The only remaining divination box in history — artifacts of the Ketagalan people go on display

“How Well Do You Know? The Ketagalan History and Culture Special Exhibition” is currently being held at the Ketagalan Cultural Center and Beitou Hot Spring Museum. This is the first special exhibition in Taiwan themed around the Ketagalan people and is open to the public free of charge, running until April 29, 2012 (Republic of China Year 101).

Jian Sujuan, deputy director of the Institute of Taiwan History at Academia Sinica and curator of this exhibition, stated that there is still a gap between academic knowledge and public awareness regarding the Ketagalan people. Although Taiwan is a society composed of diverse ethnic groups, the divide between “Han” and “non-Han” remains stark, which is worthy of reflection and reevaluation by those who identify as Han. The word “cooked” in the exhibition’s title refers to “cooked tribes” (sinicized indigenous peoples). After 1940, the Ketagalan people integrated into Han society. Through the exhibition’s historical tracing, visitors may discover that they themselves are descendants of indigenous peoples, thereby reviving historical memory and truly promoting respect for ethnic diversity.

Among the 36 Ketagalan cultural relics on display from the museum’s collection, many are making their first appearance. In particular, a divination tool box used by a shaman from the Sandiao Village is likely the only one of its kind in history. Its surface features mysterious painted designs and carvings, making it highly aesthetic. Another piece, an upright carved plaque of a “human figure wearing a double-diamond crown,” is a unique carving specific to both the Ketagalan people of the Taipei area and the Kavalan people of Yilan. The stylized human figures wearing high crowns and waist skirts are among the most important characteristics of northern Pingpu (plains indigenous) group carvings.

In addition to artifacts, the exhibition also includes historical documents and images related to the Ketagalan people, such as “The Portrait of Dabiao and Apianjang from the Maling Xikou Village in the 28th Year of Qianlong (1763),” which is a hand-printed land cultivation contract bearing the fingerprints of Ketagalan people from the Maling Xikou Village (now Songshan District) in the 18th century (1763); another item, “The Spanish Harbor Description Map of Formosa Island,” is a reproduction from 1935 (Showa 10) by Shizue Shimizu during the Japanese era, based on the original by Pedro de Vera circa 1626. It depicts the northern areas of Keelung and Tamsui occupied by the Spanish, showcasing the Spanish understanding of North Taiwan’s geography in the early 17th century.

The exhibition is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays and national holidays). For more details, please call (02)2898-6500, or visit www.ketagalan.taipei.gov.tw or http://beitoumuseum.taipei.gov.tw.