International Mother Language Day: Taiwanese (Formosa) mother language

On Valentine's Day, 14, Feb, no one invited me to have a romantic tea (‘tea’ in York means ‘dinner’), instead, I was invited to attend an event held on 21 Feb to celebrate the “International Mother Language Day 2019” to express Taiwanese mother language. This event is organized by The Bangladesh Society in collaboration with University of York Linguistic Society with the support of UK National Commission for UNESCO.

This is a good chance for people from Taiwan, where is home to 16 indigenous peoples: Amis, Atayal, Paiwan, Bunun, Tsou, Rukai, Pinuyumayan, Saisiyat, Yami, Thao, Kavalan, Truku, Sakizaya, Sediq, Hla alua, Kanakanavu (about 2.5% of the total population, 560,000). Their rich and unique cultural not only light up Taiwan’s different cultural identity but also make Taiwan become a significant motherland of the Austronesian language. These 16 indigenous peoples have their own different languages, customs and rituals, making Taiwan become culturally rich and diverse.

The fact that Taiwan is the languages and cultures of the Austronesians began, which includes people in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, the Maoris in New Zealand and Polynesians in Hawaii has been recognized by many international experts, such as Hawaiian Linguist Robert Blust, Australian archaeologist Peter Bellwood, and American Human sociologist Jared Diamond. (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cRl8FuK-YQ&feature=youtu.be)

Therefore, to preserve Taiwanese tribe cultures may be thought to be ‘political correctness’; however, there are far more significant meanings in it. 

Interestingly, many Taiwanese aboriginals are born to be good singers and enjoy singing and drinking. The 1996 Summer Olympics used ENIGM’s ‘Return To Innocence’ to advertise the event, this song is mixed with an elder Taiwanese indigenous (Difang Duana’s ) song. With the popularity of this song, Difang Duana sang to the world.

So, what is the current situation of Taiwanese indigenous languages? Yes, they are endangered due to modernization and mainly because they are the ethnic minority. The Taiwanese government has tried its efforts to save these precious languages in many ways, such as digitalizing language into e-dictionary. 

My hometown is located in Siraya area, Tainan, Taiwan. Although I am not a Taiwanese indigenous person, I once worked with them and I appreciate these ancient peoples guarded Formosa island in the past. I shall pay my respect to them, and introduce one of their languages next Tuesday in front of the audience.

Listen these beautiful, healing and brave voices: 

Return To Innocence

Difang - Elder's Drinking Song

Another amazing song: 700 moons by Amis people

在2月14日的情人節，沒有人邀請我喝一杯浪漫的茶（約克的'茶'意味著'晚餐'），反而，我被邀請參加2月21 日一個慶祝“2019年國際母語日”的活動展現臺灣母語，在英國教科文組織全國委員會的支持下由孟加拉協會與約克大學語言學會合辦。

對於來自台灣的人來說，這是一個很好的表現機會，因為臺灣有16種原住民：阿美，泰雅，排灣，布農，鄒族，魯凱，卑南族, 雅美族（達悟族），噶瑪蘭族，邵族，卡那卡那富族，太魯閣族，撒奇萊雅族，賽德克族，卑南族，拉阿魯哇族  (約占人口2.5%, 560,000人)。他們豐富而獨特的文化不僅彰顯了台灣不同的文化意識，也使台灣成為南島語的重要祖國。這16種原住民有自己不同的語言，風俗和儀式，使台灣文化既豐富又多元化。

台灣是南島人的語言和文化起源，其中包括太平洋群島，東南亞，紐西蘭的毛利人和夏威夷的波利尼西亞人，這一事實已得到了許多國際專家的認可，如夏威夷語言學家羅伯特布魯斯特，澳大利亞人考古學家Peter Bellwood和美國人類社會學家Jared Diamond。（來源：https：//www.youtube.com/watch？v = 9cRl8FuK-YQ＆feature = youtu）保護台灣部落文化，可以被認為是“政治正確”;但其實，它有更重要的意涵在內。

很有趣地, 許多台灣原住民天生就是優秀的歌手，喜歡唱歌及飲酒。 ENIGM的“回歸純真”的前奏 - 一首用於宣傳1996年夏季奧運會的流行歌曲 - 來自一位台灣老人（Difang Duana）的原音。隨著這首歌的流行，他和他美麗的聲音開始隨處飛揚。

是的，由於現代化的發展及少數族群的弱勢地位，台灣原住民語言濱臨絕跡中。 台灣政府已盡力挽救這些寶貴的語言,包括電子化存檔。 我的家鄉位於台灣台南的西拉雅地區。 雖然我不是台灣原住民，但我曾經和他們一起工作過，我很敬佩這些古老的民族過去守護這塊福爾摩沙島。 我將在下週二在觀眾面前向他們致意並介紹他們的其中一種語言。

來聆聽這些療癒具有勇氣又優美的原民音樂-

返璞歸真(序曲BY郭英男Difang Duana)

長老的飲酒歌

阿美族7百個月亮勇士歌

原住民電子辭典