Brief history of turkeys in Taiwan

 It is likely the Maya of southern Mexico were the first to domesticate turkeys, maybe 2000 years ago. (Photos at National Museum of Anthropology Mexico City Nov 2024)

🦃 Turkeys brought in by Dutch (1624–1662)? 

Possible but unlikely. There was mention of first turkey consumption on the island during which time. But appears no document recording Dutch introduction of turkey to Taiwan.

🦃Late-Ming Record shows 火雞 Huoji  (mandarin Chinese name for turkey) some 200 years before Dutch in Tainan. These 火雞 Huoji, however, were believed 鶴駝 (食火雞) Cassowaries from Southeast Asia to China, then to Taiwan.

Could Cassowaries 鶴駝 (instead of turkey 火雞) what Dutch had seen consumed in Southern Taiwan? Also possible.

🦃Turkey production in Taiwan under Japanese rule

There is enough evidence Japanese encouraged turkeys breeding in Taiwan. Widely raised under its Japanese name 七面鳥 (らーめん Shichimenchō). 

Tateishi Tetsuomi 立石鐵臣 wrote in his Taiwan-Cultural-Folklore illustrated book - turkeys are for consumption, numbers increased significantly after WWII. 

🦃Turkey production after 1945

"Turkey production grew more than tenfold between 1945 and 1976 because it was cheaper, pound for pound, than chicken. But by 1995 it had declined to less than a third of its peak, after Taipei was pressured by Washington to accept American imports to restore balance to the US-Taiwan trade relationship. Nowadays, much of the meat used for shredded turkey with gravy on white rice—a dish associated with Chiayi—is imported." Crook and Hung. A Culinary History of Taipei. Chapter 3.

Chiayi turkey rice - have you notice turkey rice always served with takuan (Japanese pickled daikon)? Yes - that itself indicates a Japanese presence.

An interesting Chiayi turkey rice history I recently learned from my journalist friend Victor - what did they do with turkey feathers ? Have you ever wondered?!

Apparently- there was once in earlier days , turkey feathers were used to fill in duck feathers shortage for ‘Down jacket’ exports.

And therefore only WHITE feathered turkeys were used. For clothing and for consumption.

Chiayi might have been at one time big in Down jacket manufacturing between 1945-1980.

MORE on turkeys - 

18. Why are turkeys called turkeys HERE.
(https://katyhuiwenhung.blogspot.com/2020/04/food-anthropology-notes-from-taiwans.html)