Indigenous – Taiwan Insight

Introduction to “Indigenous Language Policies in Taiwan and Beyond”

25 March 2026 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Elizabeth Zeitoun. Taiwan is rich in linguistic diversity. However, many languages, among which the Indigenous languages are now at risk of disappearing. This rapid decline is largely the result of a century of drastic language policies. This topical section presents four articles that offer various insights into the challenges faced by both researchers and Indigenous communities in relation to these policies. The authors address the complexities involved in the preservation and revitalisation of Indigenous languages, shedding light on the obstacles scholars and policymakers encounter while embarking on different measures.

Decolonial Art as a Form of Truth Telling and Indigenous Resistance

3 October 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Choesang Scholer. Despite the pressures of external forces on Indigenous land and domain, Indigenous community members utilise art as a medium for political protest to amplify their concerns when their government fails to do so. This article explores the way in which identity-building expression appears through various forms of art.

The Island Is Our Canoe: Taiwan–Guam Exchange Finds Connection Beyond the Stage

11 September 2025 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Eloise Phillips. This article examines the 2025 Taiwan–Guam cultural exchange, led by Taiwan’s National Museum of Prehistory, which wove song, canoe building, and shared practices into island diplomacy. Through workshops, performances, and informal encounters, the program connected Austronesian communities across the Pacific, highlighting resilience, mutual reclamation, and living traditions of cultural practice, language, and art.

Indigenous Identity in Taiwan’s Contemporary Cinema: From Screen to Self

3 September 2025 Adrian Chiu

Written by Ana Paloma Martínez Gómez. This article explores how Indigenous identity is portrayed on screen and how film supports cultural revitalisation and self-representation through a decolonial and gendered lens. As a new Taiwanese national identity emerges, the gap between official recognition and ongoing cultural marginalisation reveals the complex space Indigenous communities occupy.

Group Photos (Hezhao) and the Depoliticisation of Indigeneity in Taiwan

18 July 2025 Yu-Chen

Written by Aaron Su. This article discusses the crucial role of photography in consolidating a liberal multicultural order in Taiwan by obscuring dissent through visual depictions of harmonious Indigenous life. Drawing on fieldwork at Taiwan’s Cultural Health Stations, the author shows how photography portrays Indigenous satisfaction with current health policies, leaving little room for the everyday pressures, demands, and disputes.

The Role of the Christian Church in Taiwanese Indigenous Movements

16 June 2025 Yu-Chen

Written by Janelle Umana-Limon. This article examines the rise of Indigenous resistance movements in Taiwan through the voices of Liglav Awu and Ayah Demaladas. It highlights how colonial powers, especially the Christian Church, have shaped and suppressed Indigenous cultures and women’s autonomy.

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