- Chinese Name: 伊誕．巴瓦瓦隆
- Born: 1963
- Birthplace: Pingtung County (Southern Taiwan)
- Did You Know That …?
- Art runs in Etan Pavavalung's family. His father Pairang Pavavalung (白浪．巴瓦瓦隆) is a Paiwan nose flute and mouth flute master while his brother Sakuliu Pavavalung (撒古流．巴瓦瓦隆) is a renowned artist and a leading figure in the indigenous art movement of Taiwan.
Etan Pavavalung is a versatile artist whose works encompass poems, paintings, sculptures, installations, and prints. Etan is especially known for his use of "carved lines and patterns (紋切刻畫),” which is an art style he employs to highlight the aesthetics of the Paiwan tribe.
When Etan was studying at Tainan Theological College and Seminary, he was inspired by the philosophy of Taoism, which changed his attitude towards life and helped him cultivate inner strength to achieve his goal of reconstructing his tribe's core cultural identity.
Etan started to develop his carved-line-and-pattern style in 2009 when his mountainside Davalan Village was severely damaged by Typhoon Morakot. Seeing fellow tribespeople suffer from homesickness after relocating to prefabricated housing units at the mountain base, Etan began to reconstruct Paiwan culture by depicting nature, forests, and aboriginal symbols in his art creations.
The carved lines and patterns, according to Etan, are an extension of the Paiwan language and characters. The concept originated from the Paiwan phrase "venecik,” which embodies the meaning of writing, embroidering, and carving. Thus, Etan combines the traditional concept with contemporary visuals to present the aesthetics of his people.
Etan also uses mythological elements in his creations to raise public awareness of aboriginal and environmental issues. For example, eyes symbolize respect and equality; lilies represent the stars in the sky; butteflies refer to the hard-working Paiwan people; the sun represents the aristocratic caste; and the hundred pacer is the holy guardian of his tribe.
Etan's artworks have been showcased in many exhibitions and purchased by museums and private collectors His creativity also earned him top prize at the First and Third Pulima Art Award, the first national award established for aboriginal artists in Taiwan.
In addition to making art with carved lines and patterns, Etan publishes children's books that tell Paiwan legends, history, and mythology. He also releases accounts on Paiwan culture, religion, and symbols.
Etan has transformed the sadness of losing his hometown to Typhoon Morakot into a source of inspiration. He noted that through art and writing, he is commemorating and documenting the displacement story of the Davalan tribe and the shared memories of their lost homeland.