Russian academic researches Paiwan women’s craft culture

Russian academic researches Paiwan women’s craft culture

2024-02-02

Today we meet a Russian immigrant who is conducting research on Taiwan’s Indigenous cultures. Max Groza got his Ph.D. in Taiwan and now works at the National Science and Technology Council. FTV went with him to visit a craft workshop in a Paiwan village in Taitung, and learn about the local fabric culture from community leader Wang Hsiao-tung. The Pacavalj Fabric Workshop is a hub for local women to practice Indigenous arts, earn a living, as well as stay close to their communities.

Max Groza is visiting Pacavalj, a Paiwan village in Taitung’s Dawu Township.

He’s greeted warmly by Wang Hsiao-tung, director of the Pacavalj Fabric Workshop. After Typhoon Morakot in 2009, women in the village won government support to set up this workshop and use their expertise in weaving and embroidery, where they could earn money while taking care of their families.

Wang Hsiao-tung
Pacavalj Fabric Workshop director
Paiwan people love life, love the sun, love to be close to nature. We value our land, no matter how steep it is – we will never leave the place where we live.

Paiwan culture is known for being both elaborate and restrained, using a tricolor palette of red, yellow and green. Wang says every item made in the workshop is the Louis Vuitton of the South-Link Line.

Groza is working on a project for the National Science and Technology Council. This is the fourth village he’s visited in Taitung. He’s here to learn all about their work and make a record with his phone.

This small workshop is a bastion of cultural heritage. The layout of the space and the work itself is all full of Paiwan culture. Even a first-time visitor from abroad can easily learn a lot.

Max Groza
Russian immigrant
It’s my first time here. I feel amazed. I’ve never seen such an interesting place, full of so many beautiful cultural things, and so much richness.

Groza is throwing himself into his research of Taiwan’s Indigenous cultures. It’s a unique experience and challenge for the academic. He even wants to start learning the Paiwan language, and hopes to conduct more field research to bring himself even closer to Indigenous culture.

This story was provided by the program "We Are Family"
Funded by New Immigrant Development Fund

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雷峰訪視排灣族大鳥部落驚艷南迴線上LV手作工藝

2024-02-02

俄羅斯新住民雷峰，博士畢業後留在臺灣，執行國科會與台東大學合作的研究計畫，他透過田野調查，了解不同部落的生活樣態，做成調研報告，也適時提供居民生活協助。我們的鏡頭跟著雷峰，訪視了台東排灣族的大鳥部落。

這裡是台東縣大武鄉，排灣族聚落之一。這天雷鋒訪視的是大鳥部落。

熱情招呼的，是笆札筏布工坊的經理王曉彤。2009年莫拉克風災後，政府輔導部落媽媽們，發揮刺繡、編織等手作專長，成立了布工坊工作室，讓大家邊照顧家庭邊工作。

[[布工坊經理王曉彤]]
“排灣族就是很熱愛生命、太陽，喜歡接近大自然，很重視自己的土地，不管多陡，就是不會離開居住的環境。”

華麗又低調是排灣族的文化特色，運用紅、黃、綠等三個顏色相互搭配，王曉彤說，布工坊的每個作品，都是南迴線上的LV。

這是來到台東，接手國科會研究計畫後，雷峰訪視的第四個部落，除了仔細詢問，他也用手機留下記錄。

小小的布工坊就像是一個文化傳承的精神堡壘，空間佈置、創作內容，都富含濃厚的排灣族文化，即便是初次到訪的外國朋友，一讀就懂。

[[俄羅斯新住民雷峰]]
“我第一次來到這裡，覺得非常的驚訝，從來沒有看過這麼有趣的地方，充滿這麼多很漂亮的，文化內容很豐富的一個地方。”

投入臺灣原住民文化研究的雷峰說，這是很特別的經驗、也非常有挑戰，他要開始學排灣族語言，希望未來的田野調查，更貼近部落。

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