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JUNE 1, 2001

Poor health, economic, and social conditions plague the 390,000 indigenous Taiwanese who have lived on the island of Taiwan for thousands of years yet continue to face prejudice in the media and in everyday society.

But activists for the nine federally recognized tribes are taking cues from Native Americans in the United States and indigenous people beyond to draw attention to their struggle. They have begun to reclaim their culture and heritage after decades of opression by Communist rule from China.

One of their battles is to regain land taken by the government. They received a victory last year when a court ruled the Taroka Tribe was the rightful owner of land the goverment had given to a private company.

President Chen Shui-bian last year signed a treaty with the tribes promising to recognition of their sovereignty. The goverment is beginning a policy of self-determination this year, starting with the Yami Tribe but there is opposition to how much power the tribes will have.

In 1996, the government set up a Council of Aboriginal Affairs. Eight seats in the 280-member parliament are reserved for tribal representatives.

Get the Story:
The Tale of Taiwan's Aborigines (The Los Angeles Times 6/1)