I have been thinking about the same thing for quite some time. This issue touches upon many aspects of life - genetics, linguistics, politics, culture, economy, … etc. What’s the current state of the ‘Pacific identity’? What will it be like in 20 years? How will the formation of the ‘Pacific identity’ and obtaining an independent sovereignty interplay?
The discussion on those issues have immediate practical relevance as Taiwan is facing a decision-making point - China or the Pacific?
Perhaps start with something small. Like encouraging athletes to perform aboriginal war dance prior to international games, similar to team Kiwi doing their Haka. It’s a tradition many pacific islands are picking up. I know Tonga, Samoa and Fiji have all picked up on this, doing their kailao, siva tau and bole.
In those countries, athletes perform the ceremonial dance and chants together, regardless whether or not they are aboriginals.
Nice idea in theory, but this place is Chinese, and there is very little attention paid to the Pacific Island threads of the great Taiwan tapestry. It is run by and over-run with Han Chinese, and that’s not going to change.
[quote=“hansioux”]Perhaps start with something small. Like encouraging athletes to perform aboriginal war dance prior to international games, similar to team Kiwi doing their Haka. It’s a tradition many pacific islands are picking up. I know Tonga, Samoa and Fiji have all picked up on this, doing their kailao, siva tau and bole.
In those countries, athletes perform the ceremonial dance and chants together, regardless whether or not they are aboriginals.[/quote]
That’s a good ideal. It would be great to see Pacific war dance replace ROC national anthem in athletic events. Su TZ, being the chairman of DPP and a former rugby player in the college team, is at a perfect position to facilitate this trend, making it start from DPP-controlled cities.
There seemed to be a Kiwi rugby team visiting Taiwan a and showed Haka a few years ago but I couldn’t google out this news.
I still identified myself with Han Chinese and had a fancy about great China only several years ago. Then I gradually evolve to have a wider world view and a non-Chinese non-Han identity. If the change can occur to me, it can occur to other people. By the way there are many kids were born to mixed couples, especially in the south.
There seemed to be a Kiwi rugby team visiting Taiwan a and showed Haka a few years ago but I couldn’t google out this news.[/quote]
Kiwi baseball team visited Taiwan earlier for the WBC qualifier, and gave awesome Haka performances.
As for personal transformation, I think anyone who grow up under KMT’s brainwashing, especially during the Martial law era, goes through a phase of strong Chinese nationalistic period. I went through that phase in my elementary school, and used to draw on maps of the textbooks to extend boarders of the fictional ROC. It usually takes a lot of self-learning/self-reflecting to out grow such brain washing.
But they’re 90% islander. Taiwan is 90% (or greater) Han.
And don’t forget that most Pacific islands are basket-cases. Not exactly something that any country would want to emulate.[/quote]
I don’t think Hawaii or New Zealand have 90% islanders, yet those living there take pride in their pacific identity.[/quote]
Even many white New Zealanders welcome Maori heritage to blend in their self image, instead of viewing themselves as pure British.
This is a sensitive issue. Whenever the government here promotes indigenous culture, I can’t help but cringe at what feels like a blatant appropriation of a culture that has been repressed for centuries for the sake of political capital. I can’t imagine Taiwan embracing “Pacific heritage” in a way that is not offensive to the people who originated here.
But they’re 90% islander. Taiwan is 90% (or greater) Han.
And don’t forget that most Pacific islands are basket-cases. Not exactly something that any country would want to emulate.[/quote]
I don’t think Hawaii or New Zealand have 90% islanders, yet those living there take pride in their pacific identity.[/quote]
When people talk about Pacific Islands, they generally refer to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati etc - independent countries that have a majority islander population.
EDIT - In fact the OP’s article refers to the same. It makes no mention of NZ or Hawaii - it talks of former islander colonies.
There are still conflict and tension erupting between whites and Maoris from time to time. Most cases involve the right to some land or waterway rather than national identity or sovereignty. Both groups respect the Crown (as part of their heritage) but do not adopt a British world view, identify themselves as British, or let England influence their diplomatic policy.
When people talk about Pacific Islands, they generally refer to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati etc - independent countries that have a majority islander population.[/quote]
Just to clarify thing up a little, ‘Pacific identity’ does not equate with being identified with Pacific islanders. To me ‘Pacific identity’ means seeing Taiwan as an island in the Pacific, respecting Philippine as a respectable nation, doing trades across the Pacific Ocean, playing out its defense role as part of US-Japan Pacific Alliance, and finally viewing China as a hostile foreign nation.
When people talk about Pacific Islands, they generally refer to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati etc - independent countries that have a majority islander population.[/quote]
Just to clarify thing up a little, ‘Pacific identity’ does not equate with being identified with Pacific islanders. To me ‘Pacific identity’ means seeing Taiwan as an island in the Pacific, respecting Philippine as a respectable nation, doing trades across the Pacific Ocean, playing out its defense role as part of US-Japan Pacific Alliance, and finally viewing China as a hostile foreign nation.[/quote]
When people talk about Pacific Islands, they generally refer to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati etc - independent countries that have a majority islander population.[/quote]
Just to clarify thing up a little, ‘Pacific identity’ does not equate with being identified with Pacific islanders. To me ‘Pacific identity’ means seeing Taiwan as an island in the Pacific, respecting Philippine as a respectable nation, doing trades across the Pacific Ocean, playing out its defense role as part of US-Japan Pacific Alliance, and finally viewing China as a hostile foreign nation.[/quote]
Well that’s not what the TT article says.[/quote]
I think the TT article focuses on “pacific nation” and 'the identity of a pacific nation." Having an Austronesian majority population isn’t a prerequisite for that identity.
Also, if you are talking about cultural identity, a vast majority of Taiwanese are indeed Han. However if you are talking about lineage, than the majority would be Austronesian.
When people talk about Pacific Islands, they generally refer to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati etc - independent countries that have a majority islander population.[/quote]
Just to clarify thing up a little, ‘Pacific identity’ does not equate with being identified with Pacific islanders. To me ‘Pacific identity’ means seeing Taiwan as an island in the Pacific, respecting Philippine as a respectable nation, doing trades across the Pacific Ocean, playing out its defense role as part of US-Japan Pacific Alliance, and finally viewing China as a hostile foreign nation.[/quote]
Well that’s not what the TT article says.[/quote]
TT article, though pointing to a right direction, doesn’t do a good job in defining the basic thing well.
[quote=“antarcticbeech”]
Do you mean genetically?[/quote]
yes. for example, most of the sirayan or kavalan language and even culture and tradition are lost to its people, but they are still Austronesian regardless. If the pacific identity is in the public focus, more of such language and tradition can be saved. At its current course, even Holo and Haka cultures will be lost in the next few generations. Austronesians face an even tougher challenge in Taiwan.