Recover The Disappearing Weaving & Dyeing Skills

Atayal is the most widespread ethnic among Native Taiwanese. Atayal men are brave hunters and warriors. They have excellent hunting and fighting skills, and they were once the toughest Native Taiwanese in this island. Until today, there are still many Atayal descendants, who are serving for the Taiwan Army or Special Forces, protecting our nation in Taiwan.

Atayal women, the well-known handiworkers, who are born to be great artists. Until today, the artworks from Atayal culture still have its unique identifiability, especially textiles. Atayal developed a complete weaving skills as well as the processes in weaving and dyeing. In addition to the common Atayal plain and twill weaving techniques, Atayal have the most excellent clip weaving and pick weaving skills in the ancient island.

Atayal people have their own unique swaddling clothes when they were born, so are the dresses in their wedding party. For different purpose, Atayal have the specific cloth and its style. "Each pattern on the cloth tells the part of Atayal life. Atayal inherited the unique textile skills and processes from their ancestors via singing. The knowledge were in their brains, their throats", said by Living Taiwan National Treasure, Ms. Yuma Dalu.

Atayal Products

She is the current youngest Taiwan National Treasure, who is only 53 years old. Ms Yuma Dalu has put herself in preserving Atayal culture for 30 years. Her goal is recovering the disappearing traditional Atayal weaving and dyeing skills. Since there are many skills were lost in her territory, she spent more the 10 years in visiting more than 100 Atayal villages and learning those disappearing skills. She even spent another 10 years in travelling and search the related records in the libraries in UK and The Netherlands, because Taiwan was once occupied by English and Dutch in different period.

"Now, I will work harder and inherit Atayal culture continuously. I hope even a 3-year old children can learn the skill", said Ms. Yuma Dalu. Taiwan is a beautiful island with rich culture and humanity.