'Bamboo Canisters - Black Powder' (Anthropology Note 153-180)

Souvenir brought back from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) where I came across Indigenous-Polynesian language revitalizations: Hawaii - Rapa Nui - Māori New Zealand.

The experience broaden my knowledge about proto-language revitalization, strategies, hypotheses, development, mechanisms, (most interestingly) local interpretations and diversities, Germanic linguists dominance and influences (which I first noticed during a Poland trip in fact).

All these allow me to look at indigenous-language-revitalizations in Taiwan from a wider perspective, making my own judgements, and develop my thoughts and opinions based on personal experiences and observations over the last decade.

Two points to make in the first instance -

1. Some aspects of either current or long-standing Austronesian linguists hypotheses and analysis on languages of indigenous peoples of Taiwan appear questionable.

I see on several occasions (including significant indigenous -naming) loanwords being promoted as 'indigenous' or 'Proto-Austronesian. These claims may be made by renowned Austronesian-language linguists, nevertheless questionable. Underanalysed and outdated.

What's here is a revitalization- culture which encourages building hypotheses and indulges in proposed etymologies while factual evidences could be available and accessible but are categorically ignored.

Claims based on 'hypotheses' are welcomed. That keeps everyone happy. Everyone can have his own 'hypothesis'. And they make better stories.

Factual history and evidence are compromised.

Some results appear -

Based on underanalysed data and outdated knowledge and information.

Based on heavy linguistic mechanism in building indigenous dictionary. And on some occasions executions suggest weak understanding and insufficient resources of what actually happens and develops in Taiwan over the last 50 years.

While without-a-question indigenous interpretations are valuables and should be respected, implemented and the purpose of revitalization is understandably for locals to use, to relate, and therefore to preserve. And while most 'made-ups' are harmless and they can be great stories - something researchers may wish to consider is the purpose of their research - whether it is to report and continue building 'made-ups' because they make better stories or turn back to research for truth where convincing conclusions are achievable.

2. Diversity of Loanwords - 'Diversity' of Language Misuse

'Loanwords' diversity should not be mistaken and used for indigenous-language diversity promotion. Which is a flawed practice.

For example -

Saisiyat 'Tinawon, Rukai 'Cinavu', Amis 'avay' .
They are from the SAME ONE root word.

(Origin I don't know yet.)

Tao Ali bang bang (flying fish), Amis Kilang.

They are from the SAME ONE root word -
Ang 桐 . aka 刺桐 (Zaitun - historical name of Quanzhou over 11-14th century). Chinese loanword.

Twenty pages of ' Indigenous word list' based on one single loanword is not an evidence of 'diverse language' nor an evidence of Proto- origin. They are -

Loanword Diversity NOT Language Diversity

Note 153

'Bamboo' 竹 revitalization for 'Collect water' 汲

mibun qsya 提水
pebulan 汲水桶
btakan 麻竹
ruma' 桂竹

Colors are loaned morphemes (Chinese, English/Japanese Makino, Hokkien). Doesn't mean black is 'indigenous', no, but in this instance colors are loaned.

pu/pe/pa all possible prefix for 'make-happen' 把

puniq - pu is probably pa 把- to make fire.

pa 把 Chinese/Hokkien - 'make-happen'.

Note 154 Black powder and Bamboo Canisters.

kulu meaning black is borrowed from Japanese 'kuro' 黑.

The borrow exists in Smangus (means Savages) too for its fertile -black (Korwa) -soil ancestral land. A story created for tourism.

I am in the opinion that Saisiyat 'hip/waist bells' bamboo and metal chimes is associated with 'black powder' in indigenous history.

I also see why Saisiyat ‘hip bell’ was originally ‘waist bell’ -because gunpowder containers were held on the waist!

Saisiyat ‘chimes’ story goes -
It was bamboo canisters then changed to metal (during Japanese era so is said)
Hip bell is also called waist bell.

PaSta'ay song about 'peace' 'give-up weapons', 'no more fight' may well be developed from this indigenous past. A connections not unreasonable to make.

Bunun people and bamboo canisters

Note 155 Tinawbon/Cinavun

Any connection? Borrowing, loanwords? Which way?

Cinavun (Paiwan Rukai) and
Tinawbon/Tinavun (Saisiyat)
Avay (Amis)

They are from the same word root.
Wherever the root originated.

Note 156 'Ang' 桐 Tree/Wood Root word 刺桐

Tree in Amis is Chinese loanword, once again. Same with several other indigenous languages. Root word 刺桐.

Ang is 桐

Kilang 刺桐 (Zaitun - historical name of Quanzhou)

Same root-word category example

Tao - Ali Bang Bang (Flying fish) (Beginning of the year)

Note 157

Religion impacts on weaving/dyeing among indigenous peoples

Ifugao /Tsou/Atayal/Seediq

Could religion play a major role in these similarities?
I think - worth exploring from another angle.

RED - as for the red fabric- I believe Professor Lin (NTU anthropology) explanation that the reason being there was a period of the time that RED IMPORTED fabric was the most common and popular in the region. Make a lot of sense.

旅の建築フィールドノート術―五感で感じたすべてを描く（2025）

Who are the Lanten peoples 藍靛族 that share cultural similarities with indigenous peoples of Taiwan?

Interesting that Lanten 藍靛 Indigo tradition and heritage became known as Hakka's in Taiwan.

藍靛族是瑤族的一個分支，又稱藍靛瑤，主要分布於雲南、廣西、越南、寮國等地，以種植馬藍製作藍靛染料而得名。他們具有悠久的藍染技藝和獨特的文化習俗，服飾上以粉紅或白色腰帶區分婚姻狀態，並保留了蠟染等非物質文化遺產。

Note 164 Indigenous house layout. sunken hearth (fire pit). Iron wok - Yunnan and Taiwan.

Indigenous sunken fire pit can be seen (from my own experience) on the Eastern part of Taiwan.

Note 165

Linguistic Facts- Pigeon peas and Indigenous mythology (Not before 1900s)

太巴塱部落/馬太鞍部落

番(仔）豆

fataan (Amis)

Both ‘oldest’ names should have developed from pigeon peas (Hakka/Hokkien 番豆)

Pigeon peas - once again - was most possibly (no evidence suggest the otherwise) introduced by Japanese in 1920-30s.

Should not have existed in Taiwan by 1900s.

I have mentioned about 番豆 pigeon peas etymology on a number of occasions - HERE is one.

Related post "Anthropology IV" HERE. Note 141-152 are recent updates.

Note 166

Saisiyat dancing chimes.

Bunun's flying squirrel hunting tool.

- Saisiyat made gunpowder containers into music chimes
- During 1930s under Japanese- Saisiyat made the dancing bells with metal bullet cartridge and leather belts.
- Bamboo tube indigenous hunting and modern music
- Bunun’s flying squirrel hunting tool
- Saisiyat waist-hip belt/chimes

- Indigenous gunpowder containers and leather waist belts

- Indigenous ‘bamboo’ word - Chinese/Japanese/English loanword. Not indigenous nor Austronesian.
- I would like to know if ‘the back of’ this 1930s Saisiyat ceremonial belt and chime could have been ‘bamboo pockets’. Or at least similar concept.
(Saisiyat photo taken at Academia Sinica)

Note 167

# Bảo-tàng Dân-tộc-học
保藏人族學 / 寶藏民族學
Museum of Ethnology Viet-Nam

This is like ‘interpreting’ indigenous languages of Taiwan - that many morphological units are in fact loanwords and not ‘Austronesian’ nor ‘Proto-Austronesian’ as Austronesian linguists claimed/claim and promoted. ( in particular questionable is the Atayalic language groups)

It appears many morphological units of indigenous languages are underanalysed and indigenous languages researches have been conducted based on insufficient resources and contextual knowledge of Taiwan.

Which consequently produced misleading results - fine for tourism (short-term) but not fine for scholarly level (long-term) impact.

————————————-

A Japanese architect master recommends me this museum - and I explored the linguistic aspects:

Bảo-tàng Dân-tộc-học (Museum of Ethnology)

Bảo Tàng - 保藏 (“to preserve and protect”) or 寶藏 (“to preserve treasures”).

dân is 人 People

tộc is 族 Clan

học is 學 Study

Note 168

Bunun Siduh 族 Clan

Vienam tộc 族 Clan

(Chinese loanword)

Now - Bunun (1) linguistic

Evidence what’s often been mistaken, misled, and promoted as ‘indigenous’, Austronesian’ or further ‘Proto-Austronesian’ in order to build indigenous dictionary for language revitalization- are in fact loanwords.
In this case - Chinese loanword.

**Which means - morphological analysis based on Bunun’s ‘duh’ 族 is flawed and misleading because it ISN’T Austronesian or Indigenous.

Note 169 Bunun

Now - Bunun Linguistic (2) - Legumes people
Why are Bunun the 豆 Legumes people

1. When Bunun tell you their ancestors have been growing 豆 since ancient times - most not that ancient not until 17th century introduced from Meso-South America. Many to China first then Taiwan. And even if they were introduced, many of them had no economic values until Japanese encouraged cultivation late 19th century-20th. Modern.
2. Because Bu is 豆。At least under Japanese highland crops cultivation which was proven successful.
3. Tina is developed from Ina - 姨娘/姨仔 . Origin could be Southern -China.

** Which means morphological analysis based on these words to build Bunun vocabulary and for language revitalization is questionable. As they aren’t Indigenous, Austronesian, nor Proto-Austronesian.
**You revive proto - . You don’t revive loanwords. These are loanwords.

Note 170

Formosan - Bamboo - Partridge

竹雞 - 斑鳩

Interesting! The much-hyped book covered Formosan-Bamboo-Partridge - which there is no shortage of information on my part collected over the years!

Little would Swinhoe and Gould know that 150 years later - Formosan Bamboo-Partridge became known as 'Indigenous bird' ! And I think it had to do with Japanese - they encouraged the cultivation in particular in indigenous highlands.

I first knew the BBQ- bird as '小鳥 Little Bird' by Atayals in Hsinchu. Then this dish was known '竹雞 Bamboo-Chicken' for a few years. But finally as now promoted and served in 3-cup style is known as '斑鳩 (Banjo) Partridge' in most indigenous-themed restaurants.

斑鳩 (Banjo) was served in 1900s Ryori (料理) in Taiwan.

Note 171
Proto- Polynesian language revitalization.
The absence of pig, dog, fowl in Polynesian agricultural economy.

Rewarding ‘Accidental’ Found 2025 @ Rapa Nui

Proto- Polynesian language revitalization. Hawaii-Rapa Nui-Māori
And I see the revitalization patterns and strategies implemented for Taiwan.
However - linguistic mechanism is one thing, cultural context is one other big thing not always appreciated and dealt with by academic-trained international linguistic scholars. I observed issues and questionables in Taiwan’s case.
The absence of pig, dog, fowl in Polynesian agricultural economy. Interesting that one actually.

No. 172 Burial Objects - Japan. Mexico
銀朱
Bronze mirror

Artisanal Pottery

No. 173 Tiger Dog Ryukyu

The Turaa Inu -Tiger . Ryukyu Dog.

This kind of dog I saw in Easter Island is known ‘Tiger Dog’ in Okinawa. @ Rapa Nui

Note 174 藍靛 Indigo (Yunnan. Vietnam. Taiwan)

Note 175 # Infugo # Saisiyat # Ai-he-ren 矮黑人# Tinawon (rice) # Evidence

# Infugo # Saisiyat # Ai-he-ren 矮黑人# Tinawon (rice) # Evidence

Wow- that’s quite something…
Bit weird nevertheless interesting.

Infugo = negritos (according to a scholar)
1. Saisiyat has a major 矮黑人 mystical figures and stories.
2. And Saisiyat called their major ceremonial rice food- very similar to famous Infugo rice “Tinawon”.
3. Judging by this Infugo ancient rice evidence- I can only say high possibility Saisiyat borrowed it.
Paiwan/Rukai/Amis borrowed from Saisiyat- something like that.

Note 176 Kilakil (Saisiyat Shoulder/Back Flag)

First Kil shoulder 肩 is Holo Ki-
Second Kil 旗 is Holo Ki-

# Saisiyat Kilakil 肩旗 is Holo/Taiwanese word.
# Holo/Taiwanese loanwords
# The shoulder flag ( Saisiyat : kilakil)
Common practice - Holo/Taiwanese loanword in indigenous vocabulary.
For example-
Kilakil -
First Kil shoulder 肩 is Holo Ki-
Second Kil 旗 is Holo Ki-

Note 177 - 目屎 ba̍k-sái ba̍k 目

Whether m or b. c or t. or whatever.
These are linguistic related.

Eye. Tear. Death. Sad. Cry