title: The tradition of facial tattoo in Taiwan: The case of the 'Truku' people

authors: Johnson, Diane

subjects: Taiwan

abstract: The art of body marking (tattoo), is a traditional pan-Austronesian tradition that has been lost or partially lost in many countries. In the case of the Truku tribe in north eastern Taiwan, the traditional practice of facial tattoo ceased around the 1 930s and there are now only a few tribal elders (both male and female) who still bear the characteristic tribal markings. This paper reports on a research project in which a questionnaire was administered to 100 members of the Si-La-An sub-tribe of the Truku people. The findings indicate that although the respondents know that this was once a significant cultural practice within the tribe, detailed knowledge and understanding of the traditional customs and practices associated with facial tattoo is inconsistent and opinions about the value of continuing the custom vary considerably.

text: The tradition of facial tattoo in Taiwan: The case of the 'Truku' people The art of body marking (tattoo), is a traditional pan-Austronesian tradition that has been lost or partially lost in many countries. In the case of the Truku tribe in north eastern Taiwan, the traditional practice of facial tattoo ceased around the 1 930s and there are now only a few tribal elders (both male and female) who still bear the characteristic tribal markings. This paper reports on a research project in which a questionnaire was administered to 100 members of the Si-La-An sub-tribe of the Truku people. The findings indicate that although the respondents know that this was once a significant cultural practice within the tribe, detailed knowledge and understanding of the traditional customs and practices associated with facial tattoo is inconsistent and opinions about the value of continuing the custom vary considerably.

year: 2009

title: On the Matter of Kava: From the Past to the Present to the Future

authors: Māhina, Hūfanga ‘Ōkusitino

abstract: Paradoxically, it is thought that people in Tonga specifically and the Moana Pacific generally walk forward (‘alu ki mu‘a) into the past (kuongamu‘a “age-in-the-front”) and, at the same timespace, walk backward (‘alu ki mui) into the future (kuongamui “age-in-the-back”), both taking place in the present (kuongaloto “age-in-the-middle”), where both the elusive, already-taken-place past and the illusive, yet-to-take-place future are constantly mediated in the ever-changing, conflicting present. 
Historically, it simply means that because the past (kuohili “that-which-has-come-to-pass”) has stood the test of timespace, it must be brought to the front (mu‘a) of people as guidance and because the future (kaha‘u “that-which-is-yet-to-come”) is yet to take place, it must be brought to the back (mui) of people, informed by their refined past knowledge, skills and experiences, both taking place in the present (lotolotonga “that which is the here-and-now”), where they are permanently negotiated in the social process. (Tā-Vā (Time-Space) Philosophy/Theory of Reality).
This paper makes a serious attempt to critically examine the matter of kava in its multifarious dimensions from a tavaist philosophical or theoretical perspective. In doing so, it strictly calls for the systematic adoption of a logical, total rather than an illogical, partial approach to the matter of kava, justly critiquing it in the broader context of the time-space (tā-vā), form-content (fuo-uho) and functional (‘aonga) relationships between the past, present and future. Given that the matter of kava is both physical and social in nature, it therefore requires that it be reflected upon totally and not partially, focusing on the temporal-formal, spatial-substantial and functional relationships between plant (‘akau) and body (sino), specifically those relating to their bio-chemical, molecular biological, and narcotic properties. These are then projected both actually and symbolically beyond the realm of the physical to the domain of the social, where a range of lasting social institutions of immense intellectual, cultural, political, artistic and now economic significance have been established. By broadly situating the matter of kava in the plural, cultural, collectivistic, holistic and circular context of the past, present and future, by virtue of their coexistence and continuity as intersecting or connecting and separating physical and social tendencies, it is hope that we can have a clear sense of its historical and ceaseless transformation over time and space as a human concept and practice. This includes the increasing economic appropriation and exploitation of kava by multinational pharmaceutical companies on a large scale, in view of their total established physical and social attributes in reality as in nature, mind and society, where the truly controversial issue of biological, intellectual and cultural property ownership is introduced into the existing equation, theoretically and practically problematised by a sense of globalism, commercialism and legalism.

text: On the Matter of Kava: From the Past to the Present to the Future Paradoxically, it is thought that people in Tonga specifically and the Moana Pacific generally walk forward (‘alu ki mu‘a) into the past (kuongamu‘a “age-in-the-front”) and, at the same timespace, walk backward (‘alu ki mui) into the future (kuongamui “age-in-the-back”), both taking place in the present (kuongaloto “age-in-the-middle”), where both the elusive, already-taken-place past and the illusive, yet-to-take-place future are constantly mediated in the ever-changing, conflicting present. 
Historically, it simply means that because the past (kuohili “that-which-has-come-to-pass”) has stood the test of timespace, it must be brought to the front (mu‘a) of people as guidance and because the future (kaha‘u “that-which-is-yet-to-come”) is yet to take place, it must be brought to the back (mui) of people, informed by their refined past knowledge, skills and experiences, both taking place in the present (lotolotonga “that which is the here-and-now”), where they are permanently negotiated in the social process. (Tā-Vā (Time-Space) Philosophy/Theory of Reality).
This paper makes a serious attempt to critically examine the matter of kava in its multifarious dimensions from a tavaist philosophical or theoretical perspective. In doing so, it strictly calls for the systematic adoption of a logical, total rather than an illogical, partial approach to the matter of kava, justly critiquing it in the broader context of the time-space (tā-vā), form-content (fuo-uho) and functional (‘aonga) relationships between the past, present and future. Given that the matter of kava is both physical and social in nature, it therefore requires that it be reflected upon totally and not partially, focusing on the temporal-formal, spatial-substantial and functional relationships between plant (‘akau) and body (sino), specifically those relating to their bio-chemical, molecular biological, and narcotic properties. These are then projected both actually and symbolically beyond the realm of the physical to the domain of the social, where a range of lasting social institutions of immense intellectual, cultural, political, artistic and now economic significance have been established. By broadly situating the matter of kava in the plural, cultural, collectivistic, holistic and circular context of the past, present and future, by virtue of their coexistence and continuity as intersecting or connecting and separating physical and social tendencies, it is hope that we can have a clear sense of its historical and ceaseless transformation over time and space as a human concept and practice. This includes the increasing economic appropriation and exploitation of kava by multinational pharmaceutical companies on a large scale, in view of their total established physical and social attributes in reality as in nature, mind and society, where the truly controversial issue of biological, intellectual and cultural property ownership is introduced into the existing equation, theoretically and practically problematised by a sense of globalism, commercialism and legalism.

year: 2017

title: Renewal and resistance: Moko in contemporary New Zealand

authors: Nikora, Linda Waimarie

subjects: maori

abstract: Moko is still here, contrary to the widely held belief that the art and custom of moko-Maori skin adornment-had vanished from New Zealand communities. Over the last two decades an increasingly visible number of Maori have revived and renewed the practice, taking colour into their skin. As an indigenous people, re-taking moko confronts and refutes the myth of a 'dying race'. It calls on Maori to recommit to strong Maori identities, customs and traditions and challenges the viewer to re-examine their social representations of moko and moko wearers. This paper reports the resistance strategies of a group of 83 moko wearers. Strategies include (1) educating, representing and reconstructing; (2) invalidating and minimizing representations; (3) building and enhancing social networks; and (4) securing cultural identity and pride. They reflect the celebration of cultural resilience.

text: Renewal and resistance: Moko in contemporary New Zealand Moko is still here, contrary to the widely held belief that the art and custom of moko-Maori skin adornment-had vanished from New Zealand communities. Over the last two decades an increasingly visible number of Maori have revived and renewed the practice, taking colour into their skin. As an indigenous people, re-taking moko confronts and refutes the myth of a 'dying race'. It calls on Maori to recommit to strong Maori identities, customs and traditions and challenges the viewer to re-examine their social representations of moko and moko wearers. This paper reports the resistance strategies of a group of 83 moko wearers. Strategies include (1) educating, representing and reconstructing; (2) invalidating and minimizing representations; (3) building and enhancing social networks; and (4) securing cultural identity and pride. They reflect the celebration of cultural resilience.

year: 2007