Profile of Indigenous Communities
The Tsou (Cou) people settled in elevated Alishan Mountain in central Taiwan. “Tsou”means “people”. According to the Tsou legend, after creating the Tsou and Maya peoples with the maple leaf, the Great God Hamo created the plain peoples with the leaf of the bishop wood (Bischofia javanica). Then, the Tsou people gradually migrated to the present location from Yushan. Historically, the Tsou people engaged with both the Dutch and the Qing authorities; during the Qing rule, they actively helped the Qing government with security matters in the mountainous territories. Throughout the Japanese rule period, the Tsou maintained amicable relations with the Japanese authorities, even seeing the Japanese as their brother tribe, the Maya.
Social and Cultural Features
The hosa (grand community) identification is important to the Tsou people. With one grand community as the center, a “Hosa (Grand Community)” is formed with several branches – denohiu (minor communities). The Kuba (Male Assembly Hall) political and religious center of a grand community. The Kuba is an elevated stilt house, serving as the male center for culture, hunting, and combat training, and as the location for tribal meetings and public affairs. Fiteu are often planted near or on the Kuba roof; this symbolizes how the Heavenly God recognizes the people.
Kinship and Marriage
The Tsou society is patrilineal, and all children live with the father and the father’s family. Several patrilineal families form a sub-clan, which then unites into a single clan. The clan is an exogamous unit, owning communal farmlands and hunting grounds. Marriage by service is popular in traditional Tsou culture. In this system, the groom will need to help the bride’s family for some time after marriage.
Industry and Arts
The traditional economic activities include agriculture, hunting, fishing, and gathering. Traditionally, male Tsou clothes are made of leather. When dressing up, men will put some feathers of the eagle or the Taiwan blue pheasant (Lophura swinhoii) on the headgear to symbolize their bravery. With mature processing skills, the Tsou people often make leather clothes with pelts. The famous bamboo tube rice is made by roasting glutinous rice inside one-year-old Makino bamboo.
Ceremonies and Rituals
There are two major Tsou festivals:
- The Homeyaya (Millet Harvest Festival) is held every year after the harvest to show appreciations to the Millet God and to bring community solidarity together.
- The Mayasvi (Triumph Festival) is a ritual worshipping the Heavenly God, the Military (War) God, Life God, and the spirit of decapitated people. The Tsou people believe that the Heavenly God and War God will descend from the banyan trees by the Kuba during the ritual.
Competition Event and Participants
- Traditional Archery: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (1 Participant) /Individual Event－Open Women’s Division (1 Participant)
- Traditional Music and Dance: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (15 Participants)