Removing -Lice 取虱, Cooling- Off 納涼 - Ninety-Years (1930-2020) Relook

March 08, 2026

These discoveries fall into places within two-months. Totally unplanned nor predetermined, they just did.

“1930s Myth and Tradition” language appears a mixture of old-Japanese, Proto, Formosan (Hokkien, Hakka and Contact languages). Plus, in my opinion, highly-skillful and thoughtful writing-techniques for the contexts to be comprehensive, to make sense, to use, and to preserve.

For proto and contact , Japanese identified by language-codes. Such as IN. (Indonesia), Tag (Tagalog Philippine), Mal. (Malay) Bis.(Bisaya Philippine). Linguistic comparisons (structures, usages and analyses) between the Formosans themselves and proto (and contact language) also provided and identified by language-code.

Two months ago, I borrowed "Myth and Tradition 1935" from my neighbors for a browse.

取虱 (removing-lice) activity between mother and child of Saisiyat taai chapter soon caught my eyes - the practice was mentioned at least twice (p.123 and 127). 虱 (lice) word occurred on a number of occasions all through the report . Lice word-root Japanese identified IN (Indonesia).

One day while browsing through Zalan FB page, I saw Tsing-Hua-University Linguistic Professor 詹 presented in one show about Indigenous languages and the Philippines.

I noticed Japanese 1930s reports cover all the proto list examples Professor 詹 presented on that show. Including 虱 (lice) 'ku-tu' Japanese identified IN (Indonesia). And it was then, for me -Saisiyat ta-ai's 'removing-lice' parental-child practice became little more interesting than it first did.

1930's contexts suggest social structure existed in ta'ai population (short mystical figures who lived in ta'ai 大隘 with Saisiyat and Atayal), with some form of mutual care and support.

(Zalan the word, incidentally, is a word created by Robert Blust under hypothetical revitalization. '-an' the word appears frequently on 1930s reports being identified proto.

Qalan (fence, territory, community) also appears on 1930s but without proto status. I believe it's Chinese/Hokkien 竹欄/圍欄, documented in Qing.)

Cooling-Off 納涼 (Saisiyat ta'ai chapter - a location where ta'ai community gather, meet-up, cooling-off in shades in a relaxed, laid-back manner. Eventually and fatally the location where a plot to remove ta'ai existence took place and succeeded.)

納涼 (Used as Synonym of 橋 Bridge) appears only (throughout the whole book) in Saisiyat ta'ai chapter - specifically about the falls and disappearance of ta'ai . (p.123 and p127)

納涼會 (Chill-Festival)

On a visit to Beitou Hotspring Museum - I saw newspaper report on Beitou 納涼會 (1913) - an event started during Japanese and today revitalized in Taichung.