Last (and latest) Siraya update... for now

[Rolland Nadjiwon]

Thanks for the post. I am very sorry to hear the outcome. There is 
nothing more 'insane' than telling a people to their faces they don't 
exist or are extinct. It happens to many of our tribes all the time. It 
is the 'demented' dream of most colonizers. Really sorry to hear this. I 
have followed all your information and many of your people, especially 
the elders, remind me very much of some of my relatives. I love them.

-------
wahjeh
rolland nadjiwon



Chun Jimmy Huang wrote:
> The street protest for the Taiwanese low-land peoples organized by 
> Siraya Association took place on May 2nd in Taipei. Around 3,000 
> individuals from at least 7 different indigenous groups showed up. The 
> event was peaceful, mostly with slogan-chanting, singing, a few 
> speeches, and a skit showing that the low-land peoples have become 
> (officially non-existent) "orphans" on their own land.
>
> Here is a link to a 9 minute long documentary of the event. There is 
> no English subtitles though, and I am sorry I really cannot do 
> anything about it this time.
> http://www.peopo.org/portal.php?op=viewPost&articleId=35104
>
> The government response was not so good. They just reiterated that (1) 
> There is no legal basis for recognizing the low-land peoples, and 
> hence to ask for recognition is "illegal"!? (2) Despite the fact that 
> a 9-year-old girl, Uran, gave a short speech in Siraya during the 
> event ( 2:26 - 2:50 in the documentary: "I am a Tainan Siraya. I grew 
> up in a Siraya village. I love the Siraya people. They are beautiful 
> and nice people."), the govt say these peoples do not have their 
> languages (b/c "experts" say these languages have gone "extinct"), and 
> hence it is unlikely the govt would establish new legal basis for 
> them. (3) The Center of Indigenous Peoples say if the low-land are 
> recognized, the already official mountain aborigines would be 
> sacrificed. No one even mentioned that maybe the govt should 
> appropriate more resources for all the aborigines.
>
> So, that's for now.
>
> Madag ki alilid (thanks very much) for your support
>
> Jimmy/Chun
>