Taiwan's Indigenous Witches Form School
Tuesday September 22, 2009
You know, frequently when we discuss witchcraft in other parts of the world, it's because of a negative news story -- a family being stoned to death, children being tortured, or other horrible things. Witchcraft is percieved in many different ways around the globe, so it's kind of nice to see this piece come to us out of Taiwan from the UK Telegraph.
The indigenous people of the island of Taiwan include a tribe known as the Paiwan, who have been there for thousands of years. Within the Paiwan tribe, their witches are known as healers, herbalists, and psychic counselors. Because the number of witches among the Paiwan has dwindled in the past century, a few of them have decided to set up a school to train the next generation of magic-users. According to the article, "Paiwan witches are seen as mediums between gods and humans, and the school teaches pupils rituals for blessing people and protecting them from evil. Witches can use their powers to worship gods and ancestors, pray for weather and for their harvests and perform healing treatments and rituals for hunting and tattooing."
Organized by Wong Yu-hua, a hereditary witch, the school currently has only ten students. However, Wong is hoping that number will increase as word spreads. She points out that while part of the school's mission is to teach the magical arts, more importantly, it will help preserve the last remains of a dying tradition. She said, "“We are witnessing the disappearance of the ancient ritual. We are trying hard to preserve it."
The Paiwan do not have a written language, so students rely heavily on oral tradition. Good luck to Wong and her fellow instructors - I hope that they are able to achieve their goals, and share their tribe's rich history with their pupils.
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The indigenous people of the island of Taiwan include a tribe known as the Paiwan, who have been there for thousands of years. Within the Paiwan tribe, their witches are known as healers, herbalists, and psychic counselors. Because the number of witches among the Paiwan has dwindled in the past century, a few of them have decided to set up a school to train the next generation of magic-users. According to the article, "Paiwan witches are seen as mediums between gods and humans, and the school teaches pupils rituals for blessing people and protecting them from evil. Witches can use their powers to worship gods and ancestors, pray for weather and for their harvests and perform healing treatments and rituals for hunting and tattooing."
Organized by Wong Yu-hua, a hereditary witch, the school currently has only ten students. However, Wong is hoping that number will increase as word spreads. She points out that while part of the school's mission is to teach the magical arts, more importantly, it will help preserve the last remains of a dying tradition. She said, "“We are witnessing the disappearance of the ancient ritual. We are trying hard to preserve it."
The Paiwan do not have a written language, so students rely heavily on oral tradition. Good luck to Wong and her fellow instructors - I hope that they are able to achieve their goals, and share their tribe's rich history with their pupils.
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Comments
That’s awesome. Best of luck to her.
That is awesome. I will have to research it, where it is specifically. I plan on studying abroad in Taiwan in a couple years, so I’d like to check out the school.
Nice article!
Lissa, I just came back from living 11 years in Taiwan, and I can’t say enough nice things about it. It’s a special place. (And with the suggestion to gain language proficiency in advance, if you’re not a Chinese or Taiwanese speaker already, to have the most fruitful experience off the bat.) The school is in the south, in Pingtung County, which is sunny and gorgeous, and if you want to see what that area looks like, you could try to find a recent Taiwanese movie called “Cape No. 7″ that is mostly set down there. I wish all the best of luck with your studies!
That is great.