14 tribes compared together. It is a good resource, the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Culture Park’s performances and clothing are quite authentic and I often refer to these photographs when I want to identify a tribe by their costume.
The Taiwan Photographer – 14 Taiwan Aboriginal Tribes
![01_Tribal_Dance_Namaxia Aboriginal Dance](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/01_Tribal_Dance_Namaxia.jpg)
Aboriginal Dancers at Malatangia Bunun shoot the ear festival, Namaxia, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
My favorite festival is the Bunun Malatangia (Bunun Ear-Shooting Festival 布農族射耳祭) held annually around April in Namaxia. Photos from that festival have been well published; they have been used in several China Post newspaper articles, as a banner for the China Post’s Travel section, magazine articles including two covers, on the web and as the cover for Steven Crook’s Bradt Travel Guide, Taiwan. A project of portraits of Aboriginal people in traditional dress at festivals is online here.
Portraits of Taiwan Aboriginals in Traditional Dress
![02_Tsou_Aboriginal_Bananas Tsou Man](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/02_Tsou_Aboriginal_Bananas.jpg)
Tsou Man smoking, Kanakanavu Mi Kong Zhou Aboriginal tribe festival, Ming Shen Village, Namaxia Township, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, August 16th, 2008
A smaller Namaxia Festival is the Kanakanavu Mi Kong Festival held in Takanua. The Kanakanavu are considered part of the Tsou Aboriginal Tribe and this festival is a more intimate look at Aboriginal life.
![Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Culture Park, Sandimen, Pingtung County, Taiwan Sakizaya](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/21_Sakizaya_撒奇萊雅族_Aboriginal_Tribe_Taiwan.jpg)
Sakizaya, Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Culture Park, Sandimen, Pingtung County, Taiwan
I’ve never seen the Sakizaya Tribe as I rarely get to the north of Taiwan, so the Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Culture Park in Sandimen is a great place to see all the tribes without going all over Taiwan.
![Aboriginal Art Aboriginal Artisan with tattooed hands](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/03_Paiwan_Aboriginal_Bead_Art.jpg)
Aboriginal Artisan with tattooed hands makes traditional glass bead art at Shatao Dance and Glass Bead Art Studio, Sandimen, Pingtung County, Taiwan
Taiwanese Aboriginal art, like the glass beads of Sandimen, is generally good value and can be a great souvenir from Taiwan. Aboriginal villages are always full of arts and crafts to admire or purchase. Photos of Sandimen Aboriginal Artisans
![04_Aboriginal_Man Bunun Man](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/04_Aboriginal_Man.jpg)
Malatangia Bunun shoot the ear festival, Namasia, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
![Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Culture Park, Sandimen, Pingtung County, Taiwan Tao (Dawu) Aboriginal](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/11_Tao_達悟族_Aboriginal_Tribe_Taiwan.jpg)
Tao Aboriginal, Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Culture Park, Sandimen, Pingtung County, Taiwan
The Tao, or Dawu, Aboriginal women throw their hair over their heads when they dance. I really need a beach or sea as a background, though.
![05_Bunun_Aboriginal_Children Aboriginal Children](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/05_Bunun_Aboriginal_Children.jpg)
Bunun Aboriginal Children pose in Namaxia Township, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
The Aboriginal children in mountain villages are always willing and appealing subjects.
![Sandimen, Pingtung County, Taiwan Rukai Girls near Sandimen, Pingtung County, Taiwan](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/06_Rukai_Aboriginal_Children.jpg)
Rukai Girls near Sandimen, Pingtung County, Taiwan
On assignment for Topics Magazine in Wutai I happened upon the Dawadawang Aboriginal Christian Church where Rukai Aboriginals were preparing for a festival. This girl is eating from an instant noodle package (科學麵 – a common Taiwanese snack) which was casting a beautiful light into her big round Aboriginal eyes.
![07_Aboriginal_Dance_Namaxia Bunun shoot the ear festival](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/07_Aboriginal_Dance_Namaxia.jpg)
Malatangia Bunun shoot the ear festival, Namaxia
![08_Bunun_Aboriginal_Women Elderly Bunun tribeswomen](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/08_Bunun_Aboriginal_Women.jpg)
Elderly Bunun tribeswomen hold hands at the annual Bunun Ear Festival, Maya village, Ming Chuan, Namasiya Township, Kaoshiung County, Taiwan
This somewhat clichéd image of two elderly Bunun Aboriginal women was used for the cover of an ebook — Taiwan Folktales.
![09_Bunun_Hunters Bunun_Hunters](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/09_Bunun_Hunters.jpg)
Bunun Hunters at Malatangia Bunun shoot the ear festival, Namaxia, Taiwan
![Pingpu Night Ceremony, Liuchonghsi, Tainan Pingpu Night Ceremony, Liuchonghsi, Tainan](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/10_Pingpu_Aboriginal_Night_Ceremony.jpg)
Pingpu Night Ceremony, Liuchonghsi, Tainan
Pingpu Aboriginal Night Ceremonies are an interesting blend of Traditional Han Temple festivals and Mountain Aboriginal festivals. I wrote about the Xiaolin Pingpu Night Ceremony and the Liuchonghsi Pingpu Night Ceremony.
![Aboriginal Schoolgirl Aboriginal Schoolgirl](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/11_Aboriginal_Schoolgirl1.jpg)
Aboriginal Schoolgirl performing in Maya (Ming Chuan) Village, Namaxia District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
![Maya (Ming Chuan) Village, Namasiya Township, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan Rats ready to cook](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/12_Aboriginal_Food.jpg)
Rats ready to cook, Maya (Ming Chuan) Village, Namaxia, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan
Aboriginal Food is a popular topic. This photograph of rats ready to cook has been published in several magazines. More photos and information about Aboriginal food
![13_Bunun_Women (2) Bunun tribeswomen eat at the annual Bunun Ear Festival](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/13_Bunun_Women-2.jpg)
Bunun tribeswomen eat at the annual Bunun Ear Festival, Maya village, Ming Chuan, Namasiya Township, Kaoshiung County, Taiwan
![14_Aboriginal_Barbeque Aboriginal BBQ Food](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/14_Aboriginal_Barbeque.jpg)
Formosan Maqaque and barking deer(Reeves muntjac) cook on a barbeque in Maya village, Ming Chuan, Namasiya Township, Kaoshiung County, Taiwan
Tourists in Taiwan often marvel at the exotic food eaten by Taiwanese. Taiwanese marvel at the exotic food eaten by Aboriginals.
![Aboriginal Man wearing feathers Bunun tribesman at the annual Bunun Ear Festival, Taiwan](http://thetaiwanphotographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/15_Taiwan_Aboriginals_03.jpg)
Bunun tribesman wearing feathers and deerskin headgear at the annual Bunun Ear Festival, Taiwan