The Ministry of Culture launched a special exhibition on August 1 at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to commemorate Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples' Day, inviting multi-ethnic artists to participate in the exhibition in hopes of highlighting the diversity of indigenous cultures, and their multifaceted cultural history.
Titled "ita/kita collective strength, we! (ita/kita一起得力量，我們！)" of which "ita/kita" means "we" in the ancient Austronesian language, the special Indigenous Peoples' Day exhibition is curated by Masao Aki (馬紹・阿紀).
At the entrance of the exhibition, likuljaw (clouded leopard in Paiwan language) and fakong'atomo (Fengbin pottery urn) are used to represent Taiwan's Yushan. By projecting a powerful light unto a rock floating in midair, it reflects the Austronesian languages distributed on the map, and through multiple themes, share the diverse artistic achievements and culture of the indigenous people of Taiwan.
Culture Minister Lee Yung-te pointed out that "we" represents this land, and everyone must cherish and recognize that indigenous culture is an indispensable part of what defines Taiwanese culture. We should express our deepest respect for the contributions of the indigenous people in Taiwan's multiculturalism for outstanding achievements in sports, music and art, Lee added.
Curator Masao Aki pointed out that on the eve of the opening of the exhibition, he confirmed the final exhibits one by one, immersed in the scenes of the stories to be told and constantly conjured many forces from nature, ancestors and spirits, what waits to break through the cocoon, and emerging powers.
"ita/kita collective strength, we!" will last from August 1 to August 11, and will be opened to the public four times a day (9:00-10:30, 11:00-12:30, 13:30-15:00, 15:30-17:00), with a limit of 100 people per day. For detailed information, please visit National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall’s official webpage here.