To protect the exclusive rights of indigenous peoples in their traditional arts, a signing ceremony of the exclusive license agreement on the property rights of intellectual creations was held at the National Taiwan Museum on Sept. 19.
At the ceremony, the agreement was signed by Vice Minister of Culture Lee Lien-chuan (李連權), President of the Hualien County Kavalan Tribe Development Association Bauki Angaw (潘朝成), and representative of the Seediq National Assembly Awi Nokan (吳永昌). Under the agreement, indigenous artisans will collaborate with fashion designers to create fashion pieces featuring indigenous cultures.
According to MOC, the licensed content includes the Seediq traditional quilt cover pattern (賽德克族傳統被蓋織紋), Seediq traditional "puniri" pattern (賽德克族傳統經挑織紋), and Kavalan banana fiber weaving craftsmanship (噶瑪蘭族香蕉絲織布工藝). Hence, the fashion brand DYCTEAM is allowed to use the Seediq rhombus pattern redesigned by Seediq artisan Seda Bakan (張鳳英). Also, Kavalan artisan Yen Yu-ying (嚴玉英)'s Kavalan weaving techniques are employed to the works of London-based designer Chen Shao-yen (陳劭彥).
MOC Vice Minister Lee pointed out that the signing ceremony has three significant meanings. Firstly, cross-ministerial collaboration shows respect for traditional intellectual creations. Secondly, indigenous traditional intellectual creations that are co-created by fashion designers will be showcased at the Taipei Fashion Week. Lastly, MOC pays greater attention to the exclusive rights to traditional intellectual creations. Lee said that, in the future, MOC will continue to promote Taiwanese unique cultures on the international stage through different platforms.
To raise the profile of Taiwan's exquisite craftsmanship, the collaborative works will be displayed at the Taipei Fashion Week SS23, which will take place from Oct. 14 to 22. Later, these works will be presented at the special exhibition "Chic Tainan (潮臺南時尚跨界)" at the Tainan Art Museum in November.