Who Are the Puyuma?
The Puyuma (Pinuyumayan, 卑南族) are an indigenous people of southeastern Taiwan, numbering approximately 14,000-15,000 people. They speak Puyuma, a Formosan language with several dialect groups. The Puyuma traditionally inhabited the Taitung Plain and adjacent mountain foothills along Taiwan's southeast coast. Their society featured a sophisticated age-grade system organized around the palakuwan (men's house), with elaborate rituals marking transitions between grades. The Puyuma are known for their distinctive Mangayaw (Monkey Festival) ceremony and have produced notable figures in Taiwanese popular music, including singer A-Mei (Zhang Huimei), one of Taiwan's biggest pop stars.
Age-Grade System
Puyuma society is organized around a male age-grade (bangsaran) system centered on the palakuwan (men's house). Boys at age 12-13 enter the palakuwan, beginning a progression through named grades with specific roles and responsibilities. Junior grades perform community service; senior grades hold authority and make decisions. This system provides governance, transmits cultural knowledge, and organizes labor. Women have parallel organizations around sewing houses. The palakuwan served as educational institutions, dormitories, and ceremonial centers. While modified by modern life, age-grade transitions remain marked by ritual, and the palakuwan continues as a cultural institution in some villages.
Mangayaw (Monkey Festival)
The Mangayaw is the Puyuma's most distinctive ceremony, held annually in late December. During this hunting ritual, young men demonstrate their skills by hunting wild animals (historically including monkeys, hence the English name, though practice now focuses on other game). The ceremony marks transitions between age-grades and tests young men's readiness for adult responsibilities. Elaborate rituals, songs, and dances accompany the hunt. The Mangayaw reinforces age-grade organization, connects youth to tradition, and celebrates Puyuma warrior identity. The ceremony has become a cultural event attracting visitors while maintaining its significance for the community.
Contemporary Puyuma
Modern Puyuma have achieved notable visibility in Taiwanese popular culture. Singer A-Mei (Zhang Huimei), a Puyuma, became one of Taiwan and China's biggest pop stars, raising Puyuma profile while navigating complex cross-strait politics. Other Puyuma artists and athletes have gained national recognition. The Puyuma language faces pressures from Mandarin, with revitalization efforts ongoing. Traditional ceremonies continue, adapted to contemporary contexts. The 2018 Puyuma train derailment, though unrelated to the indigenous group, brought attention to the name. How the Puyuma leverage cultural visibility while maintaining age-grade traditions and linguistic heritage shapes this southeastern Taiwan people's future.
References
- Cauquelin, J. (2004). The Aborigines of Taiwan: The Puyuma
- Stein, E. A. (1982). "The Puyuma of Taiwan"
- Li, P. J.-K. (2004). Formosan Languages: The State of the Art