Born: Sept. 2, 1969
Birthplace: Pingtung City (Southern Taiwan)
Did You Know That…?
Liglav A-wu’s father is a waishengren (外省人), and her mother is Indigenous Paiwan. After graduating from Dajia Senior High School (大甲高中) in Taichung City, she co-published the magazine “Hunter’s Culture (獵人文化)” with Tayal writer Walis Nokan, documenting the history of Indigenous social movements.
During her childhood, Liglav A-wu did not identify with her mother’s Indigenous culture, instead seeing herself as a second-generation waishengren, a group of migrants who arrived in Taiwan from China after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945, reflecting her father’s perspective. However, due to her father’s lower social status—he later became a victim of the White Terror—and her darker skin inherited from her mother, she experienced racial discrimination and social ostracism. After her father’s death, her mother took her back to their Paiwan village, where she began to understand her connection to the Indigenous community. In the village, she learned that Paiwan society is matrilineal, with property and titles passed through the mother’s lineage, while both genders share equal power and responsibilities.
Liglav A-wu has published several collections of prose, including “Who Will Wear the Beautiful Cloths I Weaved? (誰來穿我織的美麗衣裳),” “VuVu with Red Mouth (紅嘴巴的VuVu),” and “Mulidan–Proses on the Village (穆莉淡─部落手札).” In “Mulidan,” an appellation given by the author’s grandmother to her mother, she presents Indigenous people’s oral stories, telling legends circulated among various tribes. The author portrays the resilience of Indigenous women, the innocence of tribal children, and the nostalgia for life in the mountains.
As Indigenous issues gain more attention, the government has been promoting mother tongue education and the preservation of traditional culture. On this topic, Liglav A-wu has pointed out that many in the Indigenous community are unfairly criticized for losing touch with their traditions, arguing that the blame shouldn’t be put on Indigenous Peoples, who have been forced to conform to mainstream education and society. She shared that her children have faced discrimination because of their Indigenous identity, but she encourages them to demand equal rights and treatment. She hopes more Indigenous women will stand up to fight for their survival and make their struggles known.