Aborigines, here and there
Two of the similarities between Taiwan and the US: the Chinese came to Taiwan about 400 years ago, same as my European ancestors. And they found natives living there. So we stopped at a reproduction aboriginal village near Sun Moon Lake. They had a dance program put on by several different tribes, and we got to pose for photos. (That is me on the far left.) Some of the dancing resembled those of the plains indians here in the US, complete with loincloths. We got to wander through the village and see how they used to live: food, crafts, hunting, etc. And they offered a lot of stuff for sale -- another similarity to the US!
I was astonished about the Northwest Coast Indian totem poles -- until the guide said they did that to honor other aboriginal groups around the world.
We have done the same thing here in the US. Seventeen years ago we had an opportunity to take our first Japanese kid to the Mayflower replica, Plimouth Plantation (yes, that is how it is spelled) and the Wampanoag indian village just south of Boston. They have reproduced the everything, complete with dirt floors and holes in the walls at Plimouth. There are actors who play the parts: ship captain, sawyers (they saw things), miscreants, housewives, etc. (There was also a gift shop, did you have to ask!) As we went back to our car, Yasuko asked "Do they actually live there? Like that?" (Something got lost in the translation, but give her a break. She had only been in the US for 3 weeks!) No, we told her, they are actors and they will go home to microwaves and sony walkmans and everything...
Unfortunately, I was running out of cash, and could only buy postcards at the aboriginal village. It would be nice to be independently wealthy.
posted by Marion @ 10:08 PM
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